How would post-prison Mike Tyson fare in today's heavyweight division?

95-96 Tyson beats everyone not named Usyk or fury

 

Top 5.

 

He’d face a lot of challenges…

 

AJ: Pre-Ruiz I, confident AJ puts on a similar performance to Frank Bruno, he rocks Tyson at some point early on, then gets caught and finished off. Post-Ruiz I AJ lasts longer but gets finished regardless without doing any damage.

Deontay Wilder: Tyson most likely dominates, this is a horrible stylistic match-up, Deontay moves like a baby deer and has 0 clinching and survival skills beyond his heart, which only goes so far. Tyson's gonna slip that jab and repeatedly smash hooks and uppercuts on his face and body. But 90s Tyson was more hittable than 80s Tyson and one clean right hand from Wilder would have him rolling on the floor, so dangerous night for Tyson.

Tyson Fury: I think Fury frustrates Mike with his size and slickness, smothers him up close with his dirty inside tactics. Tyson gets bruised up and gets KO'd late.

Daniel Dubois: Mike KO's him in an exciting back-and-forth war. Dubois roughs him up with his combinations and size but Mike's counters and handspeed would have Dubois frustrated.

Oleksandr Usyk: Usyk moves way too well for a 90s Tyson, he bambozzles and spins Tyson all over the ring early on, then steps on the gas and breaks him to a TKO win in the second half.

Derek Chisora: Should be somewhat similar to Dubois.

Moses Itauma: I will say that this would be a dangerous match for Tyson, Itauma has faster hands than 90s Tyson imo, I could see Tyson getting really frustrated against a bigger southpaw counter-puncher with faster hands and bombs on his hands. That being said we still don't know much about Itauma so Tyson based on being actually proven.

Fabio Wardley: Tyson punches him across the ring.

Joseph Parker: Tyson by UD most likely, Parker is a good boxer with a tough chin but Tyson is quite simply a better fighter.

 

- Anthony Joshua, Watch Tyson vs Bruno 2, Mike KOs him.
- Deontay Wilder, Ortiz nearly KOed Wilder before he gassed. Mike decapitates him

- Tyson Fury, at the Wembley Stadium, I can honestly see Mike not knocking him out, but knocking him down enough times to where the ref stops the fight. Fury is very proned to getting knocked down, and Mike is an expert finisher.
- Daniel Dubois, at the MEN Arena , Mike beats him as Mike in the 90s had a better gas than him, and Dubois was hurt several times by Joshua. Mike KOs
- Oleksandr Usyk, at the Kingdom Arena, Mike Knocks him out honestly. Every time Usyk gets pressured he covers up and does nothing about it. Usyk is not Evander Holyfield. Usyk does his best when he can abuse his stamina and the fact that his opponents dont throw a lot of punches going forward.
- Joseph Parker, at the Qudos Bank Arena. Mike KOs

 

I'd make him a slight underdog against Usyk.
I'd make him a slight favourite against Fury.

Everybody else, I'e bet the house on Mike.

 

Post prison he'd have a few problems. He'd slowed down, lost a fair deal of his defence and had fallen in love with his power. If Fransie Botha was too big for him for most of their fight, the current giants would be a serious hassle for him. You can't stand and trade fight after fight with guys like AJ, Zhang, Dubois, Chisora, Joyce, Hrgovic, Wilder etc. Tyson would need his peekaboo more than ever. While I can see him winning individual fights over most fighters in the field, I think he'd get ground down against the field not being at his best.

 

Beats everyone not named Usyk and Fury. Lol at thinking Joshua, Joyce, Hrgovic, Wilder and Dubois have any realistic, they get utterly destroyed, they are Frank Bruno and Golota level. Late 90s Holyfield clears this lot.

Zhang has the best chance besides the top 2 elites and he will gas out after the pressure and body punches

 

He like have still been good enough to make ratings. I won’t make any assumptions beyond that

 

What if 1996 Mike Tyson fought prime AJ in my backyard and we set up folding chairs for spectators

 

Agree, but I don’t know if Wilder can put Tyson away with a single punch. He didn't put Fury away and Mike Tyson had an iron chin. Lewis couldn't put a washed up Tyson away with a single punch and Lewis was an ATG heavyweight puncher

 

With the right ref, Fury could win. Tyson was passive and ineffective when clinched up most of his career. Having 280lbs constantly grabbing him and leaning on him every time he got into distance would take a huge toll on him. I'm sure he knocks Fury down a time or two, but Fury would just get right up as usual. I can't see Fury knocking Tyson out, except Tyson (not counting Jake Paul) never lost by decision, only by KO, so I assume that happens here too.

With the wrong ref, I think Fury eventually gets stopped.