Opponent Swap: Tunney-Dempsey I & Holyfield-Tyson I

Holyfield/Tunney is the only really interesting match-up here, I think. Other than that, the old-timers are getting wiped. Neither are big enough to compete with Tyson and Holyfield is on the whole too skilled and tough for Dempsey.

I'd favour a young Holyfield to charge at Tunney and overwhelm him like he did most of his Cruiserweight opponents (that's not a jibe), but the Holyfield that fought Tyson was verging on washed-up and lacked the legs and sharpness of his prime. However, his skills were as good as they ever were, and he'd learned to sit down on his shots on a consistent basis, rather than only choosing to let rip when danger loomed. I can see a range of outcomes: Holyfield taking a few rounds to warm up but starting to land power and getting Tunney out of there; Holyfield using his size and timing to get a decision; or Tunney using his obvious skillset and speed to sneak a close decision. I think I favour Holyfield narrowly.

2-0, 2-0.

 

Love these sort of questions -:happy

here's my take

Holyfield pretty much overwhelms the Dempsey of that night in pretty much the same manner he did Tyson although i have a sneaking feeling that Dempsey would hang in there to the final bell

Tunney in my opinion would box Holyfields head off - Holyfield was not a clever fighter - not in Tunney's league whatsoever

If styles make fights then i think this fight is actually fifty-fifty - think that Tyson is all wrong for Tunney with his blistering handspeed and aggressive power - but again Tunney is without doubt capable of boxing Tyson to the point of frustration - but I'd lean toward Tyson in this one.

Dempsey-Tyson at any point would be a short explosive affair -with these versions i think it goes 7 max and I think Dempsey can slug with the best of them - even the creaking version (as long as he doesn't have to go looking for a master boxer mover type like a Tunney) should be able to really fight his heart out - Tunney-Tyson is fifty-fifty; Dempsey-Tyson (these versions) is more like 60-40 for Dempsey

 

The old timers are getting beat up and sparked cold, no 190lb fighters are keeping faster more skilled 220lb pressure fighters off them. The hands down boxing style won't do them any favours with straight compact punches

 

Tyson of 1996 was a shell, imo. The the hell did Tyson ever beat post prison besides a scared shitless Frank Bruno(Whom he already defeated)?

 

Tyson post prison was a front running 5round fighter, he was still excellent for 5rounds and Dempsey/Tunney wouldn't get out of those first 5

 

Dempsey beating Tyson?

 

He destroyed Bruno faster than he did during his peak. Also, watch the KO of Mathis Jr. An extremely fast, natural, fluent 4-punch combination. I hardly think that's a shell. Maybe not at sharp as during the early 80's, but still a ****ing hard puncher with quick hands, good defence and an iron chin.

 

Tunney beating Tyson is a joke. Tunney beating Holyfield is plausible, but still silly. Dempsey TKOing Tyson is even more of a joke.

This is the problem with Tyson. They like to create these illusions about Tyson in order to further propagate the myth of an invincible Tyson. Does the OP think Tunney or Dempsey have a chance in hell against 1988 Tyson? I doubt it.

 

No no no no no Chris. You're not playing the right key. He was a dead man walking. A DEAD MAN WALKING!

 

Agreed ... his discipline and focus were weaker .. his style lacked for it ... he put one punch out at a time ... however his speed and power were still killer ..

 

What the hell happened in the Botha fight then? Because Frans was winning a shutout going into the fifth...

There is no way that Tyson beats any of the three men.