trever berbick could have beat Mike Tyson

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by victoire, Mar 13, 2026.


Before you go nuts, hear me out. Trevor Berbick was always known as a durable, skilled fighter

  1. Tyson Obliterates Berbick

    34 vote(s)
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  2. Berbick Survives

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  1. victoire

    victoire New Member Full Member

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    Before you go nuts, hear me out. Trevor Berbick was always known as a durable, skilled fighter who could drag top opponents into dogfights—guys like Larry Holmes, Pinklon Thomas, Greg Page, David Bey, Mitch Green, john tate, and even later in his career, Hasim Rahman and Buster Douglas. The point I’m making is that Berbick never fought like he did against Mike Tyson in any of those bouts. I don’t know if he was on drugs, or if he just mentally forgot how to fight, but he never approached a fight that way before—and it ended up costing him.
    He stood directly in front of Tyson, basically giving himself no chance of victory. If Berbick had applied a more textbook approach—hit without getting hit—he could have extended the fight, or maybe even gotten a draw. But the way he got knocked out in two rounds? I just don’t see someone with his level of experience being dismantled like that under normal circumstances.
     
    victoire, Mar 13, 2026
    victoire, Mar 13, 2026
    #1
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  2. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Berbick had no chance because he was in there with a peak roided up young lion in Mike Tyson. Tyson at his peak would have beaten quite a few greats before and after him and I stand on that
     
    MarkusFlorez99, Mar 13, 2026
    MarkusFlorez99, Mar 13, 2026
    #2
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  3. victoire

    victoire New Member Full Member

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    victoire, Mar 13, 2026
    victoire, Mar 13, 2026
    #3
  4. victoire

    victoire New Member Full Member

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    There’s no doubt that Mike Tyson was a phenomenal fighter, and I’m not saying he wouldn’t have beaten Berbick. My point is that Berbick did himself a disservice by standing in front of him. If you look at Berbick’s previous fights, this wasn’t even the same fighter who took the belt from Pinklon Thomas just eight months earlier, or the one who thoroughly beat Greg Page. His approach against Tyson was completely uncharacteristic, and that’s why it ended so shockingly fast.
     
    victoire, Mar 13, 2026
    victoire, Mar 13, 2026
    #4
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  5. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Loyal Member

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    Oh my god, he really was poisoned!
     
    catchwtboxing, Mar 13, 2026
    catchwtboxing, Mar 13, 2026
    #5
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  6. NoChin

    NoChin Sir Tim Tszyu - Knighted! Full Member

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    Berbick had a smart game plan. Get it over and done with a don't take anymore punishment than necessary.
     
    NoChin, Mar 13, 2026
    NoChin, Mar 13, 2026
    #6
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  7. The Professor

    The Professor Socialist Ring Leader Staff Member

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    Utter nonsense. Berbick, like most pre-Tyson 1980s HWs, was a mediocrity who would get destroyed all day every day by a peak Tyson
     
    The Professor, Mar 14, 2026
    The Professor, Mar 14, 2026
    #7
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  8. SouthpawsRule

    SouthpawsRule Well-Known Member Full Member

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    With a gun maybe
     
    SouthpawsRule, Mar 14, 2026
    SouthpawsRule, Mar 14, 2026
    #8
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  9. BustedSaint

    BustedSaint Country Member Full Member

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    Any one of us here could beat a peak Mike Tyson, with the probability of doing it measured in trillions to one. Regardless, it is possible.
     
    BustedSaint, Mar 14, 2026
    BustedSaint, Mar 14, 2026
    #9
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  10. KernowWarrior

    KernowWarrior Bob Fitzsimmons much bigger brother. Full Member

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    218 pounds of fit and strong Berbick could have beaten Tyson, if luck was on his side, all the planets aligned in his favour, if he had done this, that or the other etc etc.

    However he did not, and barring a miracle he never would have beaten the Tyson of November 86.
     
    KernowWarrior, Mar 14, 2026
    KernowWarrior, Mar 14, 2026
    #10
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  11. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Berbick was on drugs during that fight, so if he weren't, he would definitely beat Mike Tyson!
     
    MaccaveliMacc, Mar 14, 2026
    MaccaveliMacc, Mar 14, 2026
    #11
  12. Wizbit1013

    Wizbit1013 Drama go, and don't come back Full Member

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    Berbick was a quite average HW that got lucky to be in a position to win a belt
    No version of Berbick would have ever beaten Tyson
     
    Wizbit1013, Mar 14, 2026
    Wizbit1013, Mar 14, 2026
    #12
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  13. Rico Spadafora

    Rico Spadafora Master of Chins Full Member

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    This. Berbick was not ‘skilled’ he was a somewhat awkward spoiler who would use tactics like holding, hitting on the break, clinching, wrestling, etc to drag a fight into the later rounds. That doesn’t work against an opponent like Tyson. It works against the Larry Holmes types. Go back and watch the Holmes vs Berbick fight it was a laughable affair all because of Berbick’s spoiling tactics.
     
    Rico Spadafora, Mar 14, 2026
    Rico Spadafora, Mar 14, 2026
    #13
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  14. ubareem

    ubareem Member Full Member

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    Seeing Berbick staggering around the ring is so satisfying, considering how he treated others in his personal life.

    I still want to see the footage of Bernardo Mercado putting him to sleep, but I can't find it anywhere.
     
    ubareem, Mar 14, 2026
    ubareem, Mar 14, 2026
    #14
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  15. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

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    God doesn't like ugly.
     
    MaccaveliMacc, Mar 14, 2026
    MaccaveliMacc, Mar 14, 2026
    #15
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