(prime) Mike Tyson vs. The All Time Greats

The Tyson that beat Spinks would be competitive with any heavyweight in the history of the sport.

 

I'm still in Tysons camp slightly. Watch Tyson V Ferguson and then tell me Foreman could keep up with that workrate. Foremans Stamina is too questionable for me to believe he could keep up a battle with Tyson.

One thing I've noticed is Foremans guard looks hard to penetrate from down low. Have a look at it. Does anyone recomend any Foreman fights with fighters low to the ground?

 

"Writer Frank Lotierzo was told by Ronnie Lott that Tyson used to watch the film of Frazier-Foreman (I) with his mentor Cus D'Amato, who had no idea Foreman could one day be a Tyson opponent. Cus used to tell Tyson that no heavyweight who ever lived could beat Foreman by going to him, and swarmers like Dempsey, Marciano, and Frazier couldn't beat him in a million years. Tyson never forgot it and when the opportunity came for them to fight in 1991 Tyson was not interested. Liston matches up similarly to Tyson and Mike once said that the only great heavyweight he ever saw that would intimidate him is “Sonny Liston.” With the mental battle already won there is little doubt as to the outcome of a Tyson-Liston match up. "

 

I could see the 70s Foreman beating a peak Tyson But the 90s version that fought Morrison, shultz, and Saverese has no chance, he could mail his punches and they would be delivered quicker.

As for Liston, I like Tyson in this one, althugh I could see Liston pulling it out.

 

I agree.

As would a prime Ali, Lewis, Holmes and Foreman and perhaps even Liston, who wasn't prime when he fought Ali.

On a h2h basis he's certainly in the top 5, now how they do against each other is in my view pretty much anybody's guess, although most give Ali the edge.

 

Kevin Rooney said Ali would be the only one in his opinion that would have given Tyson trouble.

 

66-67 Ali was one bad SOB, his hand/foot speed was no joke, Tyson would have to come right for that version of Ali.

 

I've never seen a boxer or any athlete for that matter that has the word "Prime" attached to their name as much as I see with Tyson. "Iron Mike Tyson" is history the new generation of boxing fans will only know "Prime Mike Tyson". :roll:

 

tyson gets beat by prime ali, holmes, and probably louis. lewis and holy too

 

:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl


So Tyson in his prime beats every ATG out there but still gets KOed by Buster Douglas.

 

To me there was three distinct fighting versions of Tyson, all getting progressively worse. So when people say could this fighter beat Tyson, I think you have to be clear which Tyson they were facing. Its like discussing Lewis before Steward had him for four fights. There was a huge difference in my opinion.

 

May I ask why you discount James Douglas so much? Was he really that bad of a fighter? Is it because he lost his title in his first defense against Holyfield, even though he showed up overweight and in poor condition? Douglas was a good solid fighter when he was on. Remember his last shot was given to him by Don King. Don told him, beat Oliver Mcall, and you get Tyson next for the titles. A motivated Douglas was a force in the division really.
He let himself down, because he had the skills, just a bit weak mentally. Douglas was outclassing Tucker in the IBF title fight, and all of a sudden just decided to quit in the late rounds.

 

In their primes the only fighters I think Tyson would beat are The Rock, Dempsey, Frazier and maybe Lewis. Ali and Holmes would be too slick and keep Tyson at bay and KO Tyson late. Foreman would weather Tyson's strom and hurt him, period. You don't mention Joe Louis who would I think because of styles would lose to Tyson.

 

I've got news fort you.

If the Tyson who beat Spinks was fighting someone else, he would not be the Tyson who beat Spinks.

 

We can speculate as to what would happen, but Tyson was fast, angry and powerful, and his timing at that time was almost perfect. Even though that fight was short, it showed how good Tyson really was at slipping and countering while moving forward. Just watch the fight and the knockout blow, it was amazing how Tyson knew Spinks was going to move into that shot. The punch was almost like an uppercut from the outside. Also many so called experts picked Spinks to beat Tyson that night. This tyson would have given any fighter a tough fight. And dont tell me he was scared of Tyson.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2cOtzA64ns[/url]