Mike Tyson, Top Ten Worthy?

Of course Tyson is top ten, look at his neck! And another thing, the only reason he lost was because his heart wasn't in it.

That was the "Tyson can't be arsed' era, so you have to consider these things.

 

Agreed on both points.

Moreover, it's really too bad Tyson didn't compete in MMA. After all, he bit a guy once, so clearly he's going to be able to compete against world-class grapplers. If you're mean, you can win any fight under any rules (except against Wepner).

On an unrelated note, have you seen this?

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=161236&page=7

Any chance of lending your insights into Fitz-Fu?

 

You know Chris, or whoever you are, you actually make some decent points. Maybe if it was not written in a hostile, quasjoking manner it would not be such a drama here ...

 

well i agree on the fact that mike ain't top 10 but he is somewhere between 10 and 15. eventough i am not a great tyson fan you most be honest when judging him. and mike was very very fast. explosive power, knock out punch in both hands. great chin.
and you're list says nothing.. a champ fights who are around at the moment. for example you have rocky on you're list. well let's be honest eventough rocky had more heart then mike if they would fight mike would beat the rock 9 out of 10 times.
you also say in you're list as an example holyfield beating foreman and holmes. all respect for holyfield but a prime foreman and a prime holmes would be something else for evander.

 

I would put Tyson top 5, maybe top 3. His opponents were not bad, he just made them look that way.

 

If his heart wasnt in it thats his problem. Just outside the top ten though.

 

As for arciano, he weighed 185-188 most of fights becaus ethey slimmed guys down back then, and weight lifting was not done. He weighed 196 for second fight with Charles (although both were announced 3 pound lighte reach, so fans would not think they were 'Fat") He looked great in that fight. reason for extra weight--all muscle--was 3 day postponment of bout due to rain. Him and Charles just kept sharp, nothing but light shadowboxing and speed bag stuff in 3 days before fight.

Another thing about weight is that we don't see enough guys coming in at natural 180-190 to take on 220 pound guys. Marty Marshall, Bob Satterfield, and others did good. Bob Stallings, a high level club fighter at light heavy, beat a prime Ernie Shavers, knocking him down twice. Today, or past 15 years, that bout would not take place. Or Stallinngs would come in at a fat, bulked up 210.

 

Obviously not.

 

Absolutely. Best and most emphatic run to the title. If you count Berbick as his assumption to the throne, he had a longer, and more active, reign than either Dempsey or Marciano.

 

:huh

 

Can't think of 10 fighters who accomplished more than Tyson. 9 title defenses are 6th or 7th most all time. Yeah, a lock for Top 10.

 

Tommy Burns had 11 title defenses. Is he also in the top ten?

 

He might squeak into the lower end of a top 10 HWs, if we're being generous.
I think top 20 is a more reasonable claim.