How Does David Tua Do Against Mike Tyson's Opposition Prime For Prime??

he had nowhere near the tools of mike tyson. he wouldnt do well, the mid to late 80s heavys are underrated, an tua is overrated

 

Tucker for one is an absolutely awful matchup for Tua.

But man, a Ruddock - Tua fight would have been a classic.

 

I think Ruddock would have beaten Tua.

 

Tua never had the footwork, speed or quickness of a prime Tyson. I agree that Holmes would've outboxed Tua pretty easily.

 

Pretty much. Pretending Tua was equal to Tyson atsch

 

Tyson was the undisputed champ, unified all the belts, went to prison, came back won 2 belts, fought and beat better opposition than Tua.

Tyson > Tua.

Comparing Tua to Tyson is like comparing Derek Chisora to Joe Frazier.

An old Tyson performed much better against Lewis than a prime Tua. Tyson/Lewis was much more competitive than Tua/Lewis. Tyson actually won a round, unlike Tua who walked into a ringpost in the last few seconds of the fight like a complete moron

 

well said

 

Tua would lose to a lot of the guys from the 80's because most of them were pretty good boxers.

If Mike Tyson at his best with his rapid fire combinations and Nucelear powered fists couldnt put guys like Tucker away, David plod plod Tua aint.

Tua is one dimensial, whereas Tyson could slug it out, he could also outbox guys.

Tony Tubbs was doing well against Tyson until he started trading with him, Tubbs according to some, outboxed Bowe. And Tucker and Holmes could comfortably outbox Tua.
Berbick was experienced enough to handle Tua.
Biggs is question mark because if he boxed Tua like he did against Tyson in the first round (and kept it up) he could beat Tua. But most likely Tua would catch him late.
Holyfield actually used Tua as a sparring partner for Tyson in 96, video is available on youtube. Holyfield hands Tua his ass
imagine the Tua of the Barrett fight, vs Lennox Lewis.
Tua Vs Ruddock would be 50/50.
Bruno would outbox Tua until mid to late rounds where Tua probably catches up with him.
Truth Williams was always open for a left hook.
Buster Douglas beats the living **** out of Tua.
Botha would probably outbox Tua until if/when he gets caught.
Golotoa had all the skills in the world, but somewhere in the fight, he would fold.

Its hard to pick a guy like Tua to defeat better boxers from the past, when he failed to do so against guys in his own era.
I also feel Tuas KO and power is ever so slightly overrated. Majority of his Kos are over frigging cab drivers, cleaners and toilet attendants.

Lets look at some of Tuas top Ko's
John Ruiz, i give him this, it was an excellent Ko over a guy who would become 2 time champion and would never be kod again until his final fight (Haye)
David Izon - good KO over a decent fighter, but it took him 12 to do it.
Oleg Maskaev - had already been Kod in one by Mcall of all people, took Tua 11 to do it. Would go on to be kod 5-6 more times, each one quicker than Tua
Rahman - first loss was to Tua, took Tua 10 to pull it off.
Fres Oquendo - Took Tua 9 rounds.
Michael Moorer seems to be the biggest name on the list, he was way past his best when he fought Tua and Tua hd him out of there in first round.

His highlight Kos against his top opponents all came late in the fight and the above mentioned are hardly the murderers row, whereas Tyson was getting alot of these guys out of there and quick.

Mitch Green - Tyson couldnt Ko this guy, Mitch Green boxed on for a further 20 years after facing Tyson, no one ever stopped him.
Smith - stunk the fight out so bad and did his best to hug and hold to make it to the final bell, one of the worst fights ever.
Tillis - Tysons first step up, he was still green and fighting an experienced journeyman whod been in with Biggs, Coetzee, Frazier, Witherspoon, Williams, Page, Thomas, Shavers and Weaver before facing Tyson.
Berbick - Tyson was the first and only guy to KO Berbick, he boxed on for another 14 years and was never stopped again.
Tucker - the only guy who fought both Lewis/Tyson (apart from Holyfield) and was stopped by neither, he also fought much better versions of both Tyson and Lewis than Holy did. Between them Tyson/Lewis Kod Bruno, Botha, Biggs, Golota and Ruddock.
Thomas - Tyson was the first guy to Ko Thomas
Holmes - Tyson was the first and only guy to ever Ko Holmes and Holmes boxed into his 50s
Spinks - Undefeated and Tyson was the first and only guy to KO Spinks.
Biggs - was undefeated and Tyson was the first person to Ko him
Tubbs - Tyson was the first person to Ko Tubbs and he did it in 2 rounds, something Bowe struggled to pull off.
Mathis Jr - fought Bowe, Biggs, Williams. Tyson was the first to stop him
Savarese - Fought Holyfield, Foreman, Izon, Grant, Buster Douglas. Tyson was the only one who stopped him in one round.
Ruddock - has a controversial loss to David Jaco apparently the fight was stopped due to him having an asthma attack, Tyson was the first guy to properly TKO Ruddock.
Etienne - would go on to beat Brewster (who beat you know who), he fought Valuev, Oquendo, Botha, Brock. Tyson was the only one who Kod him in 1rd
Stewart -fought Foreman, Holyfield, Moorer, Maskaev. Tyson was the only one who stopped him in one round.
Williams - fought Tillis, Holmes, Ferguson, Weaver, Cooper, Morrison, Berbick, Witherspoon, Bruno. Tyson was the only one to KO him in one round

