I'm liking these What If? How boxing landscape might have changed...another...

I think it revitalizes him with the reality he doesn't merely need to show up and win through psychological intimidation, especially with the flooring by Greg Page in sparring.

As far as public perception goes, it's a two way street. He gets accolades for his toughness in coming from behind for the first time in his career to win with a single punch. But he likely loses the aura of invincibility Foreman enjoyed going into Kinshasa. The idea that he could lose a decision would be broached for the first time, but it still would be speculated about whether or not somebody could knock him out.

Holyfield? Tough sell after Douglas to pit Mike against the former cruiserweight in June 1990. But Foreman, fresh off his own stunning performance against Cooney would now be banging the drums VERY loudly for a shot at Tyson, and there would be public clamoring in support of that. Cooney left no doubt George could still take a shot, while Tillis, Green, Tucker and Bonecrusher had established that Mike was no irresistible force. Foreman had also gone ten rounds with Bigfoot immediately prior to Cooney, demonstrating unprecedented late round power with an eighth round knockdown in that near shutout. [George had never floored anybody beyond round five during his first career.]

Foreman didn't need to do much to get from Cooney to Holyfield little over a year later. A Tyson knockout of Douglas expedites that process, and I think they square off for the title at Caesar's Palace on June 6, 1990. Mike would be facing a need for redemption after the poor showing with Douglas, while George would be confident in his newly relaxed stamina and conviction he could physically dominate Tyson by shoving him backwards and manhandling him. Full fledged heavyweight Ruddock would be waiting in the wings next for this scenario to play out, as Holyfield secondarily proceeded to completely validate himself as a heavyweight [crucial for Evander after Tyson-Spinks and Tyson-Marvis]. Donovan Ruddock had done something in 1989 Mike failed to do in 1987-knock out Bonecrusher Smith. I think that would give him the inside track to the winner of Tyson-Foreman before the end of 1990.

 

Tyson beats Holyfield and Foreman before prison. Other than that not much changes. He still goes to Indy and the same events happen. He still gets convicted. Still makes a comeback. He was already showing signs of decline since the Spinks fight. He would have regained the championship. He would have fought Holyfield again with the same results.

 

Anubis kinda nailed it

Tyson wouldnt waste time fight the tillmans, Stewarts and Ruddocks
After Douglas hed go straight after Holyfield/Foreman and beat them both IMO.

He still gets arrested though, make sa poor come back, loses to Holyfield whose eagerly been awaiting his rematch and Tysons career continues pretty much the same.

Had Tyson not gone to prison, i feel his shelf life would have ended around 96-98 anyway

 

If Tyson-Holyfield I had gone off as originally scheduled before Mike's conviction, how do you see it playing out? (Remember, a training injury incurred by Tyson, to a rib I believe, eliminated his opportunity to be convicted as a newly re-crowned champion.)

 

Holyfield beat Tyson in that first fight. I don't care what version of Tyson shows up, he's not knocking Holyfield out. Holy was on da good roids, was carved outta granite, and always had Tyson's number.

 

One distinct possibility is that Tyson takes the title to prison with him, which would have made for an interesting scenario.

I think that just the fact of loosing to Holyfield instead of Douglas would have significantly enhanced his standing, and Holyfields as well.

If he beats Holyfield then it significantly diminishes the value of the win, because Holyfield becomes just another cruiserweight champion who couldn't cut it at heavyweight.

The poor showing in the Douglas fight would have quickly been forgiven by historians, because all great fighters have near misses against somebody like that.

 

Holyfields win over Tyson is completely overrated. A good win yes, a great win, no.

I think himself nailed it in a SportsIllustrated article, i did post a thread on it afew weeks back

ill just copy and paste tysons comments

Mike Tyson: Before I fought Evander, I had just knocked out Bruce Seldon for the WBC/WBA title after I had just gotten out of jail. I hadn't been out of jail for more than a year. But I was fortunate enough to win a couple of fights and a couple of belts when I came back.

Tyson: I knew I wasn't in any kind of condition because I didn't have enough time to get prepared. I really hadn't been active for four years. I was greedy and I wanted the money so I took the fight.

Tyson: I still believe that I could have beaten him. I know that I'm using my conditioning as an excuse, but I still believe that I could have beaten him. I was in jail for four years and he was out fighting for four years. Regardless of losing or not, he was fighting, he was sharp. He never got stale.

Tyson: He was butting me a lot that night, and I [momentarily] blacked out a lot in the first fight. At that point, I really can't defend myself. I was taking a tremendous amount of heavy arm punches because I don't know where the hell I am at. He's not hurting me because I can hear the punches, but I can't get myself together. He had me off-balance. Boom! Boom! Boom! Then I'd reset, Pow! Pow! Pow! He rings my bell again. Boom! My bell is rung.

Tyson: I went 11 rounds and took a beating with a 3 1/2-, 4-year layoff. Imagine if he fought me that type of layoff and I was at the top of my game. That's what happened with the great Larry Holmes when he tried that with me, right? That's what happens when you go up against a champion and you are not prepared. If you don't put the work in for a consistent amount of time, you are not going to perform with the same magnitude that you once did.

Tyson: I prepared extremely hard for the second fight. He was butting me, but he did it so magnificently in the first fight that I didn't realize it.

Tyson: I prepared extremely hard for the second fight. I realized in the first and second rounds of that fight I was blacking out and feeling dizzy like I was in the first fight. After that first fight, I said I am going to get in the best shape of my life. And then it was happening again. I started freaking out. I wasn't getting any help from the referee. (Holyfield) must have butted me 15 times.

Tyson: I was desperate at that particular moment. I was desperate. I was blacking out. I didn't know what to do.

Tyson: I was doing my prima donna s---. F you and this and that and F you this is about my children. F you I want to fight you again.

Tyson: At that particular moment I realized I was an undisciplined soldier, and that's
what really bit me in the butt. It's never supposed to be personal and I took it personal. And that's when my career fell. I never took boxing personally before. I took it as a business and I was very successful. Then, I took it personally and I wanted to be grand in what I was and I didn't respect the sport. I was all about me.

full thread http://www.boxingforum24.com/showthread.php?t=482588