Evander Holyfield picks Tyson to beat everyone...except Usyk!

I think that I agree with Holyfield on his picks. Usyk vs Tyson is an interesting match up.

 

Tyson doesn’t beat Foreman in a million years.

And I don’t think he beats either Klitschko either.

 

He probably respects Usyk because their careers are similar two fighters who reigned supreme at Cruiserweight then moved up to Heavyweight beating bigger guys.

Usyk is a throwback to the older generation of fighters in regards to his attitude, skills, not to mention willing to fight anyone.

 

I respectfully disagree with the guy who took hundreds of thousands of punches to the head.

He doesn't beat the Klitschkos, doesn't beat Foreman, and I honestly see him having a hard time with Fury.

 

I think he’s a bit bias…. The wins over Tyson may have something to do with it.

Only ones I’d favor Mike over are Deontay and AJ who he seems to be a stylistic nightmare for.

Frazier is a toss up.

I think the other big guys beat him, with Wladimir being maybe the worst styles clash for him. If Tyson couldn’t land his counters from mid range, he basically resorted to holding… so I see him having a real hard time getting to Wlad, getting tied up a lot and worn out real bad, and stopped.

I know Wlad could be hurt, but to me that’s the off-chance in that match up.

 

Of course Evan Fields will say that because he beat Tyson and Usyk gave him a watch.
The reality is that Tyson got easily beaten by Lewis which tells you that Wlad would destroy him. Fury would beat him. Vitali would beat him. AJ might even do it. How does the 5'10 roider deal with a giant like Zhang? Others would have a great chance like Povetkin, Brewster, even people like Whyte/Parker would dwarf him and have a chance.
Plenty of others could get upsets as Tyson was a bully fighter who couldn't deal with adversity and also wasn't a true HW.

 

I'm confident in saying Tyson beats the following more often than losses to them

Frazier
Wlad
AJ
Wilder

However these guys should all beat him

Vitali
Lewis
Usyk
Fury

 

Usyk? Not sure. I'd have to think more about that one.

Tyson probably beats Wlad but I can't see him beating Vitali. Vitali is too big, too skilled, too good of a chin and too high of workrate.

Vitali UD.

There's very few people I'd pick over Vitali historically HTH.

 

Vitali and George can absolutely take Mike's best shots, but Wlad?

 

Remember prime Tyson was sparring and getting beat up by Lennox, then we saw what happened in the fight.

Tyson would struggle against the tall dudes, he was just too small. And don't give me the fight of him beating up some random tall bum as an example.

 

Yeah, he’s the most suspect of the three but my question in reply is, can Tyson even get to Wlad? I think Wlad is too strong for Mike and isn’t going to have much trouble keeping him at distance. To me, it’s more likely that Mike is forced to fight Wlad’s fight rather than the other way around. If Mike was to KO Wlad it would have to be early. Once the fight goes past 4 or 5 rounds Wlad’s chances improve exponentially.

Wlad KO 9.

 

I wouldn't argue against it. Usyk is no joke but Tyson in his prime was something else.
I'll pick Tyson, but it won't be an easy fight.

 

With both Mike and Wlad it feels like there is often an inclination to ask "which version?" in hypothetical matchups. For one it's pre or post Tokyo and/or prison, and for the other it's pre or post Kronkification and/or the passing of Steward.

I think a lot of variables could yield a lot of different results depending on when you pluck each from their respective timeline. Fair point about reach, though - Brewster & Sanders both had six inches on Tyson, and Purritty had nine! Getting past that long jab is going to be a problem, but if he can bob 'n' weave his way in and so much as graze with a hook...well...

 

Unless specifically stated I always look at things from a prime v prime perspective.

With Wlad, for me it’s probably more a “gut feel” leaning that way. Mike is in the fight, hell, he’s in most fights but it’s just that I think the discipline Wlad has to execute his plan makes it a hellish matchup for Mike.