Tyson challenges Holyfield before going to jail

Naw, Holyfield beats that version of Tyson. Tyson was not the same guy in the 90s as he was in the 80's. Holyfield has always been a truth machine and the truth is, he had Tyson's number. At a young age, Tyson knew he couldn't intimidate Holyfield. In 96' al questions were answered.

 

I’ve alway said that Tyson before he went to jail beats any version of Holyfield and also for that matter any version of lewis but the post jail one would lose to both of them

 

That would be the only time. I still wouldn't be surprised if Holyfield survived the early onslaught and broke Tyson down.

 

This will likely be viewed as some sort of Tyson fanboyism but it's my honest take-yes, I still favour Holyfield, but a different and completely justifiable referee and a younger Tyson with a less filled out Holyfield could absolutely change the outcome. I do believe Holyfield always believed he had Tyson, but I don't think it's necessarily true that it would go the same way. Also, I'm not big on the more weight = better for most of these matches, but at least Holyfield put on ATHLETIC weight. He didn't just bulk up with a vague notion of "throwing more weight around." His weight was actually functional

 

Yes. Tyson beats Holyfield pre prison.

 

Holyfield beats any version of Tyson any time in my opinion. Guy had his number and his attributes were all wrong for Mikey. 90s Mike had slowed down, 'prime' Mike was a force of nature but Holyfeild could take the heat then turn it up. He himself was a monster in his younger days and would fight at a pace with a volume of ferocity that would finish a fading Mike around the tenth.

 

Buster Douglas manhandled pre-prison Tyson.

Holy would also.

 

Doesn’t change my answer.

We can’t pretend pre-prison Tyson was unbeatable when he got KTFO by Big Bus.

 

I don't think you can pick a version from a single fight as the fighter was training to fight a specific fighter. The Holyfield who manhandled and bullied Tyson twice in the 90s fought that way because of what Tyson's attributes were then. I don't think he can fight that way against the force of nature Tyson was in '88. Evander was still raw in the late eighties but look at the wars he was in already, Qawi at CW and Dokes being standouts. I see a version of that raw obstinate, obdurate, driven, fast version matching peak Tyson's intensity and taking over late. Whilst it is true Evander never fought anyone with peak Mike's incandescent ferocity, peak Mike never fought anyone with Evander's resilience and heart. Mike prepared to KO people, Evander prepared for war.