You know, I probably would've said the same thing when I started out here. Now, of course, I cringe when I think about any comment I might run across confirming this horrible idea being brewed in my mind. :yep
Lennox Lewis is top-freaking-5 in some of those rankings. As well as Tyson being in most of them. atsch
some of these rankings are a total joke I have seen Tyson at no. 4 somewhere, and Liston no. 3 :rofl:rofl
Off the top of my head. Top-15, or so, depending on how you rank the great weight-climbers of yesteryear.
How do you feel about Terry McGovern? What seperates, in your mind, a top 15 guy like Tyson from a guy like say Dempsey?
McGovern, again, off the top of my head -- top-30 or 40, at least. Tyson and Dempsey, mainly clutch gene. Bright lights went on (metaphor, of course) and Dempsey went for blood, Tyson shriveled. Tyson didn't do great against the best fighters he faced.
The best fighter Dempsey faced was Tunney and he lost convincingly twice. I'm aware he was past his best. But Tyson cleaned out his division just as thoroughly as Jack (probably moreso) and was just as impressive and consistent, and he was the same age more or less when he lost to Holyfield as Dempsey was when he lost to Tunney and probably nearly as rusty. Tyson has a comeback after Douglas that includes several wins over top 10 opponents whereas Dempsey just has Sharkey, as impressive as that is. There title resigns were essentially the same length. I just don't see much room between them.
Tyson ducked both Holyfield and Foreman pre-Douglas he was supposed to fight Holy after tune-up Douglas as it was overdue already, but didn't obviously Tyson (or King, whatever) paid Lewis step aside money to finally fight what they thought was a shot Holy Tyson got beat down Tyson feisted on past prime former champions in his prime : Thomas, Tubbs, Holmes, inactive Spinks he also beat a couple decent fighters like Bruno, Smith, Tucker, but no great opponent stands out to his credit though, he dispatched most of them in brutal fashion what hurts Tyson the most are his 3 first losses, as Contreras said
You bring up some good points. But, Dempsey never lost his cool, he was the trailblazer for Tyson's swarming style, he ran through people in such a ruthless way that people had never seen before. All while Dempsey would've been a cruiserweight today. Sure, Tyson was shorter, but much heavier than Dempsey. And rankings weren't really kept thoroughly until AFTER the 1920's. And Dempsey would've recorded a knockout over Gene Tunney in The Long Count, had the ref started the 10-count when he should've.