Prime Evander Holyfield will always beat prime Tyson

The same could argued of post Holyfield 1 Riddick Bowe.

 

I would agree. He may have took the first Holyfield bout a little light but he didn't with the second. He gave it a real go until he realised Holyfield wasn't going anywhere, ever.

 

They never fought in their primes. Tyson was fighting well in the second fight after the first round. Its ashame he fouled himself out, but Holyfield butted him and cut both his eyes. I think he was better prepared in the second fight physically, but didnt expect to be cut over both eyes by the second round. He couldnt mentally cope with the fact he would have to fight hard at a disadvantage. I dont think either fight was the best of Holyfield either. He was not one to grapple and headbutt at his best.
If you look at Tyson at his respective best, and Holyfield at his, its hard to imagine Holyfield not slugging with Tyson, who at his best, was better defensively, offensively, mentally, and had razor sharp timing. Holyfield who had tremendous heart, but fought foolishly when he was engaged.

 

Tyson was heavily intimidated from the stare down on. He saw himself losing again and quit.

 

Yeah, his head movement was lacking a bit in the first and he seemed like he expected Holy to go easy. In the second he looked sharp, moved his head and was looking to set up combos, but Holy just wasn't having it.

 

For sure. He was on a mission in that second fight but Holyfield just wouldn't play ball.

 

Holyfield beats Tyson every time.

I get that there's some people grasping on to the Tyson story.. baddest man on the planet and all that.. but..

Holyfield KO's Tyson every time. It won't be easy.. but he'll do it.

It's a bit surprising that the greatest minds of this board would pick Tyson over Holyfield.. ever..

You know Holyfield held him up in their first fight anyway. Typical Holyfield.

 

For me the 86 to 89 Tyson is better than any holyfield. But that doesn’t mean Tyson had a better career than holyfield.

 

So the OP was correct ... it is an unpopular opinion to pick Holyfield over '88 Tyson. Which he surely would have done, OP.

 

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Holyfield showing a lot of body shots. I wonder what Foreman would think of that.

Man.. Holyfield was really great in his time.. (he came late to heavyweight.. but threw the bodyshots to keep it even steven.. knocked tyson down with it too.. old news).

 

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body shots.

if only tyson hadn't have been head butted... there must be a rational explanation... how that diminished fighter beat tyson...

 

No it is not. Tons of folks on this very thread pick Holyfield over Tyson.
A bunch of folks told the OP from the very beginning it was not an unpopular opinion.
That many believe the opposite-like me-does not mean it is an unpopular opinion.

 

There is an explanation..Holyfield was the better fighter that night. Period.

 

I doubt it- Tyson for all he was, was no coward vicious and a tad insane yes but no coward.

 

You changed the title- thought this was a new thread.
Most people agree, hardly an unpopular opinion.

Seems like you wanted to draw people out to defend Tyson?
Truth be told I think Tyson beats Evander prime for prime, That is if Evander is fighting in a gentleman's fashion as is Mike.