Does Mike Tyson belong in the same category as Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, and Jack Dempsey?

Very generous to Jack and Sonny to put them in that league.

Personally, I think Tyson's between the two classes.

 

Your comment was laughable. What exactly has tyson done to bring him even close to Ali? Lose all his signature fights. Get knocked out by a bum at the height of his prime? Quit like a ***** in his last 2 fights? Bite someone's ear off cause he was getting his ass beat? man these tyson fanboys can be crazy sometime.

 

I thought the generosity was towards Tyson having compared him to Ali. I think all of them with the exception of Dempsey are better.

 

Ok and this has exactly what to do in an ATG rating? Jesus your posts are getting worse and worse.

 

Tyson was the most proven finisher I'd say. Berbick was only stopped on one other occasion, early on in his career, and Mike went through him like nothing. Thomas had never been stopped before Tyson. Holmes was never stopped by another man, and he went on to fight into his 50's. The guys Liston stopped wasn't as durable as those guys, and he stopped much fewer contenders in total as well.

 

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Me too, but Mike was a great fighter, no question there.

1. Ali
2. Louis
3. Holmes
4. Holyfield
5. Lewis
6. Foreman
7. Marciano
8. Frazier
9. Wlad
10. Tyson
11. Dempsey
12. Johnson
13. Liston
14. Vitali
15. Bowe
16. Charles
17. Tunney
18. Walcott
19. Fitzsimmons
20. Norton

 

So, my opinion is entitled to no respect because you disagree with it? IMO, Tyson's signature fights occurred prior to 1990. I can choose whatever fights I wish to define Tyson's career. You can do the same. Yes, Tyson fell apart later in his career. Early on, he was a beast. IMO, he would have beaten both Liston and Dempsey.

Notice that I said he would not be a pennant winner against Ali. I think the main premise for this thread was flawed in that neither Liston nor Dempsey are in Ali's class. In my opinion, though, Tyson would have beaten both of them, but not Ali. In that respect, my opinion is similar to the one stated by Rock 0052. As far as heavyweights go, I am nobody's fan boy.

I respect your opinion, but not your method of delivery. So, as I requested earlier, buzz off.

 

no I don’t rate any of those three in Ali’s league. Ali is the #1 or #2 best heavy of all time. Those other three aren’t even top 5

 

Ali was in a different class from any of those fighters. He was in the class of Louis and Holmes, and they were the Elite imo. Guys like Holy, Lennox, and Foreman weren't far behind, and I don't rate Mike with them, either.

All this said, Mike was an uncontestable ATG imo. His original reign was easily as terrifying as Dempsey's, and perhaps even Liston's.

I can't compare him with Foreman's Reign of Terror, because I don't think Mike beat a Frazier or prime Norton...ever. Closest he came was Holy and Lewis and BOY did he lose.

 

Liston’s “ Reign of Terror “ consisted of two title fight wins, both against the same guy.

 

That is true. Plus, George only had three.

 

Physically, theirs only one Heavyweight that compare to Tyson as far as speed, reflexes, power, and fighting intelligence. And that's J.Louis.
Ali was the most gifted athlete ever in the Heavyweight division, but his skill set was unique. Neither Dempsey or Liston had that total offensive firepower of J.Louis and Tyson.
Does Tyson belong in the same category of the fighters you mentioned? Personally offensively he's better than the ones you mentioned. Tyson is the 2nd best offensive heavyweight in history. He only follows The Brown Bomber.
But we all know boxing is more than having the ultimate offensive package. Is he as mentally tough as the fighters mentioned? I don't think so and doubtful.
Dempsey came up in a era that a fighter had to be hard and determined. Liston did also, and he was a real thug. He was beating up teams of Police officers in a time they could've easily put a bullet behind his ear and made up a story. Ali, if I need to explain to anyone on this site how brave, determined, and tough Ali was, perhaps your on the wrong site.
Tyson in my opinion would be at the very bottom of "The will to win " totem pole with this group of fighters.... Tyson was a devastating force as long as the fight was going his way, but when it wasn't. He bit off ears among other things.
Atheletiscim? Ali, than everyone else is a distance 2nd.
Likability Ali, Dempsey and Louis, everyone else, well down the totem pole.
Liston and Tyson were great fighters, but were not likable men.
So it depends on what the criteria your using to get an answer on were Tyson belongs.

 

Ali is on his own level .. and the other 3 are equally on a level below

 

-Im a die hard foreman fan and there is no way his ATG ranking/resume is above wladmir's.

-Johnson is way too high. What prime elite fighter did he ever beat? He's most famous for stopping a 500 year old jeffries and losing to Willard. I think people overrated him due to his historical significance and skill.

-17 is very generous for tunney given that he had like what, 5 heavyweight fights? And his best wins at that weight were a past his prime Dempsey who was under 200 lbs?

-Vitali should be above liston and especially Johnson.

-why isn't patterson on this list? His resume is better than everyone from 16-20. Arguably better than vitali too.