Mike Tyson ('88/Spinks) v. David Tua ('97/Ibeabuchi)

Awesome fight it would be for sure, I think Tyson on points in awe slugfest.

 

lol

 

Tyson by KO

 

Tyson points, but it’s a dangerous fight stylistically, especially down the stretch.
Tyson shouldn’t try to take him out early, he should try to steal the rounds with his speed in mid range, then just get chest to chest and clinch so Tua can’t get anything off, land the lead left hook as Tua dips, smother him.
He couldn’t move after he lands because it wasn’t part of his skill set, if he tried, he might end up misjudging it and getting clipped.
The way I said he should fight is more dangerous than if he had the ability to move, but I feel he’d still get it done.

 

Tyson has significant advantages in hand speed, head movement, and defense. Tua had a cinder block chin and a better gas tank down the stretch. Both had absurd power and fierce combinations, but Tua was more reliant on his left hook.

In this matchup, storming out from the opening bell firing on all cylinders would be a bad idea for either guy, but that's often how they fought. For Tyson, the problem is he might get clipped or run out of energy trying to take out such a durable opponent. For Tua, he could get countered by the more precise Tyson if he gets too aggressive pushing the offensive. Their corners may tell them to feel out and be patient, but I think by round 2 we'd see fireworks.

They would meet ring center and then just fire away. It would be rough and ugly at times as they both trade with no regard for safety, turning over hooks into elbows, clashes of heads, and digging into the body. Tyson would be ahead on the cards due to cleaner technique and better accuracy, but Tua keeps him honest with a solid thump every now and then and roaring back. We'd probably see both men hit the canvas at some point. My best guess is Tyson wins a competitive but clear decision maybe 7 rounds up, 1 even, 4 to Tua. A vicious rollercoaster fight. Only way I can see Tua winning would be if Tyson gasses trying too hard to get the stoppage or he walks right into an extremely mean blow.

 

88 Tyson stops Tua in a one sided fight.

 

This is a far more dangerous fight for Tyson than is being acknowledged here, Tua has brute power and strength and Mike is coming right at him operating in Tua's wheelhouse. Tyson has the hand speed advantage, and combinations of course ,but chin goes to Tua. This is one I'd pay to see because there's going to be a very violent exchange early on to decide who comes forward and who backs up and whoever wobbles 1st could hit the mat. I would not rule out Tyson hitting the canvas.

 

Tyson either wins a clear decision or perhaps even stops him. Wouldn't be the first iron chin that he cracked

 

Similar styles but Tyson had better defense, better hand speed. i think he'd land a lot on Tua and eventually force a stoppage late.

 

I think Tua could present somewhat greater problems for Mike than the 3 opponents Mike did beat in his broadly acknowledged peak year - 1988.

Certainly he’d provide far more resistance than Michael Spinks did - again, the absolute pin point peak fight for Mike as seen by many.

Plans going out the window or being destabilised after copping a good one to the chin also applied to Mike, not just his opposition.

Mike could certainly have the better of it in the early rounds but he doesn’t necessarily get through those rounds unscathed himself - how he would’ve dealt with Tua’s own bombs, including the accumulative effects of same in the later rounds, would’ve been very interesting.

 

Tyson.

Tyson was still a fierce, nightmarish body puncher at that point and Tua doesn't have an iron liver or ribs.

Another advantage would be having Tyson with his head on straight still paired up with Rooney who might actually have a solid game plan for Tyson to follow.

 

Tua gets banged up, loses a decision but we see Tyson take some monster shots.

 

This isn’t Ike ibeabuchi we’re talking about here. David doesn’t have the defence nor the size to survive mike’s counters and combinations for 12 rounds straight, regardless of his chin. For every punch tua might land, Tyson would be landing 6 punches or more. The gap in chin and power isn’t great enough to make up for that. People mistake having a puncher’s chance with being competitive.

 

This is true I remember Byrd was bothering Tua with body shots and noticeably hurt him aswell to the body.

Tyson would have a big impact in this fight with his body punching and he simply does everything better than Tua this fight would be one sided IMO.