Mike Tyson had a better career than Larry Holmes.

Nobody gives a **** about Floyd not fighting Margarita except people who hate Floyd.

He had beaten 3 of the men who beat Margarita.

Kind of like how Holmes beat 3 of the men who beat Page...!

 

Not as bad as the thesis papers Tyson fans write to excuse him losing to a 42-1 underdog, never getting off the floor to win, and never rematching a guy who beat him.

 

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No not really.

People remember Tyson getting demolished by Lennox Lewis and being all timid begging for a rematch even though at the press conference he claimed to be Alexander the great and wanted to eat his children. People remember Tyson losing to Douglas and Danny freaking Williams. They remember him appearing in the hangover movies and fighting Roy Jones desperate for money. They remember him for the "bite of the century" and losing to the best fighters in his era.

Holmes is remembered for his legendary courage getting off the floor to beat shavers, schooling a prime ray Mercer as a 40 year old man and retiring a successful million with his own businesses. Holmes actually beat some of the best fighters of his era

Tyson's career was better for 2 years and even that's debatable. Holmes was much more consistent and didn't getting knocked out by a nobody in his prime. Nor did he struggle with journeymen when he got older.

 

HEY !!!!! that was great fight btw .. just sayin

 

Holmes was not in his late 30’s. He was between 32-35 when he started taking soft touches. Holmes was not jumping weight classes as Mayweather was. Case in point, at 37 years of age Mayweather jumped to jr middle to fight Canelo who was 12 years his junior, holding two belts and unbeaten 42-0. Floyd schooled him in one sided fashion... Meanwhile Holmes at only 33 took on a 15 fight prospect and arguably needed help from judges to get by. Comparing Mayweather to Holmes is like comparing a Ferrari to a Ford Taurus

 

with a 152 CW implemented ... fight him at 154 if you are ALL THAT .... its all perspective Magoo .. the great fighters of the sport didnt need to weaken their opponents .. they went up and fought

 

Common. Take a look at boxrec at canelos weight history in his previous ten fights. He showed up weighing anywhere from 149-154 and anywhere inbetween. Showing up at 152 for Mayweather was hardly a problem. Floyd in contrast had to gain four lbs. hell Holmes had the advantage of fighting a guy who was coming up from 175 and LOST when he was YOUNGER Than Mayweather was against Alvarez.

 

Then why implement it ?? It contradicts your post .....Look I'm not saying that Canelo was a green fighter, many do , I dont .... BUT the implemented CW prevents a good win from being a Great win ,, imo ... thats fair I feel and objective

 

I don’t think it does. It was a fantastic win for Mayweather. It’s only been down played by his detractors. But that’s a side topic which I don’t want to get into on an unrelated thread

 

Agree on Marvis Frazier. After that, Page wasn´t much of a business anymore.
The thing with Witherspoon is: That version would have mopped the floor with about anybody on these lists or was about even at that time.

https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1982
https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1983
https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1984

I like the young rangy version of Williams too. From a H2H perspective, it just doesn´t make much of a difference for me.
In other words: The young versions of Williams, Witherspoon or Smith weren´t lower level than Dokes, Coetzee, Thomas or Page.

So thats maybe two fighters who he eventually missed: Dokes over Rodriques or Cobb. Page over Frazier as you already stated. And Thomas over Williams. Its not like he ducked the whole 80s.

Regarding the second Spinks fight, I thought he edged it, which in fact gave him an argument for a Tyson bout later.
All in all, thats not enough to put Tyson ahead of a fighter who defended his lineal run like 20 times and was unbeaten until age 35 (and won that rematch in my eyes too).