Mike Tyson "weak" opposition

But it's only hypothetical. You never know.

And while I think many of Tyson's opponent would rip Dempsey a new one, that's not really a knock on him. The sport was rapidly evolving during those years imo and he himself helped revolutionize it. But a lot happened during the 65 years after he won the crown. Cutting off the ring was something that didn't seem to arrive at HW until the late 60's early 70's, and steroids came around the same time.

 

He fought every really relevant opponent really, bar Patterson. The difference is that he fought some unranked opp instead of lower top 10 guys.

 

Yeah, he might have the odd Byrd-like loss, but otherwise I don't see him losing or even having a hard time with anyone.

But on the other hand, how many top 5 guys did he beat? We're giving quite the benefit of a doubt here to a guy whose best win is, what? Old Peter? Old Briggs? Out of shape Sanders? Compared to Vitaly, Tyson beat really stellar comp.

 

Prime Bowe would run through Tubbs like a hot knife through butter. And of course we know how Bowe destroyed Andrew Golota. (Please note sarcasm)

Didn't Alex Stewart beat the crap out of Foreman? The guy Tyson sparked in one round?

 

Tyson's opposition shits all over Vitalis is not even funny. I cant keep a straight face when people write off Tysons opposition and then bring up Vitali Klitscko.

Slate Tyson all you want, but he did KO Holmes in 4 and Spinks in 91 seconds.

And we know how Vitali did against an aging 38 year old legend and a former light heavyweight.

 

Didn't Bowe beat the crap out of Holyfield? The guy that had Tyson staggering around the ring like an old drunk?

 

Which one of Tyson's opponents woukd you fancy to beat Vitali? I say none and Vitali would go one better and beat Douglas IMO.

 

If Ali never met Norton would you fancy Norton's chancs in a hypothetical match-up? Golota if he'd never met Bowe? Purrity, Sanders or Brewster if they never met Wlad?

I sure wouldn't, but we all know what happened. That's why I like fighters that actually have the record to back up that they could consistently beat top fighters. Vitaly doesn't have that kind of record.

 

He beat near enough everyone that was put in front of him, that's good enough in my eyes.

 

Why, when they weren't very good?

 

A bit like Tyson then don't ya think?

 

To match Tyson all a champion has to do is meet the same guys at the same stage of their career when Tyson beat them. I think most really great champions could match this over the three year stretch Tyson did. Tyson is a top ten champ after all so it's only the really good, dominant ones that can emulate it.

Let me first say beating Berbick, Williams and Spinks as well as he did was impressive. These performances might be harder to emulate in exactly that fashion but I can't think of any all time top ten champions who would lose to either of them at their best. These were excellent opponents to beat so easily at the times Tyson beat them but All good champions on a good roll would stop or emphatically beat them on points.

There cannot be too many champions who cannot decision James Smith. Who didn't? This is not a difficult result to match.

I don't think outpointing Tony Tucker is hard to emulate either. Who's the best guy Tucker might beat?

Then we have Bruno and Biggs. Why wouldn't Joe Frazier beat these two just as well? Or a prime Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, Marciano, Joe Louis?

I honestly don't think Tony Tubbs, pinklon Thomas or Larry Holmes actually brought anything into the ring with them when Tyson fought them. I can't knock Mike for taking care of business but What did they bring that would bother even a fair champion? No matter how spectacular they were dealt with as threats to the title go, these guys were run of the mill and hand picked. Each were dug up. Forget about their names and just consider the form and the problems they had. Really and truly they may as well have been Jose Roman or Stefan Tangstad.

 

What? Tyson beat several top 5 contenders. Berbick, Smith, Tucker, Thomas and Williams were all top 5 when Tyson beat them, and Spinks was the lineal champion. And that's just 86-89.

Does Vitaly have even one win over a top 5 contender during his whole career?

 

Name me any top 5 contenders of his era that would beat him.

 

Vitali was looking to pull Ruddock out of the morgue in 2000 but for some reason that fight fell through.