1996 Tyson was still a Top 15 All Time HW, at least in a H2H matchup

I'm hard pressed to think of many ATG heavyweights that didn't possess both heart and a chin, and these are guys that even prime Mike might not beat. 96 Tyson was still a very dangerous fighter, he demolished good fighters like Bruno and Golota but IMO he comes up short against any great fighter at this point. I would have liked to have seen him face a guy like Ray Mercer, to see how he handled a solid fighter with an iron chin.

 

I think there's probably fifteen heavyweights who beat the version Holyfield beat.

 

Only 15 is generous. He was not the H2H monster he was 8-10 years prior.

 

......and that wasn't exactly a prime Holyfield either, geez, could be 20 heavys

 

Yeah, lots of em

 

I'd favour: Douglas, Bowe, Holyfield, Lewis, Foreman, Louis, Ali, Liston, Holmes, Frazier, Vitali, '88 Tyson and Fury. 50/50s: Ike, Marciano and Wlad. Maybe prime Pinky and Witherspoon. Notables who he Beats: Dempsey, Patterson and Tua.

Obviously all IMO.

 

yes i would agree

However, Tyson was a 4-5 round fighter at this stage. Anyone who could survive 4-5 rounds at this stage would have beaten him.

IMO Tua beats a 96 Tyson. Tua would have to be careful and Tyson was still faster. But did Tyson have the stamina to beat Tua over 12? especially the Tua who fought Ike? I don't think so. Tua UD 12 or even a late tko.

I agree the 96 Tyson had too much for many former champions. No pre-Louis champ barring Dempsey could possibly beat him, and even then i favour Tyson over Dempsey.

I think a motivated Oliver McCall has a real chance. I know Tyson used to beat him up in sparring but McCall had an iron jaw. I think he could possibly outpoint Tyson here given how faded Tyson was.

Ray Mercer is another one who could beat this version of Tyson if he can survive the early onslaught.

 

I'd favor: Holyfield (obviously), Lewis, Foreman, Louis, Liston, Holmes, Frazier, Ali, pre prison Tyson, Fury, and maybe Dempsey narrowly.

Against a prime Tyson, I only see 3 of the above names winning with confidence (Ali, Foreman, and Liston). I would make Holmes a slight favorite and Frazier is 50-50, either he gets stopped early or survives and breaks Tyson down.

I don't see Marciano winning as even this version of Tyson had every advantage against Marciano with the exception of stamina, heart, and inside work.

 

Absolutely.
Even the thought experiment to put that version back against Thomas, Smith and Tucker should reavel something would happen in the later rounds.
Smith very well could land on 96s Tyson earlier in the bout.

 

Tyson fought Golota in 2000 not 1996

 

Would there be 15 heavyweights better than that Tyson if they were all allowed to juice to their eyeballs like Evan?

 

Hes just who came to mind first.