Why did Mike Tyson fail to KO James Tillis in ‘86?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Sep 4, 2020.



  1. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

    7,900
    9,057
    Apr 9, 2020
    I seem to be getting good at that. But it looks to me like he's rating Holyfield at 100, and Tyson at 80. Are you saying that 100 is the very top, and 80 is worse rather than better?
     
    JohnThomas1 likes this.
  2. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

    8,878
    3,496
    Nov 13, 2010
    And you're the expert somehow? People get smeared sometimes. This just might be one of the cases?
     
  3. VVMM

    VVMM Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,372
    342
    Nov 16, 2012
    I think Tyson didn't wanna knock Tillis out and this fight wasn't so important.
    In the 4 round Tyson knocked down Tillis easily by a light punch this proved
    Tillis' chin couldn't take a typical hard Tyson punch.
    Otherwise before Berbick the Green/Marvis Frazier /Ribalta fights were most important because these were top ranked
    opponents.
     
  4. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

    48,196
    34,928
    Apr 27, 2005
    Basically mostly yes. 100 obviously isn't the top as there's no way Holyfield would score 100. It's just a rough scale.
     
    William Walker likes this.
  5. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

    48,196
    34,928
    Apr 27, 2005
    Tyson didn't want to knock Tillis out? Beyond ridiculous.

    Every fight was important as a young hungry Tyson was forging his reputation. He was always in shape at this stage and was fighting frequently.
     
  6. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

    48,196
    34,928
    Apr 27, 2005
    I stayed pretty clear of that thread. It was a little bizarre. The whole event and what not is pretty blurry with plenty of conspiracies amid much information and misinformation. Who knows for sure.
     
    Sangria likes this.
  7. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

    7,900
    9,057
    Apr 9, 2020
    I have to second that. For someone who had Jesse Ferguson put down as a TKO when it was really a DQ just to keep the knockout streak going, there's no reason Tyson wouldn't want to knock Tillis out, which is why I find my proposed theory that Tyson purposely went 10 is out of the question.
     
  8. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

    8,878
    3,496
    Nov 13, 2010
    Information, misinformation and the ever devious disinformation. Good call.
     
    JohnThomas1 likes this.
  9. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

    8,878
    3,496
    Nov 13, 2010
    Yeah that was a good one man. Not the biggest fan of Rogan but once Mike starts talking, Joe shuts up and listens.

    Every little bit of new info coming out of Mike's mouth is worth it for me, and this has some good bits. Thanks for sharing!!
     
  10. PernellSweetPea

    PernellSweetPea Boxing Junkie Full Member

    11,853
    5,365
    Feb 26, 2009
    I think you are right.. This was the time when he was stepping up in competition and it was just harder to stop Tillis compared to the guys he had previously stopped. I would think by 1987 he would have stopped Tillis in a few rounds. When was Ferguson in relation to Tillis? Ferguson was a brutal knockout.

    Actually when Mike fought Mitch Green and I think it was Ribalta near the same time-who went 10 with him didn't he, I thought there might be trouble when he fights the tougher guys like Berbick or Tubbs or the toughest guy I thought would be for him- Tim Witherspoon. I was a little worried, and then Mike takes care of Berbick in 2. So he was a work in progress. They stepped him up pretty well and in a smart way. Jacobs and Cayton.. I still think Witherspoon could have been tough for him. He was big strong and a great right hand and usually durable if not for the second Bonecrusher fight. And had Witherspoon beaten Smith it would have been Mike fighting Witherspoon on March 7, 1987.
     
  11. Jamal Perkins

    Jamal Perkins Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,451
    2,707
    Oct 19, 2012
    I dont think theres a stylistic pattern and its certainly not the one u suggest......if we're talking guys,who had a good jab and moved well.....than tyson beat biggs,william,tucker ,thomas,seldon etc

    It was bonecrusher who patented the grab and frustrate on the inside.

    The fact is its not as simple as one stylistic pattern beats tyson.

    The facts show tyson beat every style...

    The guys,who beat tyson did by fighting the best fights of their career using multi faceted skills

    Evander and lewis could do it all.diuglas had a handful of nights in his career where he was something above himself.tillis was still useful...his career slided drastically after this fight.
     
    dinovelvet and Sangria like this.
  12. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member Full Member

    51,850
    64,139
    Aug 21, 2012
    "Fact is there are some stylistic elements that Tyson had difficulty in dealing with and it's as clear as day what those were.
    This content is protected
    "

    Damn, who said the stuff in yellow? Sounds like that guy knows what's up.
     
    Jamal Perkins likes this.
  13. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

    55,255
    10,264
    Jun 29, 2007
    WHAT? This I did not know.
     
  14. Toney F*** U

    Toney F*** U Boxing junkie Full Member

    6,249
    9,565
    Oct 16, 2019
    Yup, he also stated that’s why he keep holding on to Tillis, only way he could get a break. Crazy to think that if the ref didn’t allow excessive holding Tillis might’ve won
     
  15. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

    8,878
    3,496
    Nov 13, 2010
    :hangOh here we go. Heeeeere we go.