Mike Tyson v Tim Witherspoon.

I've read a lot of opinions on this throughout the years. I'm also a fan of both Tyson and Witherspoon. To answer the original question why this didn't happen was Tim got blacklisted by Don King, was KOd by Bonecrusher Smith in a heavyweight tournament before facing Tyson, and he would struggle against limited opposition at various points of his career setting him back.

Witherspoon, kind of like Mercer, could be their own worst enemy in not being totally prepared for a tuneup and it would cost them. Tim also appeared unfocused and not in tip top shape in the late 80s so when this fight could have happened I would not have favored Tim.

 

It was hardly meaningless, Pat. Bruno was the champion, Tyson the challenger.

Tyson didn't give Frank two shots, as you said earlier. He gave him one shot. Then Frank returned the favour. Whether Frank deserved two goes at Tyson and the big money that brought is up for debate but there's a clear reason beyond an easy payday for Tyson to fight him a second time.

 

I guess it had some meaning to hang a belt around Tyson’s waist for a few months — basically Mike wanted no part of Riddick Bowe or Lennox Lewis.

If it was important, why did Mike drop the WBC belt he won from Frank without ever defending it?

 

Well, Bowe to him was like Norton to Frazier...they were really good friends. So that wasn't happening, anyway.

I don't know why he didn't fight Lewis. I imagine he, like so many of us, was pretty impressed when LL blew out Ruddock like he was nothing.

 

The Holyfield fights were big money back then and Tyson’s team and most people thought he’d win. I think he paid Lewis off and the fight never happened down the road because Tyson fell apart.

It sucks that the bite fight and road rage incident happened because Tyson could’ve been in some good fights around that time, win or lose.

 

It wouldn't surprise me at all about Lewis and the butt out money.

And I agree, there were killer fights out there for him around that time.

 

Very fair points, Pat, but it's still not quite accurate to say Mike gave Frank two shots.

I'm sure you're right that he wanted no part of Lewis or Bowe. He was in it purely for money at that point and when you can get well paid for fighting someone you know you'll beat - and look good doing it - it's a no brainer, I suppose. He agreed to fight Bruno again. Why wouldn't he? And a belt, even one he scrapped, validated his comeback and upped his earning power.

Getting back to the thread. My view is that Tim brought little that the likes of Berbick, Tubbs or Thomas didn't bring between them and they lasted a total of 10 rounds before being absolutely blasted to the canvas, where they stayed. Another of the 80s inconsistent coulda shoulda brigade. His best showing was the losing effort to Larry Holmes. He fought well that night but not that long afterwards, Carl Williams put up a terrific effort against Larry, too. It wasn't a unique performance.

Tim's reputation for being a possible boogeyman for a prime Tyson is, imo, bolstered by the fact that he never got round to facing him, losing his title in one round to a man who would lose convincingly to Tyson next time out, then never putting together any kind of run of form to earn a shot.

And yet he is seen as the man who would do what others who had beaten him had spectacularly failed to do and derail 80s Tyson. He had been outboxed at times by the aforementioned Frank Bruno, the kind of opponent we have criticised Tyson for even facing, prior to the Bonecrusher fight. And had barely squeaked past an out of shape Tony Tubbs to win the title. Hardly the run of form to be taking into a fight with Tyson in early 87. And Tim's form didn't improve after that until a Tyson fight had long disappeared.