Holyfield in Tyson's place 1986-1989

You don't think Tyson deserved it in 86?

 

Loads of fighters have won it twice in a row tho. This list ironically includes Holyfield many years later.

 

I don't think it was a strange decision.
The accompanying article made it clear Tyson was a close second and broke down their results and performances and Holyfield came out on top. It seemed a fair analysis.
Holyfield unified two of the belts in the CW division too, with only DeLeon escaping for the time being. The RING magazine in particular (and almost everyone else to some extent) didn't regard Tyson-Tucker as the final championship say in the HW division either, Michael Spinks was very much still an outstanding issue.

Tillman, Parkey, Ocasio and Qawi were all ranked among the top 5 at CW generally, so Holyfield had a brilliant year, stoppng them all, looking sensational in every outing except against spoiler Ocasio.
Tyson's unification matches with Smith and Tucker were a little underwhelming.

Anyway, the point is, give the award to Tyson if you like, Holyfield was still a major star already in the world of boxing when he was a cruiserweight.

 

The Boxing Writers Association of America gave their Fighter of the Year 1987 award to Julio Cesar Chavez, which seemed fair too.
Tyson received their award in 1986 and 1988.
Holyfield received it in 1990, 1996 and 1997.

 

Oh the irony......

 

I just thought from your answer to why Holyfield got the 87 award instead instead of Tyson, (which was that maybe because Tyson got the award in 86) that it implied that you thought Tyson didn't deserve it in 86 but he did get it so Ring were reluctant to give it to someone 2 years in a row so they gave the 87 award to Holyfield.

 

Tillman: already exposed by Cooper
Parkey: good win but he just stood toe to toe and came out second
Ocasio: got a gift decision against Qwai

Only the Qawi victory war was a great accomplisment.

The CW division was pretty weak.

Prime Ocasio, DeLeon would have tested Holyfield. They were way past it when they fought Holyfield.

 

Yeah, none of he individual victories were particulaly great but it was a good resume for a year's work.
Tyson's 4 fights were equally unimpressive, or impressive, whatever way we want to view it.

 

Tyson was probably a victim of his own success. If you don't knock everyone out early and impressively it's a poor year.