If Tyson Had Been In Prime In His Fights With Holyfield and Lewis?

Tyson had his chance to be a great HW he failed.All his fans can make all the excuses they want but at the end of the day Lewis & Holyfield trained hard stayed away from Alcohol & drugs & ruled the division through the 1990's.Both Holyfield & Lewis deserve to be in the top 10 HW all top & Tyson doesn't.

 

No that’s not true. Its possible for a boxer with a short prime to be a better fighter during his prime then a long Reigning consistent champ. That’s why a lot of people consider Tyson one of the best ever.

 

Yes

It's true. Tyson wasn't consistent over a long perion. He was one of the biggest underachiever in HW over the last 40 years ( among Page, Dokes, Cooney, Witherspoon, Ibeabuchi, Bowe....).

But in his short prime he was a menace! You can't take this away from him. He was much faster, more accurate, way better defence and also a decent stamina. Infact i slightly favor him to win both fights. Although maybe a loss or draw in the rematch. Who knows....

 

Cyril, the question was asked by Fergy, and I answered it. Tyson from that time period was a mutha to deal with. And you know it's true.

 

I’ve thought a lot about this and I think he beats both. The very best and hungrier version of Tyson eventually catches Lewis. He was a shot fighter by the time Lewis met him. I think he put points Holy in his younger years as his stamina was slightly better, defense was better, corner was better, much sharper.
I think many champions stop caring after winning it all and it was just a job after he unified. The fire was gone.

 

Tyson wasn't the best ever.What big named HW did he beat before 1990 that wasn't past their prime.When things got tough in the ring for him he got mad,then frustrated then beaten.The only people who actually believe you can have a short career & be considered great are Tyson fans,doesn't work that way in the real world.Its when things get tough in the ring we find out what some ones made of like Chavez,take 3 punches to land one.Out last out will your opponent.This is where that saying came from 'he has heart'.Ali & Louis had heart & with that great skills.Tyson had good skills but no heart.

 

He wasn't a shot fighter when Lewis smacked a 19 year Tyson around in sparring & was never asked back because they didn't want Tyson confidence to lower.Just how many excuses can make for a boxer,the fire was gone,after they fired Kevin Rooney wasn't the same,he seperated from his wife,Don King ruined everything,Holy crap! No 24 year old HW is finished.If he decided to stop training & went after Women drugs & alcohol than he wasn't a great HW.Holyfield was a warrior & still beats a prime Tyson .Lewis more than likely wins although Tyson has a punchers chance against him.Ali in his prime beats any Tyson.

 

In my first post I said I think Tyson would knock out Lewis, I think his speed and combinations plus great power are a problem for Lewis. Prime Tyson is going to land a lot of power shots on pretty much anyone, that’s a big problem for Lewis imo.

I made no mention of the Holyfield fight because I think prime for prime it’s a close fight.

 

It’s not making excuses to state facts. Men when they win the title often forgo training as hard. This isn’t new to boxing and needs to be taken into account. Why do u think champs lose to lesser fighters regularly after winning the belts? Hard to wake and run at 5am when ur sleeping on silk sheets. As Holmes would say.
It’s a lie that Lewis “slapped” around Tyson when they were young. From what I read they had a competitive sparring session. It’s also sparring. It’s not an actual fight.
Anyone who knows me knows I’m no Tyson apologist. I’m actually pretty hard on him. I think it’s a toss up fight between him and Lewis and I think a prime Tyson our points Holy.

 

Tyson had problems with tall H.W (Tucker for one) Lewis was 6'5 & when E.Steward took over training him he taught Lewis to fight tall & after that he became almost unbeatable.He had no problem fighting 12 rounds.When he lost for the second & final time to Rahman (because he was out of shape from doing a movie) he came back to avenge it with a one punch knock out.Lewis & Holyfield were great HW who avoided no one & should be in the top HW all time easily.Tyson doesn't deserve that honor.Anyone can look great KO bums as he did in the mid late 1980s.All great boxers avenge losses in their prime & Tyson never avenged a lost.Ali avenged his first 3 losses & the last 2 he shouldn't have fought in the first place.Tyson was a good HW but not a great one.

 

I think Holyfield and Lewis in their primes would have brought Tysons mental fragility to the surface, Tyson on the front foot was a wrecking ball without doubt, but Holyfield and Lewis would have frustrated Tyson to the point that, Tyson would likely capitulate in some way be that getting DQ'd, or exhibiting his lack of testicular fortitude when the going got tough, which it sure would have.

 

Cool post. I think Holy and Lewis stand their best chance if they start picking him off with jabs and tying him up from the beginning. There will be extreme explosiveness for them to contend with, of course.

If Holyfield goes into Warrior mode, or Lewis slacks off (as he did with Rahman), they both get stopped imo.

 

Oh yes Messrs Holyfield and Lewis have to be focused to their task/strategy, or Mr Tyson will spoil their day for sure.
But i think both Holyfield and Lewis facing a prime Tyson would be only bringing their A game.

 

I suspect Holyfield would still have his number. He executed the perfect game plan. The combination of skill, strength, endurance, and absolute fearlessness while refusing to back up and let Tyson get his combinations off would always give Tyson serious problems. I do think the sizzling hand speed and execution of peak Tyson would dazzle and buzz Hoylfield throughout the fight (especially early), might even drop the real deal. This would be a hell of a war, but I'd slightly favor Evander to either take a close decision or stops Tyson again depending on how Tyson paces himself and how much damage he sustains as Hoylfield unleashes his barrages. Anything could happen I'll admit, 80's Iron Mike was sensational.

As for Lewis, I think it heavily depends on which version. All of them could potentially get KOd. Tyson landed a wicked overhand right on the much taller Golota, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. If it's younger Lewis, I expect Tyson to survive a very painful rounds 1-4 getting clipped by jabs and uppercuts before chopping Lewis down in the 5th and knocking him out in the 6th. If it's pre Rahman Lewis, Tyson pulls off the exact same knockout. Veteran Lewis with Steward would be a daunting task. That frustrating jab and grab tactic might wear Tyson down so I guess it depends on the ref. A strict ref favors Tyson, a lenient ref favors Lewis but I don't trust Lewis' chin and resolve in this matchup.

 

Yeah that’s not being honest if u think the Tyson that unified the titles was the same man that fell apart when fighting Douglas and Holyfield. I’m truly not a Tyson fan boy or apologist. I just try to judge Tyson at his prime when he was best. At his best he was obviously an ATG. I’d say a majority of champs once they won the belt declined rapidly. They got what they set out for and we’re rich n famous. It’s rare to get a Holyfield Louis or Ali that just stays hungry for their career and even than all of those guys had their sleeping moments. The man that went into the ring with Berbick was not the same man that went in against Holy