While I'm not in any way shape or form suggesting that Tyson ducked Witherspoon, Tim was still a contender during a large part of Tyson's reign and had been for most of the 80's. So it seems reasonable that a fight between the two was at least discussed at some point. Do anyone know anything about this? And what do you think would have happened if they'd faced off sometime 86-88? Could Witherspoon have caused Tyson any problems?
Witherspoon had been basically black balled from the heavyweight championship picture by both Don King and all the major sanctioning bodies. His style was unpopular with the public, he had tested positive for drugs on more than one occasion, he was not a big seller, and both Don and Carl King found him as being a pain in the ass to do business with. History's answer to the abscence of a Tyson - Witherspoon match, would be that Spoon lost to James Smith, then Smith lost to Tyson. Convienient enough explanation, and one that the King family wanted the fans to believe.......
He was in The Ring's top five 1986-1988. That should be enough to qualify him as a live contender. That probably had more to do with it.
Being true and all..... Tim destroyed Tim, he made such a song and dance about money owed from the Bruno fight, and then threw his title away be agreeing to late sub Smith and not respecting a man he easily enough outpointed 18 months previous. He made it far too easy for DKP to ignore him.
He was actually in The Ring's top five 1983-1990. Just goes to show how career threatening it was to cross King back then.
Typical though that Whitherspoon blames everyone but himself. Tim was arguably the most talented Heavyweight of the last 30 years, but decided to waste that talent on drugs and lack of training. They were 80% of his problems, King was a very distant third IMO.
Whitherspoon, like Tyson and to a point Lewis, had that je ne sais quoi quality that makes you stand out. If you add to this, Witherspoon's massive drug problem, and his frequent reluctance to train and be in condition for his fights, he was still considered by many, behind only Tyson, Holmes, Lewis, Holyfield, perhaps Bowe and adding the 70s to his career, Foreman. That is how much potential Whitherspoon had and indeed wasted.
I think it was partly due to Witherspoon and King falling out.Witherspoon losing in a round to Smith certainly didnt help Tim`s case.If hed got in shape and really wanted it enough he could have given Tyson some trouble,but in the late 80s Tyson would have been too much for him and id go with a Tyson stoppage around 9.
There are so many conspiracy type theories on this site. The reason this fight didnt happen is very simple really. James Bonecrusher Smith knocked Tim Witherspoon out in about 1 round. It set up a promoters dream fight with Tyson that didnt really live up to expectations. It was possible for Tim to get a fight after this, and he probably was the only half challenge left for Tyson to clean out, but given that knock out loss, it was hardly a block buster challenge. I am sure the factors mentioned may have contributed, but you cant claim to be hard done by when you lose your title by first round knock out.
if the talented tim showed up the one with his piston jab and cork screw right hand and all his talents that he showed when he did show up he'd of gave tyson one of his hardest fights ... witherspoon had all the tools to beat tyson .. now getting him of the dope and off the in and out burgers are another thing ... it'd just depend on which tim showed
If a limited guy like Tucker could take Tyson the distance, a talented boxer such as Witherspoon at his best would not be an easy assignment at all for Tyson. You'd be moreso talking early 80's Witherspoon, though not really the version who was fighting during Tyson's first reign.
not only is witherspoon a talented boxer he could also hit! he had a ******* jack shot with his right hand
Witherspoon was back in the Gehtto with only $50,000 a year after he was no longer Champ...so he was not living the good life. King told him he had expenses.
