Larry Holmes: Mike Tyson wouldn't thrive in the classic era.

He couldn’t obliterate Quick Tillis or Mitch Green fanboy.

 

just like Ali Doug Jones and Sonny Banks. Look who Liston lost to in his second year of career, and a guy named McDermont should have beaten Fury. But rest assured, you can say that Tillis and Green were better than Holmes or Spinks.

 

Are you for real bud? Holyfield was dominating, at cruiserweight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holyfield didn't fight at heavyweight until July of 1988, after dominating cruiserweight. He fought Tillis, Thomas, Dokes, Rodrigues and then Stewart. By then he was acclimatized to the weight and the 80's were over.

Holyfield was Tyson's #1 contender in 1989 and screaming from the rafters for a shot at him. It was coming too, but Tyson didn't beat Douglas. It could have happened a tad earlier but King was being a little *****.

Holyfield actually said in early 89 - Holyfield, who faced his sternest test in comebacking former champion Michael Dokes Saturday night at Caesars Palace, said his most vivid memory of Tyson was seeing him get knocked out as an amateur by Al “Chico” Evans in 1983. "I saw him get hit on the chin and fall on his face,” Holyfield said. “He was beating the guy from pillar to post and jumped in with a left hook. He got clocked. That’s my biggest fear regarding Tyson, that somebody will do that to him before before I get the chance."

How prophetic was that?!?!?!?!?!?! I also recall they were lining up in 91 but Tyson postponed with a rib injury then went to prison for you know what.

Claiming Holyfield should have dominated when Tyson was around 86 till Buster is an outlandishly disingenuous given we all know what Holyfield was doing at Cruiser.

 

Who mentioned any of those guys?

Take it up with the fanboy making the sweeping statement that Tyson obliterates everyone in the 70’s. He couldn’t do it in his own era. Typical Tyson cliche BS.

 

He didn’t live through era JT otherwise he wouldn’t be spouting that garbage. I think he’s a youngster who’s grown up on Tyson stories from his old man and watching Tyson KO highlights on YouTube.

He asked the same question about why Foreman couldn’t win a title in the 80’s when we all know that George only came back in 1987 weighing 300lbs and not having fought or even sparred for 10 years lol

 

But why was he focusing on cruiserweight when he was in such a rush to fight Tyson and heavyweight, where the greatest fame, the biggest money, the greatest success lay? Why did he need two fights with Quavi, Dokes, Parker, Stewart, Dominguez, McDough, Tillis, Brithers, De Leon, and all the rest?

He started his career as an Olympic medalist in 1984, before Tyson. If the heavyweight division was within reach, WHY DIDN'T HE TAKE IT???

Holyfield could have exercised his challenger rights as early as 1988. Yet, instead of officially claiming the fight with Mike, he waited, fearing someone would take him away.

There's evidence that Tyson wanted to fight Holyfield more than Holyfield wanted to fight Tyson.

https://www.deseret.com/1990/12/12/18895705/tyson-climbs-into-legal-ring-with-holyfield/

 

Probably because it was his life, his career, and he could do WTF he wanted with it when he wanted? That's just a wild guess tho.

The guy weighed 180 or less for his first five fights, going as low as 176 in his 4th pro fight.

Did he fall short on fame, money and greatest success? NO. Christ, he fought at heavyweight for 23 years and had any amount of title fights. If only he'd fought another year or two there!!! Before he'd beefed up into the division.

Important point - Why did Usyk fight at Cruiserweight for half a decade?!?!?!!? He mirrored Holyfield.

Holyfield won his Olympic medal at Light Heavyweight. You need to absorb that.

Tyson could have manned up and beat Douglas too. He also could exercised better behavior and not gone to jail for ****. Holyfield was his #1 challenger for some time. Holyfield had to be built up as a legitimate challenger as everyone thought Tyson was unbeatable.

You want to slap all the blame on Holyfield without a clue what was going on around the time. It's all one way traffic for Mikey.

Is that the best you can do??? Tyson demanding a shot right after getting absolutely flogged? Holyfield was screaming for a shot for some time when Tyson held the title. As it was Holyfield was going to give him a shot in 91 before Tyson hurt a rib and got rapey.

One way traffic, surprise!

 

Of course, and delaying the fight with Tyson was crucial. The fight in 1986 and 1996 are different situations.

 

Do you understand the context of my statements?

1. Holyfield received points from one user for defeating the younger Tyson in 1996. So why didn't he do it in 1986? Did he mature more slowly? Okay, so why the points?
2. Ali was also an Olympic light heavyweight champion, and four years after the Games, he faced the best heavyweight of his time. Meanwhile, Holyfield, four years later, fights De Leon, Stewart, McDonagh, Tillis... The facts are that he fought Tyson when Mike Tyson was no longer the best heavyweight in the world. But he receives points as if he had beaten him when Tyson was the undisputed leader.
3. Holyfield receives points for giving interviews about wanting Tyson, but the facts are that in 1990, he went to court to avoid fighting him. and being able to exercise his rights as a challenger already in 1988 - He didn't do it Of course it's his choice but let's say he couldn't have fought Tyson much earlier - he could have.

 

When exactly?

 

Ok. I can agree with that, but anyone who knows anything about boxing knows that 1996 seems a much better year for Evander for this fight than 1986-1991. The later, the better.
It's nonsense to say that Tyson avoided Holyfield, holding three championship belts and not relinquishing any.
It's also nonsense to say that Holyfield couldn't have fought Tyson in 1988 – he could have exercised his challenger rights as champion of three lower divisions, but he didn't. Especially since it was ultimately Holyfield who postponed the fight through his lawyers – what stronger evidence could there be? And yet, I keep reading that it was the other way around – contrary to the facts and logic

 

I think Holyfield delaying the fight in 1990 had more to do with him wanting to have an easy first defence (something champions traditionally do) and building up the fight with Tyson (which was exactly what Don King did with him in 1989).

An article about that : https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/21/...g-is-to-raise-demand-for-tyson-holyfield.html

 

If you're attacking me personally, it means you lack arguments. Not only are you an ill-mannered boor, but you lack knowledge. I have no idea how old you are, and I'm not going to guess because it's irrelevant. I'm ridiculing your statements, not you, because you're the one doing it. So I won't even ask in which fight George weighed as much as you write, because your words are garbage, and arguing with you is like playing chess with a pigeon. You'll knock over the pieces, **** on the board, and be proud of yourself.