Evander Holyfields brain in Mike Tysons body.

Tyson would still be fighting today trying to unify all the titles.

 

Tyson would more than likely gone up until 1997 with an undefeated record/1 blemish with anywhere from 25-28 title defenses/title wins. Putting him atop the ATG lists.

Holyfield on the other hand would have been a promising young prospect who'd be a titlist but nothing more.

 

Tyson is talented but not really any more talented than other heavies.

Ali, Louis, Marciano, Holmes, Foreman, Lewis, Holyfield and Liston were BEASTS with amazing talent and physical assets.

Tyson generally is no more talented than any of the great heavyweights.

Tysons tools is no more sensational either. His technique is some of the best ever. At what he does, he does well BUT he doesn't do everything.

As much as he knows about boxing he is also no more intelligent than the greats above.

Tyson has typical talent, tools and intelligence amongst great. Nothing special and infact inferior, hence the fact he wasn't as great as the guys above.

 

List all those fighters that you mentioned above, do a Poll (Tyson included) and see who the consensus thinks is the most talented.

 

The consensus doesn't matter. It is a consensus myth.

It is irrefutable that Tyson is not more talented than them.

The only thing Tyson had that was special was technique. At what he did, he was amazing but that is it.

 

He is. My point is he hasn't got some special level of talent, nor is his talent or physical assets any more superior.

Louis has good height, reach, strength, speed and power.

Ali has height, reach, exceptionally fast feet, hands, reflexes and strength.

Foreman and Lewis and had exceptional height and reach, coupled with sensational strength and power.

Liston had an amazing reach, great strength and debilitating power.

Dempsey was from the school of Louis and Tyson. He had great speed to power ratio.

 

I'm not sure it would have mattered much, at least long term. Work ethic or no, fighters with Tyson's come-forward-at-all-times style have relatively short life spans in the ring. Train all you want, you're still going to burn out sooner than a guy who can shift down once in a while and regulate the amount of energy (and punishment) he takes and expends. This matters hugely.

 

My thoughts exactly.

While he would've been greater, Holyfield (if he has his own brain) would always give him some trouble, as would Lewis because they would face off when Tyson probably lost a step. Just because he has Holyfields brain doesn't make him impervious to father time with his come-forward style.

And although the 3 year prison lay off didn't help his timing etc, it did "preserve" him a bit. For instance, Joe Louis seemed to be burnt out a bit by his huge activity level between '39-'42. Tyson was fighting 3 times a year from '87, always good, ranked opponents, he may have continued that up to '92 but not without losing something.

 

............What options would he have had? To quote something I read in a boxing magazine once, when you're a 5'11" heavyweight with a 70" reach, you don't have a Plan B. Given his physical attributes, he's not turning into a jab and dance man.

 

I think a better proposition would be to put Evanders testicles in Tysons protector cup,if you did that Tyson would likely still be champion!