Did the Thomas v Tyson bout in `87 proved Holyfield could have taken prime Tyson`s best shots?

Pinklon Thomas had a great chin. And he was still knocked out less than halfway through the fight. I think what that fight proved was that a motivated prime Tyson didn't stop throwing hard shots after 2 or 3 rounds (like the post prison Tyson did)

 

As Bert says, Thomas had a good chin & still got knocked out. Had Tyson fought Holy in his prime that would've been '87 '88, & Holy was frankly too small. '91 Holy was a tad bigger but couldn't control his urge to brawl when tagged which is a recipe for disaster even against a slightly faded Tyson.

 

No it does not really prove anything.

I have always been of the mind, or at least since Holyfield vs Dokes, that Holy would beat Tyson. I have maintained since then that Holy would beat Tyson...but the Tyson Thomas outing does not answer this question. I think @Smokin Bert answered what is revealed quite well. It showed Tyson didn’t stop punching or punching hard after 3 rounds

 

Your assuming here Mark. It just doesn't work that way. Your constanty playing that ABC game.

 

Mike sure made PT eat those words...

It's time to go to school son!!!

 

Pinklon Thomas might've had a Top 10 chin and Top 5 jab in heavyweight history. I haven't seen anyone take that many bombs from Tyson. And those were bombs.

Still, I have no doubt that prime Tyson beats prime Holyfield. None. 1991 would've been a firefight.

 

You thought Holyfield beats Tyson since the Dokes fight? If that was Tyson landing that many shots Holyfield wouldn't have had a career!! That fight, to me, proved a prime Iron Mike would've taken Holyfield out of there. I've heard from some heavies that Dokes didn't hit that hard.

I agree with the rest of your post though...

 

What it showed was that Thomas had a great chin, possibly the best of his era excluding Cobb.

I don't think it has any bearing on Holyfield vs Tyson peak for peak. Holyfield nullified Tyson's power and combination punching to an enormous extent and he wouldn't be taking the punches others did. He had the stones and ability to offset Tyson's offense by throwing hard at the same time or jumping in with potshots and tying him up before he could retaliate. He also had the better of the clinches and shows of strength.

What Tyson did against others didn't matter. He wouldn't and couldn't do the same to Holyfield. Tyson hit as hard as ever when they fought and what punches he did take he took with aplomb. Tyson would not have been able to get his combination punching going against Holyfield anything like he did against others.

It would become a battle of wills and Holyfield has that side covered against Mike imo.

 

I forgot to add that Tyson would be going to Holyfield's body often. It was successful in '96 and '97 and it would've made a huge difference if they fought in '91.

 

Yes & Holyfield had a tiny waist for a heavyweight back then, & Tyson had a murderous body attack, just ask Ruddock.

 

It just proved how hard hitting andifast Tyson was in his heyday. But Holy field had a different style and mind set to Thomas at that stage anyway.

 

LOL, sorry bud but that's ****ing laughable, you have no doubt ?? You're awfully confident of Mike's chances considering they both did that fight each other twice, first fight ending in a stoppage and the second fight Mike intentionally got himself DQ'ed when he realized he couldn't hurt EH and was going to get stopped again.
Oh and before you respond with the inevitable BS excuse that Mike had deteriorated by 1996 blah, blah. Well yeah he had to an extent but so had Evander, remember he had been stopped by Bowe a year previously, lost to Moorer and looked bad against Bobby Czyz, by 1996 Holyfield's speed, stamina and punch output were not what they were compared to the fighter he was back in the late 80's/early 90's.

Was it ?? Last time I checked Mike got his ass whooped in both fights.

 

I think Holy had Mike's number.