Expert opinions on Frazier vs Tyson

I agree with all this.

It's hard for me to call Spinks a great heavy when he beat a well-past his prime Holmes (once) and a washed up Cooney. Wow. As a light heavy, he was excellent and though I love Saad Muhammad I was cheering for MS during that era. Michael was really exemplary at that lighter weight imo.

Tyson never beat an ATG, agreed. He was still an excellent fighter and probably a top 15 ATG. Holmes (even just statistically) was really only behind Louis and Ali. Seven and a half years and 20 successful defenses. No comparision imo.

I've played and replayed a pfp Holmes-Tyson in my head. Tyson would have made Larry look amazing, watch the first Shavers fight, the Norton fight, the Ali. The best Mike would have done was perhaps knock Larry down, but IM would have been done around the same time Earnie was in II. Larry was too fast, too good at tying up, too heavy and accurate a jab, and too powerful an uppercut. Tyson just didn't take that great a shot. LH's uppercuts would have had him staggering in the middle rounds.

Keep in mind, I love Iron Mike's prime, and would stand him up against Frazier, definitely. Mike had the firepower to blow away Joe. But Larry is is another issue entirely....to me as great as Joe's greatest victories were, Larry outdid him.

Just my opinion.

 

Spinks was the undefeated lineal heavyweight champion when he fought Tyson,Yes or no?

 

My point was Fleischer never saw the superheavyweights so his terms of reference were extremely limited and he never saw Foreman or Shavers in their prime.

 

I'd give Frazier a good chance with Marciano,[though I pick Rocky ,]but I can't see him beating Tyson.
Tyson has every physical advantage.
Bigger puncher,more variety of punches,two handed ko power,a great chin,faster handspeed ,proven against big punchers.fifteen to twenty pounds heavier.
The more heart Frazier displays in this fight, the bigger the beating he would receive.
Now if we are talking about who has the greatest single victory, or who was the nicer guy ?

 

It might be more along the lines of who could take the punishment longer and/or perhaps drop a single punch that would call all other bets off.

Tyson was faster than Joe and had a much better right hand. Joe had perhaps the best left hook in the division's history. I can see either of them getting dropped...it might have been Lyle-Foreman except with a coupla swarm-fighters (just writing that makes me think the fight wouldn't last long).

Either Frazier or Tyson goes out early.

 

I think Frazier's left hook is overated for power, his main quality was his ability to reload and fire it incessantly for 15 rds.

 

I think you're right.

 

To trouble Tyson you need height/size and a long jab plus plenty of clinching......

Frazier aint got nothing of the above.

Nobody has to come look for Frazier, he is not elusive, he will come right at your grill.....and that will get him ko'ed quickly, you cannot by any circumstances go to to toe with Tyson, career suicide...............Lennox Lewis did not go toe to toe with the totally washed up Ghost of mike Tyson....

Heart will never come into play because Tyson;s talent will wax Frazier without much obstacles......the difference in talent and physiacl development is immense.

Even in his signature wins Frazier 's face looked like a moon crater and he was stumbled or knocked down by sub par fighters.......

This will be a similar blow out that the first Foreman fight except Tyson has a major speed advantage over Foreman and that speed of Tyson will keep Frazier on the mat for good......you can bet your mortgage on it.

As a man , Frazier is the superior human being but as a fighter he is inferior in any way or shape to a prime Tyson.

 

Prime Frazier was very hard to hit



That was very @mark ant of me

 

The first fight was a win by only a couple of points, but even I have to admit Michael surprised and beat Larry that time. The second fight wasn't even close imo, Holmes ahead 9-5-1 for me. Spinks was smacked around several times in that fight, and he never really landed any kind of significant punch, more like hard slaps. It was his elusiveness and making old man Larry work that kept the latter from knocking him out.

 

When Joe got really smoking I would daresay he was the equal of Tyson defensively. I'd have to watch the tapes again. I know Tyson could be tricky to hit.

 

Personally I'd put him over Tyson in terms of head movement, Ali was a more accurate puncher than anyone a prime Tyson faced, and Frazier in the FOTC made him miss loads