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

You neglected to mention he hadn't fought in 2 years, noticeably rusty, and wasn't in the right mental state.

 

Lyle wasn't to dissimilar to Douglas who dominated a prime Tyson yet Lyle can't even be competitive with Tyson? Right

 

Tyson hasn't Foreman's power chin or heart?

Tyson was knocked out once at or near prime; Holyfield stopped him but he didn't knock him out. Anyway, we aren't judging that version of Mike, the same as we aren't using George's showing vs Qawi as a yardstick for how he would perform.

Foreman was also knocked out once in his prime.

When Tyson was knocked out in Tokyo he had been dominated for the majority of the ten rounds. Foreman had been at least competitive for eight rounds when he was counted out in Zaire and was about equal on the cards.

Heart? When Tyson went down, he scrambled around trying to put his mouthpiece back in. For what? So he could get back up so that Douglas could resume the beating?

When Foreman went down he sort of lay there looking at his corner, perfectly clear eyed and waited for the ref to count to ten.

Chin? After losing the title, Tyson went after Razor Ruddock, a big limited powerful puncher. Tyson took his best shots. Foreman took on Ron Lyle, a big powerful but limited puncher and was knocked down twice and very nearly out.

Based on what actually happened, I'd probably agree that Tyson doesn't have prime George's chin or heart. The evidence of their fights, rather than our opinions based on who we like and who we hate, suggests Mike wouldn't want them. He'd be trading down.

That's why when Tyson was being heralded as invincible and boxing experts were putting forward names of past fighters to beat him, Foreman's name didn't get a mention. There's a reason for that.

 

You neglect to make similar excuses justifying some of Tyson's poorer showings. Can't make excuses for one and not the other.

 

I don't understand your point about pfp here, Rules. Sorry.

Are you saying Tyson was better than Bowe but if they had weighed the same, ie Bowe had weighed about 15-20lb less than when he beat Holyfield, he'd have wiped the floor with Mike?

Not sure how you can marry the two opinions, Bowe being bigger but a lesser fighter but lb for lb a much better fighter?

 

Yeah, maybe that would do. Maybe. Has to be with Cus, though.

 

Foreman was knocked out ONCE. ONCE. And it was against the greatest when he was dead tired. Of course that doesn't compare to Tyson's KO loss to the murderous McBryde and Danny Williams. Foreman took Frazier's hook, the same hook that knocked Ali on his ass without flinching.

Heart? LOL Every time someone stood up to Tyson they either gave him hell or outright beat him. He NEVER got up the canvas to win a fight. Not once. He quit in fights he was winning. Foreman on the other hand at the age of 44 was getting dominated by Michael Moorer yet never gave up and eventually scored a stunning come from behind KO. He also got up from the canvas twice against Lyle.

You cannot compare their chins nor (especially) heart.