Tysons Kos were much more impressive against much better opposition. He did it in devastating fashion to a lot of guys whod never been stopped before and some were never stopped again.

 

Good post that.

 

If you are a real Tyson fan, as I think many here are, you have to ask why that fight wasn't made. I think the answer is pretty obvious. Tyson came from THE market, NY, NY. Tua, on the other hand, came out of NZ. There was no upside for Tyson.

If Tua had the right promoters and was able to get on the inside track, in his prime, where his opponents could have been selected a little more astutely, he definitely would have been champ at some point. I think many people underestimate the power of the promoter and what fights are made for a fighter.

Their builds were similar, with Tua being the naturally bigger man, because of the larger, stronger legs. Same height at 5'10" and reach, about 70". Tua, also, had the better chin and could absorb more punishment.

Tua could never have beaten a Riddick Bowe or a Larry Holmes or a Lennox Lewis, whereas Tyson could have, but Tua, I believe, definitely had the mental make up to defeat Tyson. Tyson defeated many of his opponents before they ever got in the ring. But for those guys who were not psyched out they did pretty damned well against him, Holyfield, Lewis and Douglas, for example. Tua would not have been intimidated and therefore had a real shot against Tyson.

 

Tua was afforded plenty of opportunities throughout his career, he constantly came in overweight or sometimes didnt turn up at all. And when he did turn up, he was made to look stupid. Tyson took the opportunities afford to him and he made the best of them. The fight didnt happen because Tyson went to prison, then he was banned for 2 years for the bite from 97-99, then he returned and fought Norrison, and Golota was banned again for taking marijuana before a fight, then he returned again and fought Nielson and then Lewis.

None of Tysons opponents were handpicked, he single handedly cleaned out the entire 80s, the only 2 people left were Foreman and Holyfield (until Douglas happened).

Tyson took way more chances than Tua did, hence why Tyson was knocked out. Tua went into a shell after being hit by Lewis, whereas Tyson went for broke and threw caution to the wind.

Holyfield, Douglas and Lewis did well against him, however they had something over Tyson which Tua doesnt, they had a combination of size and skill advantage. Tua has no advantages over Tyson at all. Tua may make the distance against the 89-91 Tyson, but he aint making the distance against Tyson at his best, hed be getting hit too hard, too often. Yes Tuas chin may be good, but so were the above mentioned guys, a lot whod never been stopped until they faced Tyson.

Heres a list of guys who WERENT scared of Tyson
Botha, Ruddock, Bruno (1), Williams, Tucker, Tubbs, Biggs, Berbick, Tillis, Green, Mathis Jnr they all still lost.

The closest thing Tua fought to a Tyson type fighter was Ike, and he lost that. The closest thing Tyson fought to a Tua style fighter was Ruddock and Tyson beat him twice.

Tyson shits on Tua. Tua never Kod a durable fighter, except Ruiz. Tyson Kod plenty

 

No tyson didnt beat a single opponent (before he got in the ring). People saying that bothers the hell out of me

 

Its easier for people to say that than actually watch and study his fights.

If Tysons opponents WERE **** scared of Tyson and Tuas mostly werent scared of him, it speaks volumes about the greateness and reputation of Iron Mike.

 

Tua and Tyson had a common opponent, Lennox Lewis. Tua went the distance with Lewis. Lewis KO'd Tyson in the 8th.

"Speaks volumes..."

 

Is that the basis of your argument? Tua outlasted Tyson against Lewis?

Tyson was nearly in retirement, Tua was in his prime.
Tyson won a round. Tua didnt.
Tyson took chances. Tua just decided to follow Lewis round the ring, and then walked into the ringpost in the last few seconds of the fight.
Tyson/Lewis was competitive for the first 4 rounds. Tua/Lewis was a complete clinic.

Put the Tua of the Barrett fight in against Lewis and put the Tyson of The Holmes fight against Lewis.

Tyson at his best vs Lewis at his best is 50/50 fight.
Tua at his best vs Lewis at his best. Tua got taken to school