I think a lot of people greatly underestimate Tyson as a boxer because of how impressive his physical skills were. Sure, he was incredibly fast and had one punch knockout power but he was always a boxer puncher in his early career. As soon as that changed, he lost it. It's as simple as that to me. Was it his age which changed his style or his style which changed? I think, as with most punchers, it was the latter. But it was bound to happen. He could control anything in his life, especially not his dedication to the sport. Once his love went, so did the fine aspects which made him a great fighter, rather than one blessed from birth.
Sometimes he says something like, "This is an interesting matchup I'm not sure how it'll be fought" then during the second half of the fight at around the 8th or 9th round he'll say, "This fight is going exactly how I expected it to".lol
Well the age is just Manny's guess, but he is right that Tyson stopped doing what made him great. I think it's more of a lack of discipline to the craft and becoming too dependant on power though.
Living on the edge and messing with drugs, prescription and otherwise, and alcohol is what shortened Mike's career and messed up his ability. Nothing to do with age, everything to do with lifestyle.
I agree. His style depended on a lot of movement which neans he was using a lot of energy. As you get older you have less energy. We and this includs myself tends to blame his downfall on him leaving Kiven Roony. However it is likely that he would have declined at the same time with or without him. This doesn't take away from anything Tyson did.
All fighters decline. Problem is that Mike had fast women, fast motorcycles, drugs, and stress speeding his up. The death of Cus just meant the popping of Mike Tyson's protective bubble and the evils of the world being more accessible. Mike gravitated to what he knew... the streets/fast living. Not good for a fighter.
Tyson said in an interview once how he noticed he got tired in fights in the later rounds were he never felt like that when he was younger. But I think his devotion waned - he got rich and famous. And like many athletes before him and after him money and success is often something they dont handle very well. So their dedication erodes...and you know the rest! His heart wasn't in it for the last few years he did fight. His training wasnt what it used to be. Sadly whilst I do think of Tyson as an ATG he never met his full potential because his devotion didn't last long enough to see him fullfill what he could have done. Tyson never had that warrior spirit in him when the goin gets tough! He would fold...and he never came back for a revenge match and won. If the heart isnt there then the body isnt!! It all comes first from within a mans heart - that "fire in the belly" if that isnt there then the fire has gone out and the body will and cannot do what it could do when there was that fire.
Tyson's one goal and main purpose in boxing was to be the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Everything after that was a paycheck.
why don't we get Longcount to ask the man himself. He apparently knows him quite well according to his posts