Book about Tyson-Lewis 2002 Superfight

Steward said he thought Lewis was at his best in around the Botha fight, he was sharp, precise and mean.

Holyfield said Lewis doesn't hold the ground he stands on, nobody is going to beat Tyson going backwards. Also added that Tyson's power was more explosive.

 

Here's some cool Tyson anecdotes in the book. There's tons of these. Also many about Lewis too. This book is not just about the fight, it's about the characters of the two combatants...

Bobby Joe Young (former junior welterweight title challenger and the only man to defeat Aaron Pryor): "I used to know him all the time when I was in Jersey City working at Ringside. And Mike was there all the time. And we would talk, have conversations. The thing that really impressed me about Mike is he had a very good respect for other fighters, the way he reveres a man, give you your dues. The benevolence - it's just really great. (He knew you?) Yeah. The first time I met Mike was in 1988. The fight when he knocked out Michael Spinks. I met him at the Garden. And he flipped when he met me. He said, BOBBY JOE YOUNG!!! He got excited. I was so blown away by how much he showed respect for me. Because I'm like, I'm thinking to myself, I'm nothing compared to what you're doing, man. The way he reveres my accomplishments - it was really just a great respect I have for him. People don't realize Mike Tyson. You're looking to be around good, honest people. He's so used to being around shysters, he don't know what their motives are. I think in that perspective, it's altered the way people think that he is. He's a nice guy. He really is."

LeRoy Neiman: "I've never known anyone who ever talked with or knew Mike Tyson that didn't have good things to say about him. Add me to that discriminating list. There was only one Dempsey, one Muhammad Ali, one Joe Louis, each his own man ...so too only one Mike Tyson."

Roberto Duran (boxing legend and idol of Tyson): "My first memory when I met Tyson was when I went to his dressing room and he got crazy with me and was very happy to meet me. And I also appreciate him also. (What fight?) Michael Spinks. That was a helluva fight. Mike asked me, What one would be the quickest way to knock Spinks out? I said, Punch him to the body, hook to the body. At the end of the fight, nobody could come to his dressing room and when he knew it was me, he tell them to let me go in. And he said, You see? I followed the way you told me. I was punching him in the body.”

“And the first time I went to Indianapolis, when I went to see him when he was in jail. I know Tyson - we're not the closest of friends - but with me he's a very, very good individual. The locations that we meet, he's very good with me, very nice. I remember one time he told me a story. I had a fight with Davey Moore (June 16, 1983). Tyson told me he was there in the gallery. At the time Tyson was just a kid (16), nobody. But he was a fanatic of me. Tyson told me he was shadowboxing up there in the shadows, screaming, 'DURAN! DURAN! DURAN!' Tyson told me that experience.”
“I consider that Tyson was the greatest boxer in the heavyweight. Because he was knocking out anybody. Like nobody in history did what Tyson did. But also I consider that's the more important. His private life belong to - we talk about sport here. Tyson is/was one of the greatest. And no doubt to it. What happened was, when he was coming down, like anybody else - if Tyson rid of all the problems that he has, he can be champion, anytime. What happened was, he had a lot of people, they take advantage of him and also there was a personal problem. He don't love himself enough. I consider if he was loved a little more, with more ego, he can fight much better. Yeah, he can go back anytime."

 

Deep stuff from Duran. Who Mike has called his all time favorite fighter. Roberto Duran.