Have Holyfield and Lewis been greater than Tyson?

He was old, shopworn, on drugs, mentally unraveled and well past prime; hell well past even a semblance of his prime. I don't think he'd ever have beaten Lennox but I think Tyson pre-prison would've given Evander hell.

to answer the original question, I think their careers ultimately were greater than Tyson as his real career ended in 91. Everything else was the ghost of Tyson and his fights/wins titles pale in comparison to his rampage pre-prison. Lennox and Evander peaked after and were really two of the elite names of the 90s.

 

All three of them are all-time greats at Heavyweight. It's all a matter of opinion.

Holyfield went 2-0 (1) over Tyson. Holyfield was the underdog in both fights, the odds were closer in the rematch. Both men were past prime. Tyson had come back in '95 after almost 4 years out of the ring. He beat McNeeley in 89 seconds, Mathis in less than 3 rounds, Bruno in less than 3 rounds (for the WBC belt), and Seldon in less than 1 round (for the WBA belt).

Holyfield came back in '95 after a brief retirement. He had lost to Moorer in a close decision in '94 and did not look good in the fight even though the decision was questionable. Holyfield beat Mercer by decision in a competitive bout. He was stopped in the 8th round by Bowe (their 3rd fight) in a good back and forth fight. He stopped Czyz in the 5th round. Holyfield really did not look great in these fights, especially the Bowe fight. He really looked like a guy who should retire in that fight.

Holyfield opened as a 25-1 underdog. For the first Tyson fight but by fight time the odds were 6-1 in favor of Tyson. Holyfield KO11. Holyfield WDQ3 in the rematch.

Tyson was well past-prime and an underdog going into the Lewis fight. Lewis KO8.

Holyfield gets more credit for beating Tyson than Lewis. He gets about as much credit as Buster Douglas in my opinion. Yes, Douglas was a bigger underdog but Douglas had looked good in his last few fights prior to Tyson including wins over Berbick and McCall. Douglas was ranked #4. Holyfield was supposed to be washed up and a lot of people were genuinely concerned for Holyfield's life going into this fight.

Holyfield went undefeated from 1984-1992. During this stretch he went 28-0 (22) overall and 10-0 (7) in world title fights. He had been the Undisputed CW world champ winning the IBF, WBA, and WBC belts in seperate bouts. He was the reigning Undisputed HW world champ. He did not lose until after his 30th birthday. He beat world title holders- Booze W8, Qawi W15 and KO4, Ocasio KO11, Parkey KO3, DeLeon KO8, Thomas KO7, Dokes KO10, Douglas, KO3, Foreman W12, Holmes W12, Bowe W12, Mercer W10, Czyz KO5, Tyson KO11 and WDQ3, Moorer KO8, Ruiz W12, Rahman WTD8, Botha KO8, and Nielsen KO10. At age 46 he was robbed vs. Valuev for the WBA belt. Qawi, DeLeon, Foreman, Holmes, Bowe, Tyson, and Lewis are Hall of Famers... DeLeon is not an IBHOF member though. Holyfield beat more Lineal HW world champs than any other fighter, he beat- Douglas, Foreman, Holmes, Bowe, Tyson ×2, Moorer, and Rahman. He had a draw with Lewis. Most feel that Lewis won their first fight but a case can be made for Holyfield in the rematch (I thought it was a draw)... which was won by Lewis. Yes, I rank Holyfield over Tyson.

Lewis only lost twice and he avenged both losses. Both of those losses were awful though, LKOby2 McCall and LKOby5 Rahman. Lewis beat world title holders- Ocasio, Weaver, McCrory, Tucker, Bruno, Morrison, Mercer (very close fight), McCall, Akinwande, Briggs, Holyfield, Botha, Rahman, Tyson, and V. Klitschko. Holyfield, Tyson, and V. Klitschko are Hall of Famers.

Tyson only beat 2 Hall of Famers- KO4 Holmes and KO1 M. Spinks. He did beat world title holders- Ratliff, Berbick, Smith, Thomas, Tucker, Holmes, Tubbs, M. Spinks, Bruno x2, Seldon, Botha, and Nielsen. He had a NC vs. O. Norris. I rank Tyson and Lewis very closely. A case can be made for either fighter but I usually put Tyson 1 spot above Lewis.

Holyfield
Tyson
Lewis

 

I'm sorry for talking about a professional boxer in BoxingForum24. I now understand that you have negative feelings towards the professional boxer in question.

Out of concern for your negative feelings, and negative attitude, I will refrain from talking about "he who shall not be named" except for threads where he is directly mentioned by others, who you won't also crucify for bringing up "He who shall not be named" , and threads where "he who shall not be named" is mentioned directly, or one of his former opponents, or an affiliate of his team.

Would you also like to file an injunction against me? With the metropolitan police?

