If Mike Tyson was around today, would he be a bigger star than Floyd?

Steve, what have you shown me here?

It's completely biased nonsense, not allowing for various circumstances, and only looking from a pro Wlad/anti Tyson perspective.

It's pretty sad that you've posted this really.

I actually laughed out loud when I read 'An objective view on HW boxing'

Objective?

Do me a favour?

Mike was prime vs Douglas?

Including stats for the Lewis and McBride fights?

Have you read the 93 comments from the other members?

Did you read the section, titled - Tyson vs The World?

I'm speechless at the sheer stupidity.


I don't need to see a bunch of irrelevant stats written by a f*cking idiot. I've been watching boxing for almost 30 years. And I know that despite what that article states, the attributes that Mike possessed in the mid 80's, would have caused Wlad a variety of trouble.

 

I don't understand.

Why are you putting Mike in a time machine in 2010?

Why 5 years?

Floyd only became really popular after the De La Hoya fight.

And I think the first time he was shown in England as the main event, was in 2006 against Baldomir. Many English fans hadn't seen him until the Hatton fight.

It's took him until almost 40 to be the figure that he is today.

 

mak tason was the gritest in tha wurld!

 

This thread should be re-named mad*****ter vs everyone with common sense.

 

If Tyson was beating people as emphatically as he was in the 80s then easily.

 

Of course it was different 30 years ago. That's why if an 18 year old Iron Mike climbed out of a time machine in 2012 he would have absolutely no chance of becoming the same global phenomenon like he did in 1986.

Nobody would care if he knocked out 20 cans before his first title fight, or if he knocked out Stiverne (today's poor man's Berbick) in 2 rounds.

People act around here that Tyson could achieve 2012-2015 the EXACT same level of popularity that he achieved 1986-1989. There's absolutely no way since the US HW scene didn't garner the interest it did in the 80s. Most big HW fights now happen outside of the US. So in 2015 there's absolutely no way Tyson would be bigger than Floyd. Both popularity-wise and PPV wise. I am not sure what you people here are smoking.

The question at hand is not "Was Tyson bigger in 1989 than Floyd is in 2015". The question was "If prime Tyson was around (i.e. transported here in a time machine), would he achieve a higher popularity than Floyd."

These are two fundamentally different questions. It seems few people here realize that and that's why the discussion is quite pointless!

 

Tyson made $25m for beating Spinks
$35m x2 for the Holyfield fights
$37m for the Lewis fight.

 

These are irrelevant as we're discussing if 20 y/o Mike came on the scene now. Not Mike in 88 or the 90's.

 

I understand exactly what you're saying. The World was different then. So you can't do direct comparisons. So I agree that he wouldn't be as popular as he was back then, in an exact timescale of only three years. But the TS is looking from the perspective of him being in his prime, with social media etc.

Again, Floyd is almost 40 years old. It's took him years to get to the position he's in today. Was he this popular 10 years ago? Do you think he'd be as popular today if De La Hoya and Roy etc were all in their prime?

So of course a HW of only three years experience, wouldn't be as popular as today's best fighter who's 38, who's been at the top for years.

So the answer to your question, is no, in three years Mike would not be as popular as what Floyd is. But over time, there's absolutely no reason why he couldn't be, if he dominated and remained active.

 

Tyson was bigger because he was the whole package, blistering speed, power, defence, iron chin, unorthodox style and amazing combinations. Wilder is just an average fighter who knocks over bums due to his size and power. It's not just about who you beat it's about how you do it.

 

So your argument is based on how relevant the US hw scene is or was?
How do you explain Tyson's incredible popularity in Japan then? Tyson wasn't just big Stateside, he was big everywhere. I wonder if you're really aware why Tyson was popular to begin with.

Look at the hype they tried with Seth Mitchell. HBO would sell their soul to have a Tyson around now precisely because of a lack of decent US heavies.

 

And look at the hype around Deontay Wilder. The unbeaten WBC belt holder with a KO rate of 96%. How popular is Deontay in Japan :rofl:rofl

 

What has Wilder got to do with this?

 

The question was would he be a bigger star thhan Floyd.

If he was making THAT kind of money 30 years ago, hed be making a whole lot more today.

More than Mayweather.