H2H top 5 heavyweights in their prime

No, even though he was too small, the way he was fighting was insane, nobody would have looked as good v the same opposition.

 

Can we also remember that Tyson never faced an in prime ATG during the 80's and didn't look invincible during this five year run he struggled with Bruno and Tucker both fringe world level fighters, do you think a prime Foreman or Lewis would let Mike off the hook with him dazed like against Bruno

Also his bob and weave style is tailor made for Foreman, who is bigger, stronger and hits harder than Mike and I'm a huge fan of Tyson

 

He only struggled with Bruno in the first round and was fighting badly after firing Rooney, he clearly beat Tucker in a good fight, his height was a problem v the 6`5 Tucker he had trouble with him being out of reach and holding up close, plus Tucker had a good chin too.

 

Tyson looked poor v Bruno but so did Lewis in 1993, Tyson wa way ahead of the scorecards v Bruno by the 5th round when he stopped him while Lewis was winning in a split up till he landing a hook that hurt Frank in the 8th.

 

Of course Douglas had fought Tucker prior to facing Tyson and, to their credit, Douglas and his voluble manager Johnny Johnson undoubtedly studied Tucker's fight vs. Tyson closely in forming what turned out to be Douglas's best-ever fight plan.

 

Agreed on most counts here. I would love to have seen pre-King Tyson fights vs. Foreman and Lewis. But of course this all falls under the "What If ?" heading....

 

But didn`t fight Tyson the way Tucker did, he stood in front of Tyson a lot while Tucker backed off and held a lot.

 

Gotta disagree with you.Bowe had a damn good chin plus Holyfield wasn't exactly feather-fisted.
No doubt about it,that version of Bowe gives any heavyweight in history sheer hell.

 

The conversation isn't about Lewis but how Tyson didn't go on an invisible 5 year tear he did look vulnerable even in his prime

 

Who didn't....?

Again, I point to the record: 5 years, 37-0, 33 KOs, with a couple of the non-KOs being fighters who hugged it out in the latter rounds and were grateful to have survived.

How many fighters can you say this about? And (personality/personal behavior notwithstanding) how do you objectively dismiss this fighter from a top-5-in-their-prime...?

 

Instead of looking at numbers look at quality he didn't even face an in prime ATG, by your logic Marciano should be placed even higher 49 wins with no losses

Also I've actually studied each fighter in their primes and wrote a book about it (shameless plug) and sorry but the following in prime boxers I place higher H2H Ali, Lewis, Foreman, Liston, Vitali that's before you consider other greats like Bowe, Holmes, Louis, Holyfield, Wlad and Marciano

Anyone interested in finding out more check out this link https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0D46RPZ23

 

Lennox
Ali
Holmes
Wlad
Foreman

 

Even though Wlad achieved more than Vitali H2H I can’t see how Wlad would defeat the iron chinned Vitali

 

His prime ended after he fired Rooney.