 

You should be sorry for being so obsessed with a boxer.
It's not I who has feelings towards Whyte.

But yes, do as all a favor and stop dragging Whyte into every damn discussion.

 

At HW, I have Lewis, then Holyfield, then Tyson. I can see the argument that Holyfield's achievements at CW may edge him up, but Tyson stays in third either way.

 

Way before da Buster fight , Tyson got charged for **** " an she went home or to a motel anyway . An he got married on top of all that his wife was saying on Opera say Oprea Mike is Dangerous an violent anMike Did this an Mike done that an that as well , anyway U should about that ( having that women doin that to Mike as well charging ha ha her husband M Tyson for **** " she got a LOT money from that ) Anyway like I said U should already know . Gus died as well all in that time frame . An there we have it Tyson wasn't training good missing training because of issue's wit court da law
Training went from a high to a low training , like a little kid I trained way back then 9 he was 33 Win's on losses 13 going on to 14 . I couldn't work out how he wasn't shirt wet very much when they came back from da run Bang bang I could cee what was happening before they pored da water bottle over themselves , I took em for a walk wit me same way that I make em run sitting down all hav a yarn then after 15 show em there tracks where they walk through a short cut was only few 100 meter s * yeah I said to him you cheating in ya running so U must be blugeing in your boxing right then I said U are gunner Loose your next fight or may your next fight he didn't believe me nor really listen , haha he said I think I'm da toughest 13 year an toughest in Australia I could I more be I reckon I'm maybe Toughest in the world it doesn't matter I know how to box an win I don't need heap of training , I just looked at him I could cee him slip-on , bang bang lot his next 2 . I can even say Buster never fought a prime Tyson . Just imagine if Tyson was look after probably like De L Hoya looks after Canleo Tyson would of smashed Buster Holyfield Lewis to . Holyfield ay kept headbutt Tyson over an over Tyson ask da ref stop him head butt ing only ask da Fer 3 times someone must of bean given da ref kick back cash Tyson held arms out ref wouldn't even warn Holyfield HaHa LOLS Tyson signed deap stared to Bit His Ear's off yeah . That's more or less Tyson saying on more no More will I let people Cheat me cheat me no more . MIKE TYSON a GREAT MAN ""; one more thing when will hav some as bad an mean not scared just fear like da sun shine , we still haven't a Heavyweight like Tyson .. that friend is what happen to Mike . No matter who U are rich poor sport person a movie star , if them things happen to don't who U is or what THAT would knock any body OFF there HIGH CHAIR . Be ... Alright had some time , hope U like what I just told cheers

 

They beat a broken down Tyson before da Buster fight chucked in jail .. if they skite about beating Tyson , it's " laugh a bull " they beat a man that was being chowed down on an spat out . Lols it be like me goin goin da park Bashing some old Wineo up just cause I know won't hit me back much . I giv Holyfield Lewis when these two fought each other U can say that they were in there prime . Waiting for da day when someone like Tyson really truely something as as mean an bad imposing fear like Mike .HW.needs a new superstars we still haven't since da Tyson Day's

 

Jack Johnson , Brown Boomer . ALI . Tyson are da real Legends . Jack wasn't a loud to go where white people go had a lot of time so he made boxing exciting a live wit new skill , they couldn't get a white man to woop Jack ass , Jack had to take a dive to a white man cause he was sick off France . Took da dive to be back USA that was da deal just so white people were able .. BROWN Boomer he had a lot of time an so came up wit more skill some new things nowonder they could fight box , found who to listen to in deap thought . ALI da same thing but Ali had more freedom . he had most like da other two can't hang up town lot of time in da gym Ali is teaching new things an show's new thing's ... An then TYSON cone's on da seen show's new thing's drifrent exploded Boxing , most people that box hav all them thing's to learn an or fighter it out "_ " THESE FOR BOXER'S these MEN Jack , Boomer , Ali , Tyson . Hav help a real lot really lot putting Boxing out in to da Future in da modem world . there style's is what everybody want's to Be . They had time on there hand's time to think fighting . A lot can happen if U have time . Da 4 BEST BOXING CHAMP'S IN HISTORY ,.,,. When's da next HW SUPPERSTAR Gunna show up . I don't cee any of da current HW as a supper star "", Well not since TYSON be nobody

 

It's definitely not Seph Rising. SR was far more aggressive.

 

Yeah probably, I feel like he is an alt though because he joined recently and seems quite comfortable with formalities and the history of my time here lol

Sephs fav word was “Filthy”

 

Yes to both

 

Yes. Look at their records. They both beat more and better guys.

 

This.

And I would regard Joe Louis as the second most iconic boxer of all time.

 

We will never know if Lewis and holyfield were greater than Tyson anymore than we can know if they could have beaten Ali.

They never met Tyson in his prime so there victorys over him are irrelevant is assessing who was greater.