Depends on how much the Ruddock fights took out of Tyson. I still think the 92 Tyson was quite close to the 88 version. Post Douglas he was starting to regain his motivation. Bowe avoided big punchers. I don't think Bowe moves as well as Douglas. Bowe will have some success with uppercuts but ultimately he is too hittable and gets stopped. Tyson tko 8 in a highly competitive exciting fight. Tyson has quicker hands and a bigger punch than Holyfield.
I think this would have been a brutal fight and I don't know if Bowes chin would hold up with his style. You could make the argument about Bowe beating Holy, but I always thought it would be a rock, paper, scissors scenario with how those 3 match up.
Mike lost his "hunger" after the win over Spinks, and already in 1989 he lost the speedkills ideology (head movement). If Tyson fought Bowe the way he fought Ruddock; he would have received a terrible beating, and would have been knocked out; especially in 1992-93 (Bowe's peak).
Excellent post. The post Douglas Tyson who beat Tillman,Stewart and Ruddock x 2 was hungry as heck and could take one hell of a shot. His defence and combinations had deserted him and wouldn't resurface again until 2000 when Tommy Brookes got hold of him.....but this Tyson was fearless and you sensed could fight 20 rounds I personally feel this version of Tyson would have decimated Douglas within 1 or 2 rounds even Tokyo Douglas. I see no reason why Tyson wouldn't have kept the hunger and desire heading into 1992. I can only see Tyson administering on Bowe a brutal beating not too dissimilar to the Pinklon Thomas fight. I don't think Giachetti was the trainer for Tyson....if he had got himself a new head trainer for 1992. ..say Floyd Patterson .....to go with the water carriers ...than I see Tyson being too multi faceted for Bowe
How? I would say it's the complete opposite since having a shitty defense against Tyson means you're doomed.
It wasn't just the hunger but his whole personal life started going to **** and you had him fire Rooney and then shack up with King. With the right people around him, they could have kept the fire lit a little longer. His fights against Ruddock showed Mike still had a lot to give.