Mike Tyson v Vitali Klitschko

I think Mike edges the early rounds on volume but not by much, Vitali was a volume guy too. From midpoint onwards, Vitali starts to take over and by round 10 its starting to look a bit one sided. Vitali wins a clear, sometimes competitive decision in an exciting fight with lots of punches thrown in the first half. Tyson finishes on his feet but looks like he has been hit by a train...

 

Vitali no doubt.

 

Vitali once he gained his confidence and footing, which I believe he gained in boxing after the Lewis fight developed a strong mindset and will. He developed patience which is essential while figuring out his opponents. He had power and usually didn't give away too many rounds. In 12 round fights he would us his jab and right hand an occasional hook, but he liked to drag you into the 8th-9th round and then pick up the pace.
He controlled the pace and then opened up and upped the pace. He showed strong mental strength.

While Tyson had the most explosive arsenal, he had trouble with fighters with mental strength even if it was occasional. Case in point Holyfield - One fight Buster - and a few who did not get intimidated by his presence or bounce back after he shot his load.
Tyson would always be an early force but not a lot is said about fighters with a long-term strategy or an alternate strategy which 25 fight Usyk has shown in this era of giants.

A post Lennox Vitali could be difficult about mid fight.

 

Mike late TKO or UD.

 

Of all the heavyweights, the Klitschko brothers—despite their differing styles—could have been a nightmare for Mike.
Honestly, I’d bet on the 38-year-old Vitali (the version that fought Arreola) against the 22-year-old Tyson in his prime. Vitali UD

 

Vitali TKO's Tyson by making him quit in 10

 

A prime Wlad has a good chance of getting chinned, but I'd still make him the favorite.

 

Hot take, but I see Vitali toughing it out and stopping Tyson late.

Tyson would land due to his speed of hand and feet, and with Vitali being relatively slow, but he had a great ability to see punches coming and ride them, and had a great chin.

I don’t see Tyson stopping Vitali early, and when Tyson fades, Vitali is 100% going to go through them gears, and I don’t see Tyson handling it, it’s not like he could move on the backfoot or had slickness going backwards. He’d become a sitting duck.

Obviously Tyson could cut him up and stop him, but that’s something you can’t rely on.

Whenever an opponent got through the first half of the fight, and they also had gears they could go through, they were able to beat Tyson, as like I said, he became a sitting duck for combinations by that point because he had less to give back, couldn’t close the range as quick due to his feet slowing down, was more sluggish with his head movement making it easier to time, and best believe Vitali is going to take full advantage of that.

Especially with how much taller Vitali is, once Tyson’s feet slow down, and he isn’t as explosive with his attacks and his head movement becomes slower, he’s gonna become a sitting duck for Vitali.

Tyson has to get rid of him early (which I don’t see happening) or cut him up (which could happen, but you can’t really make a prediction off of it, because it’s unreliable).

 

I agree, very good analyses!
I would go further & say a cuts stoppage is very unlikely-only 1-4% of fights are stopped on cuts, Vitali is at 2.28% as a professional, & I am not aware of any of his amateur or in kickboxing.
UPDATE: Googling it, he was 195-15 as an amateur, & 34-2 in kickboxing & karate. Once KOed, cold.
And *never* stopped on cuts in any of these bouts.

That reduces his cuts loss record to approaching once; 1 in 300 fights.
And I gotta admire a man who put himself out there so much in different combat sports, just as I admire his political courage & dedication to his Ulranian people.

 

Vitali getting overrated as hell as usual.

 

Tell us WHY please.
I created this thread so folks can be open-minded, learn & share ideas.
But asserting a premise absent any arguments or evidence-on either side-does not add to the forum.

Feel free to address & counter all points people made.
Think I will add a poll.
EDIT: oopsy I cannot, I did not create, just reanimated/bumped this Ye Olde Ancient Thread.

But the arguments seem sound to me: a huge disparity in size, Vitali never Koed or even knocked down, a high volume puncher who the opposite of Tyson comes on late, a good style match up for him...

Although prime Tyson was amazing & had many virtues, most of us do not see how Tyson is likely to win.

 

Mike Tyson already beat a Vitali archetype in Tony Tucker. 12 - nothing. Thats being complementary since Tucker had more in his toolbox than the limited 1-2 punch throwing Vitali.

 

Vitali would be absolute nightmare in a street fight.

 

I think it would be a rinse and repeat type of fight where Vitali would fail to time Tyson effectively but would be very effective and muting Tyson's offense and smothering him in close. Tyson ud.

 

Firstly, the scoring of the fight was 119-111, 118-113 & 116-112.
If you get the basic facts wrong, it does not auger well for the truth of your claim & your level of bias.
Even if you thought Tyson won every round, instead of easily winning, that is not at all what you said.

Next, it is absolutely false that Vitali only had the 1-2.
He had an absolutely granite chin.
Was a high volume puncher.
Awkward, & had a high boxing IQ.
Saved energy w/straight punches from unexpected angles.
Excellent footwork.
87.5% knock out percentage.
Exceptional ring control & made adjustments in up to masterful ways.

Had a very good multi functional rising jab to pierce guards-or convert to a hook to get around them.
Moved much better laterally than most all men of his size, neutralizing faster & aggressive challengers.

Direct comparison: Tony Tucker was not as good as Vitali.
Smaller & somewhat skinny, he was quite talented, but he did NOT do the things described above.
Contrary to your false idea of Vitali as a limited brute, the OPPOSITE is true.
He showed some of his chess playing intellect, & if you want to be educated, start a thread to compare how good Tucker was compared to Vitali, & head to head.

Dino it is reasonable to argue either way on this thread, but NOT fair or rational to basically just go by emotion & severe bias.
Start a thread about whether Vitali was just a 1-2 puncher when if you know boxing at all & are rational.

You reallly think he rarely lost rounds against largely SHWs...with minimal skills?!?