I read that leading up to the Tyson fight, Holyfield benched 365 lbs for 10 reps

That's more than freaking Arnold could bench, lol.

 

I've heard this claim before; I think one of Holy's trainers made it, although I'd appreciate it if someone could post the source.

Not quite sure what to make of it. The guy was push pressing at most only about 250 lbs in the early 1990s, although that's presumably off season and under weird conditions. This is a whole other level.

(I think I remember the same source commenting that Holyfield was very unusual for his level of strength endurance when it gave the 365x10 anecdote. I wonder, based on that context, whether Holyfield was simply unusually good at repping heavy weights, and that this performance doesn't necessarily translate to a 500 pound 1 RM.

(Does anyone have a source for the 500 pound Arnold max? It seems just a little low, comparatively speaking, or the Holyfield figure may be off.)

 

I think I can clear this up; but the actual statistic is even more impressive in its way. He was able to have 365 children in just ten orgasms.

 

Now that is freaking IMPRESSIVE!

 

I can picture Holyfields spotter telling him while benching "I can feel your anger (roid rage?). It makes you stronger, gives you focus" in a Darth Sidious-esque voice.

 

Check that rep calculator again.
I understand that folks can normally do 80% of their 1 rep max for 8 reps.
75% for 10 reps.
If that is accurate, would that not leave him in the 485-490 range for a 1 rep max?
Still huge. And I agree with PEDs & all that effective training, not at all implausible.

 

I recall over 500 for Arnold, but not that much, I think it was 520.
If so, we have to consider both that it may be with stricter form than some, + he did not work for maximum strength, but hypertrophy & muscle. Arnold with his much shorter limbs could BP I think it was 40-50 lbs. more, & like Ferrigno competed in a strongman competition.

 

You may well.
The amount you can BP is very large, especially for under 200!
Is this without any devices, like bench shirts?
And have you used PEDs to build up strength previously? Even off them folks retain some benefits, such as multiple nucleii recruited for muscle cells.

 

That had everything to do with how Tyson stood and little to do with Holyfields strength.

 

Right. But going into the fight--or Czyz and writers and so forth---they all thought Tyson had a big edge in strength. A big edge. I thought they were 100% wrong and really never thought too much of the so called strength of Tyson. But then again, they pretty much underestimated everything about Evander and overestimated Tyson.

 

I believe @cross_trainer is the guy to ask but from memory in the “best I faced” Mike topped out many fighters lists as the strongest.

 

Here ya go:

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/rings-heavyweight-best-ive-faced-compiled.689019/

Tucker, Spinks, and Tubbs.

Tyson's opponents nominate him for a lot of stuff that involves athletic ability: best puncher, best chin, fastest hands, etc.