It was the same version of Tyson it's just Bonecrusher clinched consistently to survive. Bonecrusher was a big man 6'4 233 pounds Spinks doesn't have his physical strength to clinch Tyson like that on the inside.
It's not about what Tyson it is, it's about what Spinks it is. He came into the ring in a knee brace didn't he?
Pretty sure. Spinks wouldn't have been standing there like a tree just waiting to be chopped if he wasn't.
Maybe. But i think the 88 Tyson was in a particularly deadly mood whereas he seemed a little more relaxed when he fought Bonecrusher. I just get the feeling something had really infuriated him when he fought Spinks.
Spinks had nothing for Tyson which is the problem. Tyson more than matched him for speed and was miles more powerful while taking a far better punch. Bonecrusher was taller, had plenty more reach, was more durable and much stronger than Spinks. He was also happy to fight quite negatively. Spinks was far better but the previous factors well and truly negate that. Spinks advantage at heavyweight was speed and skill and Tyson had that well and truly covered. Despite Tyson being all over all over him Spinks clinched.........just once. Insane. Crusher was more than happy to clinch multiple times early and pushed Tyson back on more than one occasion. Spinks just held his hands high against one of the greatest mid range heavyweights in history. If he went the clinch every time he could in round 1 the fight would have lasted longer. The one clinch they had Tyson just stood there. He looked like he was in slow motion did Spinks.
I think you are right. I didn't take the size difference into account. Smith was a huge heavyweight for that day.
Spinks wouldn't be able maul and grab Tyson like Smith. Even with those tactics, Spinks gets clobbered fairly quickly.
Agreed, John. Stylistically, Spinks suited Tyson more than Smith did. Tyson may not be the best H2H HW of all time in absolute terms, but he is surely the best H2H HW when facing a career LHW. If you're a career LHW fighting a 215lbs+ ATG HW, you're hoping that you're facing either a pure boxer or pure puncher. i.e. either a fighter who likes space in which to operate and/or a fighter who plants their feet & then throws their power punches. In essence, you're hoping for a boxer that you have a fighting chance of outmanoeuvring. You don't want to be facing a swarmer. Tyson didn't plant his feet & then throw punches, he could simultaneously move towards his opponent whilst throwing combinations, in fluid, perpetual motion, and he could move forwards faster than even a career LHW could move backwards. To beat, or even cause significant problems for, the best version of Tyson, you either had to possess the strength &/or power to push him back in order to maintain your preferred distance or the strength to tie him up. No career LHW in history possessed either of those. Frazier is another swarmer, albeit not quite as powerful or explosive, who is absolute hell for any career LHW in history, for very similar reasons.
Great post Greg. For years I've been championing Tyson as the hardest to beat ever against ex 175's and I've definitely mentioned Frazier too. Not as devastating but impossible to beat for them as well is peak Ali. Bigger, faster and plenty of power vs ex small men.
