I'm one of the first people to say that there's a lot about Tyson that is OVERrated, but I really think people overlook his superb accurate and powerful jab. Obviously being short and short-armed for a heavyweight, he could not use his jab in the same manner as a longer HW would, but he certainly often used the jab as a opening weapon to work a combination off of. And it was a leg-shaking, head-snapper of a jab too. I'm sure some of the Tyson nuts here could point to great instances of his jab. Definitely the one time he really settled behind a jab for spells well was against Tony Tucker (who was poor to let that happen, imo) but there were other times when Tyson landed a quick hard jab moving in to set up a combo. I think he even knocked some fighters flying with jabs at times.
Well he had a good one for sure, and it probably does get overlooked a bit. I remember though it became the fashion on the internet four or five years ago (or at some point "four or five years" just means at some point I can't really remember) to rave about his jab. It's probably not underrated from my point of view. But there are so many. There are loads of really underrated jab. Can't recall anyone, ever, talking about Roman Gonzalez's jab, and it's one of the best out there. Joey Giardello had a thumper of a jab, nobody has ever started a thread about that. Nobody ever breaths about Ike Williams and his jab. These are all well known fighters that nobody ever talks about in jab threads or opens a thread to talk about, so I guess i'm warming up to saying definitely not.
It's not a list. It's not even the tip of an iceberg of a list. Loads of people talk a lot about the jab but if we're honest as fans, or even worse, as "style ****ysts" we pay it no mind at all, it's hugely ignored by most people. Give you your due Unforgiven, you were the first guy I remember on here way back in the day going "Louis has a jab that is as good as any at heavyweight" and thinking "yeah, he does".
Good point. Ok, I think in the area of effectively administered shocking heavyweight power through the left jab, he's too often overlooked. AND .... relative to how much Tyson is spoken about, and his strengths (real and imagined) raved about, his jab gets short-changed. I am unfashionable, yes.
:good I was playing it safe with that one. Genuinely surprised that Louis's jab ever gets overlooked on any list of HW jabs. And too often it does !
Tyson had a terrific jab. Tucker was supposed to be the best jabber around at the time and Tyson just out jabbed him for 12 rounds the way he timed it
With Tyson I get the impression that he didn't tend to miss with the jab often, very accurate ... AND powerful. I guess because he wasn't "a jabber" he picked/timed that shot better than many of the longer HWs would do. He threw it less often, so tended to get it right bang on. But I might just be making that up, I haven't done a scientific survey or anything.
Im the only one who had Tysons jab on the other thread 10 best jabs in HW thread...yes he had a great jab when he used it,but giving AWAY SO MUCH HEIGHT AND REACH HE USED IT MORE FOR SET UPS...HIS BEST JAB EVER THROWN WAS HIS COUNTER JAB WITH RUDDOCK THAT AWAS SO STRONG IT KNOCKED RUDDOCK DOWN.
I think you are bang on with this assessment. I thought this when I saw him fight Holmes with him beating Larry to the jab when he launched it. Not his primary weapon, but when landed was very effective. It must have surprised Holmes if he were honest.
I think a lot of things surprised Holmes that night lol. yep his jab was great for getting on the inside as well, especially liked his jabbing against Tucker as has been mentioned. I think a lot of his skills were underrated at one point or another, his foot work as well, which you could clearly see decline massively later.
Bizzaro world!! I return from vacation and Unforgiven paints a Tyson attribute in a positive light. Tyson landed a good one against Lewis in the 1st round that sent him reeling against the ropes. The one and only time my viewing audience and I jumped out of our seats.
Someones done a u turn? I remember you mocking me when i said Tyson outjabbed both Holyfield and Lewis at times. It was the one punch he had most sucess with against both and probably the one who disregarded as well.
