Once and for all: When was Tyson's "prime"?

So he was past his prime at 22, and his prime only lasted 3 years?

 

Well you could say his prime was 85-88 too, but yes, he peaked early, it happens. He was a very good fighter afterwards, but he was never the same. His absolute best was 86-88'.

 

How many fighters can you name that peaked at 22?

 

But don't forget how much Tyson fought in those few years (34 fights between 85-88 )

 

If he didn't fight so often, ho probably would've lost focus at an earlier age

 

Pipino Cuevas, Wilfred Benitez, Meldrick Taylor, Fernando Vargas.

Arguably Ruben Olivares who was 22-24 when he was probably in his peak. Same for Jeff Fenech.

 

Vargas still looked good against DLH at age 25, Meldrick Taylor might have suffered some brain damage against Chavez, and I'm too young to have seen Cuevas and Benitez fight around that age(although Benitez did beat Duran at age 24)

 

Tyson still looked good at age 24 in the first Ruddock fight, and at 29 in the Bruno rematch, but he still peaked at 20-22 or so. Taylor had some decent wins such as Davis after Chavez, but he still peaked around 21-23.

Same with Vargas. His peak was 21-22 although he looked pretty good when he was roided up against DLH.

 

well said, good sir.

 

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Tyson's prime was between when he turned pro and before he first became champion

 

Michael Spinks wouldn't be able to tell you that cause Michael was stripped of the IBF Title unfairly ( which was disputed by Tony Tucker and James Buster Douglas himself) while he kayoed Gerry Cooney in 5 ... He was the linear heavyweight champ ( and Ring Mag Heavyweight Champ) and Tyson had to fight him anyway, no way Michael believed Tyson was superior to him back then... What happened was that Spinks was waiting and waiting for Mike's entrance and when he did, Iron Mike rushed inside a packed Trump Plaza under some horrible, deafening metallic drums, Michael may have gotten distracted and was caught cold as Mike started the fight elbowing him along the ropes, in close... The rest was history, great moment for Mike Tyson, unfortunate moment for all-time great, classy Michael Spinks... Tyson was caught too many times by Tucker and even by Bonecrusher before, he was already declining but in other circumstances, Michael Spinks would have done what Douglas did to him and Spinks did to Holmes!

 

Those "circumstances" doesn´t exist in this world! Spinks had absolutely nothing that could hurt Tyson.

 

Michael Spinks had a whole lot more than Tyson ever had. Boxing is not just about who knocks the other fella for the ten count, you know? Holyfield and Douglas and Lewis exposed Tyson for what he didn't have and what is that? Couldn't be short about that answer so go straight to state Tyson KO1 Spinks was simply as much unexpected as Michael Dokes KO1 Mike Weaver and James Bonecrusher Smith TKO1 Tim Witherspoon, those s**** simply happen! In other "circumstances" ( less pressure from Don King, Butch Lewis, Donald Trump, Ring Mag), it wouldn't happen - I remember it like it was yesterday.

 

I see we have a disagreement here. But I still believe that if they had 100 fights, Tyson would be; 100 wins(100 KO´s), against Spinks.