Does a Prime Holmes beat a prime Tyson?

He did pretty well for 3 1/2 rounds vs. a prime Tyson in '88. Holmes was retired, had not fought in 2 years, and had not won a fight in 3 years. A prime and well prepared Holmes is much better.

 

The way Tyson slips the jab of Williams and lands that left hook makes me think almost anyone would struggle to beat him behind a jab.

But then the way he was so thoroughly dominated by Douglas suggests it's the right strategy to beat him.

Larry has the tools to pull it off but I go back and forth all goo often on this fight.

 

Carl Williams was notoriously open to the left hook. And had been dropped badly by Tillis early, and by Ferguson, and KTFO by Weaver in 2 rounds.

Tyson slipped some jabs well and made his opponents pay, but that's hardly reason to throw away the jab. The nature of boxing is such that if you a punch you might miss, and if you miss you might get countered. Risky business it is.

Just about every great victory requires good use of a jab.

Of course, there ARE plenty of people who will say you can't beat Tyson by boxing him at all, and you can't beat him by standing and slugging ... and you can't win off the backfoot and you can't back him up ..... ergo, PRIME Tyson was invincible

 

Obviously Williams was a lot more open than Larry and not half as durable.

But with Tyson's power, every jab has to be perfect because if he makes you pay it could be game over.

I do pick Holmes, Ali, Holyfield, Lewis, Louis, Liston to all be able to beat him behind the jab and have enough on the inside to hold their own when he gets close.

I do think he's only one punch away from victory at any point though.

 

tyson did not have his best head movement in the douglas fight.

 

He didn't have his best anything after 10 rounds of being jabbed to death.

 

like i said he didnt have his best head movement after rooney left. this is obvious to anyone with an eye. If Tyson was as susceptible to jabs as people say, he would have lost way before douglas.

 

You're right, he magically found himself unable to move his head to avoid punches.

It wasn't just the jab, it was the hand speed, the movement, the condition of the fighter, the commitment and discipline and an unfortunate ring of a bell.

If Tyson decided to fall in love with his power and abandon his defence that's his problem, he was still physically as able as ever, he just wasn't able to defeat Douglas.

 

Douglas, showed that jabs troubled Tyson. Bonecrusher also troubled him with it.

 

:deal

 

Holmes was 6-8 years past prime against Spinks. He at the very least, deserved the decision in their first fight and was clearly robbed in the second. Tyson was at his peak when he lost to Douglas.

 

The only trouble Bonecrusher gave Tyson was holding on like a limpet whenever Tyson went anywhere near him.

 

All James smith did was clinching
Like a ***** to last the distance. It had nothing to do with a jab. Tyson was horrible mentally in the douglas fight. Again TYSON AVOIDED PRETTY WELL JABS WITH HIS PERFECT BOBBING AND WEAVING when he was focused in shape

 

Tyson was at his peak numerically and popularity wise but it's not hard to see he was slipping emotionally and physically.
It's hard to pick a prime Tyson because he blew it. He never reached his prime. We never saw his best because he ****ed it up. He did pretty Damn good though for a guy in all practice terms was learning his craft. And I think the speed and constant pressure gets Holmes. I see Holmes being tired not Tyson. Tyson young and in shape seemed to not get tired. Maybe because he was never pushed there. But I still see him beating Holmes

 

it has nothing to do with beingh physically able. its about training and utilizing the technique