1985 Spinks vs Tokyo Tyson.

To me, Tokyo Tyson looked like **** and clearly was not prepared the same way as 88' Tyson was against Spinks. Spinks fought an awful fight against Tyson in 88' when he elected to trade with Tyson instead of using his legs and length like he did in 85'. Long story short, The best version of Tyson would always beat the best version of Spinks at heavyweight in my opinion. But 85' Spinks has a very good shot at Tokyo Tyson. I could definitely see him beating the Tyson that lost to Douglas. Tyson was gassed by the mid rounds in Tokyo were Spinks was a solid 15 round fighter in 85''.

 

Hmmm, Douglas was inspired and that version of Tyson still retained a punch and handspeed.

I'm not sure that I could see Spinks putting on the performance that Douglas did without getting tagged and then drowned out when Tyson realises that he could hurt him.

Ugly victory but I can still see Tyson getting the KO here.

 

It's possible Spinks could win, but Douglas on his best night was a bigger, rangier, stronger looking heavyweight than Michael Spinks was and Iron Mike on a bad night still floored Douglas heavily.
Can 1985 Spinks keep it going all night? He barely lasted at all against Tyson in 88. Styles favor Tyson and even Tokyo Tyson probably gets him at some point imo.

 

Fair enough. I just think the 85' Spinks that fought 30 rounds with Holmes over two fights and later destroyed a hard punching yet past his prime Cooney was a better fighter than Douglas.

 

It's still Tyson by knockout. I don't believe in just plain luck. I believe that a positive mental attitude and the skill to achieve it are what get you results. Douglas was highly motivated to beat Tyson, his mother had just died and before she did he promised to her he would beat Tyson. I'm a firm believer that the mental mindset of "I will keep my last promise to my mother" combined with what he was capable of physically, allowed him to best Tyson that day.

 

I think so too. But the deciding factor is weather or not Spinks shows up confident and unintimidated. He clearly did not want to be in that ring in 1988

 

But the question in the topic is the 85' Spinks that had no fear of Holmes who is without question top 10 all time heavyweight. I actually have Holmes as top five. The 88' Spinks had a long layoff, two bad knees and was past his best. I don't know how you draw the conclusion that he did not want to be in the ring that night in 88' He fought the wrong fight for sure against peak Tyson, he got up from a body shot that most would not have and the shot that put him down the 2nd time bounced his head off the canvas. He straight up got beat and beat badly. It happens.

 

Tyson by KO

 

No matter when they fought, Spinks would be petrifed of Tyson and fight accordingly. Tyson KO 1!

 

Spinks was the last link to the idea that someone was better than Tyson.. Tyson will fight like that everytime he fights Spinks not matter what year they fight....Tyson beats his ass like a red headed step child...

 

I knew which version we were talking about.

 

Just making sure. To me, there is a big difference between 85' and 88' Spinks just like there is between 88' Kevin Rooney trained Tyson and 90's Aaron Snowell trained Tyson who was more focused on getting laid and hight than on being the best. I still think Tyson would beat Spinks when both are st there best but the guy that fought Douglas was not ready to.

 

The Tyson that Douglas beat was undefeated and a feared man. The Holmes that Spinks beat wasn't as one-punch dangerous and as aggressive as Tyson was. An aging Holmes was tailor-made for a bulked up Spinks - an undefeated Tyson was tailor-made to have Spinks shaking in his skin. As soon as Tyson lands cleanly, Spinks would realise you can't bulk up your durability to take that kind of power at such speed with such a natural weight disparity.

Spinks was a great LHW but Cooney is not anywhere near the fighter that Tyson was - not as fast, not as agile, not as aggressive.

I would postulate that the Douglas that beat Tyson likely beats the Holmes that Spinks faced, likely beats many ATGs who aren't at their best. Spinks didn't have the drive, the focus or the size and determination that Douglas carried into that fight. Remember that Buster got up off the canvas - I don't see Spinks doing so and keeping his head in the game.

I think that Tyson would have him psyched out from the opening bell - many fighters would still lose to that Tyson on his ability to land 3 destructive blows in combination. He wasn't the same Kid Dynamite, but he was formiddable and Spinks isn't a fighter that I want facing a Tyson prior to his incarceration.

 

I think a lot of guys would have potentially beaten that Tyson on that night. Especially with the job is corner was doing