I think prime Mike Tyson could have dominated the early 1970's heavyweight scene

Sounds a bit like Foreman ca 1974 if I was being devils advocate.

 

He's not beating Foreman imo, and not beating Ali. I'll give you Frazier though.

 

A lot of big punchers are like that. Extend them and take away a little of the power when they get tired and then start to back them up and take over. Foreman and Mike fighting together would have been nice because stylistically it would have been a collision.

 

Stylistically Tyson wouldn't be standing in front of Foreman with his chin stuck out in the air like Frazier or Norton.

 

No he would try to bob and weave and get inside to land to the body and come upstairs, but Foreman would be throwing that uppercut and chances are it might hit eventually, if Mike does not hurt him. Foreman would be tough for Mike.

 

I think he beats Frazier.

 

Once again I must summon up the vision of Holy landing that one shot that so many people could see before that fight but couldn't or wouldn't (out of fear) capitalize on: getting Mike just as he's coming in.

If Holy could have landed that shot, 70s Foreman would (he wouldn't even need to land flush he had so much power), and Holy was definitely a bulked light heavy compared to Foreman when it came to punching power. Even worse, check out the uppercuts that basically ruined Mike in the Douglas, Holy, and Lewis fights. Sorry folks, Foreman had a much more powerful uppercut, and sooner of later it's going to land.

Sure, the 80s George probably gets knocked around and beat by Mike (see how BG did against Qawil, kind of embarrassing for him). And 90s would probably depend upon a lucky shot (at least against 80s Mike).

But 70s Foreman...the guy who wiped out a fighter with much more heart than Mike (Frazier) and a fighter not too far away in quality (Norton)...Mike would be doomed. I don't care about the fact that prime Mikey had a very underrated defense...Foreman was unbeatable at the time by all but the top five in his prime, and my top five is Ali, Louis, Holmes, Holyfield (though not certain on that), and Steward-era Lewis (Liston is a possibility, but mostly because BG was already intimidated by that big ugly bear).

George would have walked right through him imo.

 

As far as Joe Frazier goes, the FOTC Joe and Mike put on the fight of a lifetime, an incredible brawl! Mike starts out nearly knocking Joe out on his feet a couple of times in first three.

Then the sixth round comes around, Joe's still landing the hook....Mike gives up trying to win and gets stopped later in ugly, sloppy fashion in the tenth round.

 

People saying Frazier had a glass chin. Compare any time Mike got knocked down (what happened after) to any time Joe got knocked down and tell me who had more of a champion's heart and chin.

 

He beats the Lower ranks easily imo. Ali stops him. Foreman stops him, Joe's the one i have difficulty with. Could be a early Tyson ko or a late Frazier win.

 

I think the early Mike ko is a possibility. But Joe would keep getting up...

 

That's Joe Frazier for you, too much heart and pride to stay down..

 

I could be wrong, but I see Mike getting sorely frustrated by that and slowing down. By the sixth he's given up trying to win, and then it's only a matter of time...

Based on the performances of Joe against both Ellis (I), Mathis, and Ali (1). I do not see Mike taking that guy out. And I don't buy from anyone that Joe was a one-handed fighter, he had what most would consider a powerful right hand (if not for the vaunted left hook, everyone would see that).

Joe was a great puncher with a stupidly underestimated defense (like Mike). The differences? Joe would stay to win at any cost...not sure about Mike on that. I don't see Mike coming off the canvas 6 times against George...he'd either be unconscious or would just give up.

Just my opinion, and I need to add I count Mike as a top 13 ATG, above Bowe (who imo pfp would have mopped the floor with Mike).

 

That's the thing with Frazier tho, he would just keep getting up. If Joe's going down against Tyson, imo it's early, first round possibly. And Tyson s so lethal here, he'd go bezerk trying to keep Joe down. If Frazier somehow managed to get through that tornado, then I to can see Tyson being severely discouraged. Joe would pick up on that, anyone that shows weakness against Frazier is in trouble.