As long as you stand up to Mike Tyson you can beat him

Reading recent comments made me imagine if Douglas turned up at 246 lb first time around (v Mike) or at least lacking in fitness and focus - as he was guilty of previously. Now Tokyo Mike might’ve wiped him in 1-3 rds.

What then? Would Tyson’s prime be “extended” or the perception of his invincibility be maintained even though it would’ve been the “same” Mike we saw, minus many more rds and substantial resistance and return offense?

Tbh, the greatest exemplifications of Mike were over the shorter route, not the longer haul but that’s often the natural and legitimate order of punchers/KO artists like Mike.

Anyway, in cases of what can sometimes be acutely apologetic defences on Mike’s behalf (just imo) , it does misdirect one from celebrating and affording DUE credit for the great fighter Mike demonstrably was - not being overly diplomatic - he was a great fighter - and fighting successfully as he did against a good number of opponents that were so much dimensionally larger than himself (5’10”, 71” reach) was a testament to his skill and power otherwise.

Notably also, in term of defence, Mike had to work that much harder than his larger counterparts - no mean feat to maintain each and every fight given the high energy required to do so.

 

This is so right. Mike Tyson was legitimately a great fighter. He might have had the best of everything in order to achieve what he did but the guy grasped each opportunity and Tyson delivered time and time again.

The world wanted an exciting heavyweight champion and Mike really had to live up to it.

There was an awful lot of pressure on Tyson for such a young kid to produce the goods against more experienced, taller and bigger fighters.

And even if I can imagine an alternative history without Tyson as the kept busy superstar and in his place imagine Tucker or Douglas take all of those fights instead..is there the guarantee they deliver as reliably and as satisfactory as Tyson did? Probably not.

 

Spinks was real thread to beat him Tyrell Biggs was also real thread by manny even Pinklon Thomas Ruddock also and don’t say spinks was intimitated that was massive hype for that fight tyson KO him in 1 round nobody expect that

 

It started with Teddy Atlas with the tale of him quitting in a fight with a much bigger kid when he was an amateur. Having no fear is a necessary but not sufficient condition to beat him.

 

This notion came from casual boxing fans. Just like if you could box you could easily out boxing Foreman or that Foreman always got tired. Ali didn't out box Foreman. He laid on the ropes praying that Foreman gassed him out. Various guys tried to move against Foreman and they still got caught and knocked out or loss. Foreman also only got tired in the Ali fight. The Jimmy Young fight he suffered a heat stroke.

Just because you stood up to Tyson and tried to win didn't mean you were going to win. Tyson did have problems with guys who could move and tie him up intelligently though but even then it didn't mean you would beat him.

 

Spinks and Biggs had as much of a chance against Tyson as I flying a space shuttle. I don't need to say Spinks was intimidated, it was all over his face the minute he stepped in the ring. The bookies expected early nights for Tyson, against those two, so someone did. Thomas and Ruddock were good fighters and big men, but they didn't have the skill level to seriously challenge Tyson, or to make him have any self doubt. Everyone knew that at the time of their fights with him.

 

Fearless child KO 7 prime Tyson.

 

I wouldn't say that everyone knew Train would beat Ruddock though. I'm sure he was the favourite, but Ruddock was seen as a threat, for sure.

 

And who could ever in history stand up to him not named Evander Holyfield with a PED’d-induced 21in neck?

 

Even a shell of Tyson dropped big Buster for 14 seconds with one shot

 

Think what he’d do to Lennox in a fantasy fight when he finds his chin! Ouchy

 

Lol i think even holmes say biggs can beat tyson and leonard and others and you can't discredit spinks win since ali frazier this was 1st time both undefeated champions for undisputed title and nobody expected 1st round ko for Tyson

 

Thomas Williams Biggs Holmes Spinks Ratliff Bonecrusher (don’t say he struggled vs Bonecrusher when he won 11 rounds) Tucker after 1 round uppercut didn’t do anything Tyson outjabbed him Tillman also 1st round KO so at the end he only struggled vs tillis lol

 

Semantics perhaps.

I believe the line of thinking, more considerately expressed, was actually that if Tyson met manifest resistance - that being an opponent not just lacking fear but also possessing the will to win with skills to support being competitive.

Basically, if it isn’t an easy fight as Mike was often used to, Mikes own mental resolve might decline as the fight wears on.

Mike was hardly a shell of himself v Buster, he dusted Williams easily in his last fight prior to. His weight was right for Tokyo, he was 42-1 fave without hesitation. That he hung tough and did land the uppercut in round 8 actually belies his alleged state of disrepair.

I’m sure many fans loved Mike’s simple philosophy that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth - as it so often seemed to work in Mike’s favour.

Well, v Douglas, Tyson played for the usual quick KO but Buster resisted and it was Mike who got punched hard and often from opening bell - if Mike seemed “different” after a few rounds of same - then perhaps refer back to Mike’s own wisdom re how dynamics might work in the ring.

 

A 23-year-old shell? LOL.