Rank these attributes in order of their importance to greatness

Luck is pretty much last on everybody's list. Except mine lol

 

Ya I see what you mean but I always felt anyone that knows he/she needs to prepare to go 12 hard rounds while consistently getting punched in the face needs those qualities in abundance. I have an old buddy that was a decent amateur in Brooklyn and had spared with Kostya Tszyu on a couple of occasions that always told me that the mental aspect was most challenging.

 

By the way I personally am not a big fan of Tszyu's, but my buddy told me Kostya was a very nice fella.

 

That says it all.

 

Would you say Mike is a greater fighter, then? If so, why?

 

Tyson? greater than Foreman? Yes.. Head to head I think George wins.

 

I have a real hard time with Tyson being considered greater than Foreman. All I see is Holyfield unloading on Foreman hard at several points in their fight, but George pressed on, never giving up. Compare that old man Foreman with Tyson/Douglas. No excuses for Tyson (for instance, it's possible he couldn't score any steroids for the Douglas fight). But Tyson WAS still considered in his prime during that fight...he lost it miserably, and Douglas sucked.

Tyson has admitted at least some of his prime was drugged. That doesn't make a great fighter, quite the opposite. At least Liston didn't do drugs (or perhaps they didn't test back in the day).

All respect intended, but Tyson tried to come back and got stopped every time (oh I forgot, he bit someone's ear because he was getting his ass kicked again). Foreman was getting beat good by Moorer (the former waaayy too old for any boxer) then good night!

 

Foreman lost that fight against a smaller guy and also was beaten by Morrison who was not that great. He was a decent puncher and ok fighter, but not a great fighter. The only reason Foreman beat Moorer was because he had a weak chin and stood in front of George. You are picking Tyson's worst fight in his prime and saying compare them. Compare Tyson against Berbick with Foreman against Briggs. I think Tyson proved he can have a longer reign as champion and he beat some decent guys. Foreman had lapses. How is he top 10 all time at heavyweight?

 

Primes...Foreman blows away two guys who beat perhaps the greatest fighter whom ever lived. Tyson beat up a severely ring rusted grandpa (Holmes), a terrified light heavyweight, and several other basic nobodies (Pinklon Thomas, yawn). Dude, James Tillis made him look bad (at times real bad). Not good.

Again, no offense. Compare the absolute primes of both.

 

As a codicil, I have grown in my regard for Tyson since I joined this forum, but I see him as one of the most entertaining fighters who ever lived...certainly not one of the greatest. He was super fun to watch, that was pretty much it.

I won't budge on this. An athlete who used drugs during fights, got knocked out cold by a loser in his prime...do the math.

Tyson gave a great show, but some of his greatest shows were in fights he lost. That's pretty bad.

 

To me Foreman was really embarrassed by Ali and outclassed. .What were the punchstats of that fight if they have them. Honestly. He landed good body punches, but he outfought in every aspect. And Jimmy Young. The first career was good. and he beat Frazier and Norton, but was it really great? And the second career was so great it propelled him to top 10?

 

It was Ali, my friend. What more is there? Ali was Ali.

 

Again, I don't mean disrespect to Tyson fans here, I could be totally wrong.

We all have our favorites.