I'm not talking prime for prime as that's obvious. But could Tyson right now beat Wilder. Wilder is lacking confidence and was badly beaten both physically and mentally by Fury. Tyson looked very fast and powerful last night. I reckon he has an outside chance here.
Those sloppy drunken sailor punches wouldn't even land on Tyson. Not to mention Wilder will be too preoccupied with Tyson's punches. Wilder has no clinch game. None.
I would root for Mike over any current heavyweight in a sanctioned fight, but he knows his own limitations. And that's why he's sticking to the Legends Only exhibition tour. Wilder would seriously hurt him at this point. The only guys I'd favor Tyson over are no-name club fighters and some old journeymen with little power.
Tyson looked ok because he was relaxed and knew it was just a sparring match. He was throwing arm punches and knew he didn't have to worry about getting hit too badly. He let Roy clinch him; and it wasn't that draining kind of Ruiz clinch. It was the two performers agreeing not to throw punches. Don't know where you get the idea that Tyson looked powerful. Things change in an actual fight. There's nerves, pressure and of course actually getting hit. That mental energy drains stamina fast. Tyson probably couldn't go more than 2 rounds against anyone in the top 50, let someone in the top 3. Even Tyson knows he's an older man and has no business in real fights. What he's doing for charity and entertainment is great; but leave the real fights for guys in their primes.
When I fantasize, it's the Swedish bikini team and me stranded on a desert Island. Mike Tyson is 54 and he made it through a sparring session. Good on 'em. Wilder, even in his damaged mental state, would knock Iron Mike into the next world. This isn't a viable thing.
Wilder took his beating from Fury like a man. The disrespect he gets here for losing a fight against the absolute best heavyweight in the world is really sad
