I think there's maybe two fights that have legitimate claims to have ruined Mike Tyson as a fighter. Of course, his first defeat at the hands of Douglas might be the popular vote and with good reason. Never again after this did we see the Tyson that was ripping all the Heavyweights to shreds in double quick time. That said, I just watched his war with Ruddock in the rematch and with the soul exception of Douglas, Tyson had never ever been hit as hard and as often as that before. It definitely ruined Ruddock, but did it ruin Tyson also? Discuss?
what ruined tyson was only that he stopped the training, style, and discipline that was honed to a science under Cus and Rooney.
Seeing as everyone has convinced themselves that Tyson only ever lost a fight as a result of person problems, of all things, let's change the question to 'Which fight took the most out of Mike Tyson'. Was it the fact he tasted the canvas for the first time as a professional, after being humiliated in a fight he was supposed to win easily, or did the crushing left hand of Dynamite punching Razor Ruddock end his time at the top level of Heavyweight America?
Tyson had never been in a lot of wars. Douglas, Ruddock, Holy, Lewis was it really so I don't think any particular fight ruined him. It was his lack of training, lack of discipline, loss of desire and focus essentially. But the most significant loss for him was Douglas no doubt.
Prison ruined Tyson He even admitted when he got out of Prison he stopped trying to improve himself as a fighter and was only going to rely on his physical talents to be a success.
agreed..............a buddy of mine.....chris hahn was a sparring partner for mike tyson....sumtimes tyson wouldnt even show up for sparring.....thought he was indestructable/wrong...........:--(
NAH IT WASNT RUDDOCK..........RUDDOCK ONLY LANDED 123 PUNCES OUT OF 246 PUNCHED THROWN IN 12 RDS.........THAT MEANS HES ONLY LANDING 10 PUNCHES A ROUND AND ONLY THROWING 20............IT WASNT RUDDOCK....:huh
I personally feel it would have been the Douglas fight myself, but I still don't see the logic in your point. Ruddock only threw power punches in the second fight, and 80% of them were sharp, fast, and powerful left uppercuts that would have beheaded, knocked unconscious any other Heavyweight in the world at the time if landed. Tyson took quite a few of them to the jaw, in addition to the left hook and lead right hand. Mike was hit more in this fight than any other bar the Douglas fight, but Douglas didn't hit like Razor did.
tysons got a good chin....if your askin if tyson was a shot fight after ruddock 2 rematch..........answer is no...........shot fighter march 1995 when he got out of the pen.........he was never the same again.:---(
I'm asking exactly what I said when I rephrased my question due to everyone believing prime Tyson was an unstoppable fighter. In reality, Prime Tyson never beat a prime great Heavyweight. Not ever, and he would never do that during his entire career. That aside, what I'm asking is 'Which fight took more out of Mike Tyson, physically and mentally'. Was it the war he had with Ruddock, where he took many many hard shots from one of the hardest hitting Heavyweights of the last 20 years, or was it when he was dominated and stopped by Douglas in Tokyo? Tyson had an amazing beard, if he didn't, he would have been doubled over by some of those shots by Razor. Razor was no great Heavy, but the guy could bang - that's for sure.