Holyfield-Tyson 1

If one can stomach the fact that Tyson maybe wasnt at his physical best for that fight, whatever the reason may be, he sure did show a heck of a badge of courage hanging in there. He tried as hard as he could up until the knockout. I dont think anyone could have come on any stronger while sustaining the punishment Tyson sustained that night.
Interestingly enough I ran into Aaron Snowell the other day. I asked him about the Douglas fight. He went as far to say Tyson didnt prepare like he wanted him to for it, but he was more concerned in making it a point that it wasnt his fault and that he was qualified to handle Tyson because of the fighters he had worked with in the past. Even trying to slip in the fact that he had prepared a 35-1 underdog to defeat Chavez. I said, Aaron that was five years after the Douglas fight. End of conversation.:yep

 

I don't like to take anything away from Riddick either.

However, I refuse to believe that he went from being supposedly near prime against a near prime/slightly faded Evander, to appearing to be pretty much shot against Golota - who was subsequently blasted into next week by Lewis, albeit a peak version.

I know styles make fights and all, and form is an issue - I'm just trying to put everything on the table, rather than make excuses :good

 

Golota was the only skilled fighter Bowe fought who was the same size as himself. Bowe was always there to be hit, and that's gonna spell trouble when there's some 240 odd lbs behind the punches. Bowe wasn't at his best for sure, but I still think it gives an insight what he'd be up against if he had taken on more of the best of that decade.

 

I think Holyfield was definitely past his prime in 1995, and Bowe was declining too.
But maybe Bowe beats Holyfield any time Holyfield decides to slug it out with him.
Hepatitis maybe, I dont know. Neither of them looked fresh and young, that much is true. And they knocked lumps off each other.

It's no surprise Bowe slipped, if he was combining bad diet and training habits with the wars he engaging in the ring.
Some people assume he should have been prime at 28, 29, as if those tough fights shouldn't take it out of him. But all fighters are different. With some, it can be one tough fight and they're never the same again. I think after 3 fights with Holyfield, a lack of conditioning and training discipline, he went into the ring with Golota already past his best. And Golota finished him.
I mean, Bowe looked bad against Hide and in 1995 only looked good against Gonzalez, who was crude and slower than Bowe, and probably over-the-hill too after a lengthy amateur career.

 

I followed Bowe pretty closely. Bowe had a history of poor conditioning. He came into the first Golota fight at 252, which was **** poor. That means he probably came to camp at 300 pounds.
Once he won the title and wasnt fighting as often, his conditioning became a big factor. In my opinion he was one of those fighters who just couldnt afford to take time off. I dont think his regression happened over night either. He really had up and down performances in a good amount of fights after the Ferguson fight. Its not just about winning, and Bowe was looking pretty poor in some of the fights. I thought he looked like his old self the most in the Gonzalez fight, but had looked pretty sloppy in the previous fight against Hide, even though he won pretty one sided. For Holyfield 3, I thought he looked very bad and strength drained. He was really losing the fight again and I think Holyfield simply gassed himself out before getting nailed by that righthand, thinking Bowe was not very strong that night and he could take him out earlier.
Golota being a big strong guy, who had a decent jab and righthand, exposed just how far Bowe had slipped, but really Bowe still showed the difference of whats down deep in a great fighter, by fighting back as strong as he could, and it caused Golota to quit in both fights, which is something people seem to forget. Bowe caused Golota to quit, not because he just wouldnt fall down, but because he was fighting back. Golota may have always given him trouble, but he never had what it took down deep, to beat him.

 

In round five of the first fight between Tyson and Holyfield, I remember Tyson hurting Evander to the body and landing a great body and uppercut combination. Evander was no doubt hurt but danced on his toes not to show any weakness. When Tyson landed those punches he didn't really follow it up with much aggression.

Could Mike have knocked out Evander here?
What do you guys think?
I felt he could have got the ko here if he went for it.

 

Holyfield's chin was top notch, I watched that fight yesterday actually and I don't think there's many fighters in history that could of taken the bombs that Holy took in that 5th round.

Tyson was already pretty tired in that 5th round, due to lack of proper training and Holyfield's tactics. Trust me, If Tyson could of got him out of there, he would of.

 

Interestingly enough that was the only round where Tyson really started to throw combinations. That should of been the key to Tyson's gameplan. A prime Tyson also had underrated boxing skills, so I think that would have been the difference.

 

Showtime's boys of "Albert, Pacheco and Czyz" were biased and suckin' Tyson's dick early on, but they eventually saw the light later on and focused on Holy taking charge........ I'm buzzing and I have my tape rolling...... Tyson was ripped, as was Holy, but Holy had better speed and reflexes at age 34 compared to the rusty 30 year old Tyson....... Tyson's easy fights with "McNeeley, Mathis, Bruno and Seldon" did very little to prepare him for Holy in 1996...........

MR.BILLbbb:hat

 

Holy had his number it had nothing to do with Tyson being prime or not. He clinched Tyson and backed him down while not being scared to engage aswell. A prime Tyson would've done better but would still lose to Holyfield. Do yall remember the staredown? Holy was aware who he was fighting but had no ounce of fear personally for Tyson as many throughout Tyson's career have.

 

The "Number" issue is debatable........ Tyson of '88 would've KILLED Holy from '88 without a doubt........ Holy simply wasn't ready to be HEAVYWEIGHT champion in that year, but his pot of soup was cooking........ By 1996, Holy was settled / matured as a heavy, while Tyson was an ex-con and rusty as a nail in a haunted house...... YES! Holy was older by FOUR yrs, but also a serious trainer with lotsa' talent...... Tyson was / is a moronic ******* who likes his homies' and partying too much.......... Of course we ALL know now that Holy is a horny ******* who loves ***** and has too many kids, but, that's his problem......
patsch

MR.BILL

 

"Tyson of '88 would've KILLED Holy from '88 without a doubt"

Debatable but still Holyfield TKO 11 win over Tyson & Holyfield DQ 3 win over Tyson aren't. I have to admit in the rematch Tyson came out blazing after the opening bell and won the first round of the rematch. Also Tyson couldn't intimidate Holyfield at all and that tactic he used so much didn't work. The man more dedicated to training won. Much respect to both men.

 

The expaectation of a Tyson KO was so large that the commentators were like waiting for it to happen in the first round :L. But as the fight wore on and they saw the job that Holyfield was doing I think they became pretty fair.. from what I can remember

 

Two can play at the different versions game.

If Prime Tyson would have done this and that, then what of his opponents? What of their problems and mental frailties?

I heard that Bonecrusher Smith was sad before his fight with Tyson.

Imagine if he had to fight a non-sad version.

 

Funny ****, but so dam true.