if Cus D'Amato hadent died when he did.....

I don't know. Tyson's a pretty loyal dude. He wouldn't have jettisoned Cus like a free weight once King came sniffing around.

It's the fact that Tyson came into having the resources to do as he pleased, that his weaknesses as a human being found their temptations fulfilled.

 

Great point. Tyson relied so much on his reflexes that when they started to go, he lost his big weapon. Even with Cus, he wouldnt of been able to fight well in his thirties and still be dynamite. Same goes for Frazier, Marciano etc.

 

Yes, he would have retired undefeated.
Tyson had his share of problems when Cus was alive, but they were maitained, and he had the desire to fullfill Cus's goal of producing the greatest fighter who ever lived.

When Cus died, Mike still had the hunger to become the youngest champ, then to unify, but after that he lost interest in training, got ****ed up by Givens, ****ed over by Don King, and it all fell apart.

I still think Tyson at his best, around 20/21 years old beats Holyfield everytime, and the only real threat to him, whenin that form and condition would have been Lewis, but Tyson would have been retired by the time Lewis became good enough to trouble him, and even then, I still think head to head a motivated Mike is too much for Lewis.

 

I think that if Cus would have lived, it would certainly helped Mike mentally, but do we know if Mike would have went with King and the other hanger/ons and trolls, had Cus lived he had the father-like ability to think for Mike and knew his weakness(mind) but Cus-less, Tyson quickly went down hill and became the lower man

 

thats a very fair point.
Mike was 19 or 20 when Cus died, and so who knows if when King/Givens came along, Mike head may well have been turned anyway.

I think if Mike could have got to 25 with Cus/Rooney/Jacobs etc, then he'd have went 50-0 and retired as the best ever.
I think Cus knew that Mike with his style had a limited shelf life, and managed him as such

 

Yes, But not only Cus. If Jimmy Jacobs also survived. and Kevin Rooney & Tyson's Manager which Don King Forced out. This fousome was arguably one of the greatest support teams any boxer could have had. They had built the perfect fighting machine with virtually no weaknesses. It was so sad to see everything go down hill after Cus & Jimmy passed on & Don King got his grubby hands on one of the possibly greatest Heavyweight Champs in history. Now Tysons legacy is great, but it could have been so much more, He would have been mentioned in the same breath as Marciano, Louis & Ali.

 

:good

 

I think Tyson had some anti-social habits and appetites that were always gonna get him in trouble when he got mega-rich and famous.

Jim Jacobs and Steve Lott were the guys who were keeping Tyson's image and discipline within reasonable limits. And it was hard work. There's only so much a couple of middle-aged white guys could do with a young testosterone-fulled young black superstar (I only bring up race in a cultural context - could you see Jacobs accompanying Tyson to a Public Enemy concert or to Dapper Dan's boutique in Harlem ? Or telling him he could not attend an invite to judge a Miss Black America contest ?). Boys will be boys.

I dont think Cus would have been any help. Let's be realistic.

 

Patterson is an exception.

 

I think if he had not died when he did Tyson would have stayed with Kevin Rooney and have him in his cornor in Tokyo against Buster Douglas instead of "Team Tyson who I think were a cupple of guys pulled from the cowd .
Douglas was focused and had the perfict style to beat tyson, but having Rooney in his corner would have been big advantage for Tyson. If he won he would have gone to 38-0. His next fight would have been Evander Holyfield some time in 1990 or 91. I think he wins that one 39-0 his next fight would be
George Foreman Tyson Wins 40-0. After Larry Holmes beats Ray Mercer a remach with Larry Holmes would be nexrt 41-0. Riddick Bowe is next I think it will be a close fight but Tyson wins 42-0. his next oponent is Lennox Lewis who he beats. 43-0. He beats Donovan Ruddock. to go 44-0. Ray Mercer is next. 45-0. A rematch with Riddick Bowe is his next fight. This time Bowe wins 45-1. Next up is a rematch with Evander Holyfield . Thisis a tough one to pick. I am presumeing that Rooney is in his coorner and that makes a big difrence in my opinion. I'm going against history and asy in this reality Tyson would win. 46-1. He would get a shot at Bowe again. Bowe wins again. 46-2. He faces Michael Moorer next Tyson wins a very close fight 47-2. He fights Lennox Lewis a second time. Lewis wins Tyson goes to 47-3 after 50 fights. He would have had 18 tittle defencess and 15 championship defencences.
If he is not allready an alltime great he would be.

 

He was never an Angel but I think Cus's prescence would have created a stronger foundation for Mike's mental make up...this would have went a long way in terms of his professional development as well as an improved sense of well being. With Cus and Jim Jacobs alive I don't see Tyson flocking over to Don King at all...After all he was Mike Tyson, he was going to make millions anyway with the promoter being irrelavant.

Would he have surpassed the 49-0 mark? Its possible. Had he maintained the same level of consistency that he had 86-88 he would have more than likely extended his unbeaten streak into the 40s....

 

Tyson would be the best and invicible.Cus was amazing authority for him so..

 

I think so, but his demons would've eventually caught up to him at some point in his life.

 

I'm afraid I'm in the school of thought that says Cus at best didn't alleviate Mike's problems, and at worst exacerbated them...he gave Mike an output for his anger, and developed his technique, but he was far more concerned about Mike's glory in the ring than making him into some kind of reformed citizen. He turned a blind eye to the issues Mike was already suffering from, because that made him a better fighter...sadly not a better person.