Now I did a similiar thing with Ketchel and Burns. I thought since people are intrigued with a Witherspoon vs Tyson match....I would provide a similiar outline. COMMON OPPONENTS Tim Witherspoon L 12 Pinklon Thomas Mike Tyson TKO 6 Pinklon Thomas Edge: HUGE to Tyson. Tyson dominated Thomas, doing something no one had ever done to him before. Thomas won a close but clear cut decision over Spoon while he was WBC champion. Tim Witherspoon L 12 Larry Holmes Mike Tyson TKO 4 Larry Holmes Edge: Hard to say. Spoon gave a younger holmes a great performance, but tyson did something to an Old Holmes no one before or after ever did to him. They faced two different fighters, but with the same name. Tim Witherspoon TKO 11 Frank Bruno Mike Tyson TKO 5 Frank Bruno Mike Tyson TKO 3 Frank Bruno Edge: Tyson. Bruno took Spoon 11 Life or Death rounds, some feel he was beating Spoon. Tyson dominated Bruno winning every round and knocking him out despite getting stunned briefly. Tim Witherspoon W 12 Bonecrusher Smith Tim Witherspoon TKO'd 1 Bonecrusher Smith Mike Tyson W 12 Bonecrusher Smith Edge: HUGE tyson. Both Tyson and Spoon won shutout decisions over Smith. However, Spoon also suffered a devastating one round stoppage victory where film shows he appeared to be caught cold early by a right hand, and never recovered. Tyson took a big right hand from smith in round 12 but it did not bother him at all. Tyson gets the clear edge since spoon got sparked in 1. Tim Witherspoon W 15 Tony Tubbs Mike Tyson TKO 2 Tony Tubbs Edge: Tyson. Spoon won a very close decision over Tubbs in a competitive but dreadful fight. Tyson on the otherhand destoyed tubbs! He knocked him out cold with 1 punch making Tubbs do the jiggy dance! NO ONE ever did that to Tony!! Final Result: Spoon- 3-3( 1 knockout) Tyson- 6-0(5 knockouts)
common opponent was also Truth Williams...and we know the ko 1 and 12 round or ten round decision favors Mike again
It's too bad Smith TKO'd Witherspoon in one, because: a) That prevented a possible Tyson vs Witherspoon from coming off b) Gave us the horrible borefest that was Tyson vs Smith
Its a pity Tyson-Spoon didnt happen but Tyson would have clearly won, I dont need to see common opponents as this doesnt tell the whole story, I wont be picking Pacquaio over Mayweather because he ko'd some opponents faster. But Tyson was just better than Spoon in every facet
It seems to me that Tyson fought more shop worn guys. Witherpsoon took on more " prime versions " How come Witherpsoon defeated Smith, Bruno and Tubbs first, but they got title shots from Tyson and Witherpsoon did not? It seems that team Tyson did not want to give Witherpsoon a title shot in the 1980's.
Nothing close about Tubbs fight with Witherspoon, Tubbs did okay for 4/5 rounds then stopped punching and spent the rest of the fight soaking up Witherspoon's attacks on the ropes, it was pretty clear to me who won.
Tyson cleaned the whole division out. DK blacklisted Spoon, they had some argument, plus Spoon got blasted out in 1 by Smith ruining his chances of a Tyson fight and he didnt get any impressive wins after that. Tyson also fought a better Bruno Withspoon is made to measure for Tyson and probably wouldnt last more than 3rounds
Thread starter pretty much pointed out why Spoon is vastly overated as being some monster that Tyson avoided. I dont think for a second Tysons people were ever hesitant to match Tyson against him. I've also never heard of this rumor that I think Magoo made up himself. I do however think that Don King had a lot to do with it, but that goes for many fighters. At that time King controlled the division. If you didnt play by his rules, you were shut out. Tyson was the champ, but King had all the contenders under contract.
