Mike Tyson's Greatest Opponents

Their records and belts speak for themselves, educate yourself.

 

That's always a fair point to consider when talking about fighters who dominated a allegedly "weak crop".

But in Tyson's case, most of the guys he beat were actually on the way down, or fighters who were proven to be less than legendary potential already :

Berbick - had been around for a while, had lost a few times.
Smith - had lost to several of the top guys.
Thomas - was on his way down, looked faded in his most recent 3 or 4 fights.
Biggs - still a bit of a novice but he'd struggled as a professional, taking punishment, getting injured.
Holmes - YEARS PAST HIS BEST.
Tubbs - a bit of a fat slob really, and a coke head, had already won and lost a WBA title.
Spinks - never a convincing heavyweight, campaigning for a retirement payday.
Bruno - had been KO'd badly twice before.
Williams - been KO'd badly once before, and knocked down several times.


Tony Tucker and Razor Ruddock are probably the two opponents who Tyson beat who were mostly likely still possibly "up and coming".

 

Wlad is an ATG and other 3 are decent fighters, whoever beats them has made a notable accomplishment. Do not get hooked up too much with what people say.

 

:deal

 

Funny that you left out the fact that Larry hadn't fought in 2 years. Also, the names of fighters you consider to be "elite" and "top-level" is laughable.

 

They were elite(Spinks, Holmes) and others were top level opponents. Such as Wlad recently fought Pulev and will fight Jennings soon which are top level opponents whom noone might remember 20 years later but it doesn't change the fact that they are decent opposition out there to fight right now and not just ordinary bums.

 

no holmes wasn't elite, not at 37.

whats this 39 thing I am sure he was 37 or max 38 (ie retired 2 years after spinks rematch).

 

People will disagree but I think Ruddock were his best wins, if Ruddock didn't fight Tyson he would have eventually been undisputed after Tyson went to prison, he would have rolled over Lewis with ease instead of losing to him while he was already washed up and faded.

 

Tyson have decent wins and he simply KTFO his opponents fast, which is not thing to pass.
If we look at names, they are not something to remember, but that dosnt mean he fight decent guys.
Every fight is dangerous and he surely is not Wilder to fight only tomato bums.

 

Spinks, Holmes, Berbick, Ruddock, Bruno

Yes, Tyson is overrated if you think he is a god. But no, his resume doesn't suck or anything.

 

This is basically it.

Mike dominated so hard in his prime that nobody had the chance to be a 'name'.

Lewis waited until Tyson was 100% shot before he fought him, and Holyfield was due to fight Mike before he went to jail.

When he came out of jail he was even more shot and naturally he lost to the two best guys who were at the top of their game while he was at the rock bottom.

Ironically Lewis and Holyfield are mainly thought of in such high esteem because they beat Tyson.

 

no Tyson wasn't shot before jail at all, merely his character let him down.

after jail its ok to assume that the experience had partially destroyed his psyche and physiology.

 

Tubbs!

 

Makes you realize how much he needed that Holyfield fight in 1991, imagine what that fight could've been if both of them really showed up in the zone that night.....like a Holyfield-Bowe 1 kinda s****, win or lose it would have been front and center in all these kind of debates

I remember the anticipation for that fight....it was bigger than May-Pac for sure right??