Tyson 100% could've won that with kevin rooney, go back and watch round 5&6 the round before tyson got cut(and stopped trying to win), he throws a few combinations in that round the only time he threw them and he mixed them up body and head, at the end of the round holyfield This content is protected was rocked to the body, the next round tyson gets headbutted 3 times severly, 1 opens up a cut, the second staggers him to the side, the third time you visibly see his knees give out from a headbutt that is visible. And this was a Tyson with 0% strategy evidenced by how he came in round 1 trying to take his head off, Young tyson with the speed and agillity and the gameplans of rooney and co could have beaten holyfield he was pretty close to it in those round but holyfield is truly a warrior
He could have beat him in this fight if he had more heart. I am not impressed with using another man as a crutch and a line of reasoning as to why you won/didn't win fights. Holyfield utilized Mike's weakness in the clinches and it negated him a lot but even then if he showed more heart he could have changed things, he didn't though.
The problem was that to remain sharp, body work, put combinations together, bob and weave etc takes hard work. Tyson wasnt prepared to put the work in post spinks, which is one of the main reasons he broke with Rooney
LOL I'm a Tyson fan but you're talking some **** here. The head collision where Tyson "staggered" was caused BY TYSON. By that point he wanted out of the fight and was attempting to make his cut worse. The same as when he complained to the doctor - Mike actualy looked gutted that the fight was allowed to continue. People giving Holyfield **** for using his head make me laugh because Tyson was as dirty as they come. Sure Tyson hurt Holyfield but it's not like Evander wasn't known for coming back from punishment - See Cooper, Bowe, Mercer etc. If both men had met in their primes the edge goes slightly to Mike but there is no certainty of him winning. Holyfield was a magnificent warrior. 1996 and 1997 proved two things. Holyfield was the smarter man and the better man.
what would having Rooney in his corner prevent him from quitting would Rooney have made him tougher or magically got rid of the cut Holyfield had his number
Mike would've beaten the smaller Holyfield of 89-91 but 92-on I would favor Holyfield as he got bigger. The smaller Holyfield wouldn't be able to bully Mike like the one of 96 did. I especially give the Tyson of the Ruddock fights an edge over Holyfield but that night of 96 was just Holyfield's night. He fought smart but still showed the warrior heart.
if they fought now TYson woud take him out inside 3 rounds, purely off the the fact that every time Tyson got inside and created some momentum Holyfield would literally push him, open glove push with both hands, not once but atleast 20 times during the fight, I kept thinking wtf all the hard work to get inside bob and weave and slip and take some shots and then finally he's inside than he just gets pushed off which is a cheap ass tactic and not boxing
If they fought now Holyfield would win I'd imagine Holyfield has been in the ring fighting, Tyson has been retired for 5 years or so. Plus Tyson couldnt even beat Kevin McBride in his last fight.
Tyson needed opponents that backed up. Mike himself seemed anatomically incapable of taking a step backwards. That's what Holyfield exploited. He never budged an inch, instead, he pushed Tyson back all the time. That's why Mike never got into any kind of rhythm or momentum.
Holyfield confirmed what Buster Douglas had proved before. Tyson would lose steam after a few rounds, and his ferocity faded when someone fought back.
Like Teddy said last night, when it got rough in there Tyson almost always folded. Wouldnt matter who was in his corner.
1st of all This content is protected holyfield is still relatively active and mike probably couldnt run a mile to save his life and how the hell u talk about dirty tactics when tyson bit him twice, tried to break one dudes arm and numerous times has hit guys after knocking em down tyson got a taste of his own medicine and couldnt handle it i do agree though that tyson under rooney would have put in a better performance
