1988 Mike Tyson vs 1971 Joe Frazier

Battle of the close range, relentless fighters with no quit in them. What and how do you beat a punching machine with better chin in Tyson?

First Frazier was a relatively soft spoken HW who did his talking in the ring and said we will see unless fighter pushed his buttons. I think advantage here is Frazier BC Tyson needed to be fired up to be at his best.

Frazier can bring quite storm that's first step in Frazier's favor if he can convince Tyson too coast by clinching and making it ugly without getting hit in range just enough to get to round 3 he has a shot.

Frazier at 205 throws more shots but what will they actually do to iron chinned Tyson? Frazier would go to head /body combos at chest range, this would smother Tyson's combo set ups. One thing with Tyson if you can stand in there and throw less he then himself feels less need to finish the fight if he feels no danger of losing.

This comes to the event it goes past 7 rounds and Tyson is winning 4 rounds to 2 mid rounds ( 4th round being key to get out) its relatively an even fight! Keep the n mind 71 Frazier was savvy and hungry, more than any year.

Frazier is going to be behind in this fight up until round 8 where Tyson is disgruntled and annoyed. The key here is Eddie Futch will guide the more focused Frazier to a win by JUST doing enough compared to Rooney yelling at Tyson begging him to listen as he did always in certain situations when Tyson doesn't get easy fights...

Winner Frazier Split decision win.

 

I think Tyson possesses the tools to get Joe out of there early. His speed, power and finishing ability are second to none and he is one of the fastest starters in history vs a slower type starter.

If Joe got thru the early rounds he'd have a chance. His best tactic is meeting Tyson head on, getting in close and staying there as often as possible. Tyson was never great on the inside but devastating from mid range. Joe might be able to grind him down and frustrate him this way, tho it's unlikely imo.

Tyson's lethal uppercut is a massive danger here.

I like Tyson in this one. Joe's not going to stop him any time early and Tyson is going to catch him some. I think he'd get hurt and not survive the follow up.

 

Tyson early. Joe bobs and weaves into those uppercuts. Tyson had faster hands than Frazier and he was a two handed threat. I don't think Joe's advantages in stamina, inside fighting and heart would come into play here.

 

Frazier breaks him down and stops him late.

 

Frazier was too small. I think Mike knocks him out in about 2 rounds.

 

Frazier would by far have the mental edge which is more important than anything else imo. Especially when Tyson was used to it being the other way around. Just food for thought.

 

Where is the poll again????

 

That is true if it went into the mid late rounds but I think Mike Tyson would be able to find Frazier early with his big shots. Mike was more explosive than Joe and Frazier was known to be a bit of a slow starter in the early rounds. Not a good formula for beating a prime Tyson. If the fight did get into the later rounds and Joe is still able to function without being damaged he may outlast Tyson but that is a big IF

 

Replay of the Marvin fight........Frazier simply does not have the chin to compete with elite punchers...... Foreman bounced him around in embarrassing fashion twice.

Frazier is 1-4 in his signature fights.....stopped in 3 of them, twice uncompetitive blow out and his claim to fame is beating a rusty past exile Ali who banged hookers the night before the fight.

No exile for Ali means Frazier would have never been the champ. The end.

 

I agree with you 100%! Joe Frazier was a disgrace. If he had any heart at all he would have jumped up and bitten part of Foreman`s ear off before he got knocked out. Then he could have stood in the dressing room and complained about being pushed illegally. More than half of his stupid fans would have bought into it.

Tyson did much better vs the All Time Greats he met.

 

Intriguing

Does tysons superior power,speed and array of punches overwhelm frazier ?...its also easy to forget this 80s tyson had incredible will to win,an iron chin and ability to fire back hard and walk through hard punches..

Frazier though had one of the deepest reserves of courage and intensitu ever seen in the ring...a relentlessness that only foreman extinguished...

I think frazier wears down mike in 8