Post-prison Mike with the best trainers and team possible, how far does he go?

His physical tools were never going to give him a long prime. Dude was a midget. He walked a tightrope based on balance, speed, power and constant training. It was going to fall apart sooner than later regardless. And as you mention, his problems were largely from the neck up.

 

His style is suited for a young fighters. He trained religiously from being a kid to being a young man. I cant imagine he got anywhere near the workouts necessary to keep those muscles firing and the timing sharp. I think he did about as good as he could do after prison. Beat the weaker title holders and then lost to the cream like Holyfield and Lewis

 

His style wasn't conducive to longetivity.

 

I agree I don’t think he can do any better than what he did really, maybe squeeze in a few more defences if Holyfield isn’t around or avoid fighing him is about the best he could do

 

He could have had a few more wins and probably beaten Holyfield, however his problems were mental/attitude, probably no one but Damato could have pulled him out of that. I can't see Steward doing much with him as his expertise was with taller fighters.

 

You have to remember that he was also a full blown cokehead and alchy. He basically set up as many roadblocks to success in front of him that he could.

 

He'd still be a coke head.

 

A guy still has to listen and do what the trainers say.

 

Going into 2004 comeback Tyson was 10-3 with 10 knockouts. The only thing he failed to do is beat the 2 best HWs H2H he ever fought. Volume based statistics aside I don't know what more Tysons fans are expecting. If his team sucked or "his heart wasn't in it" hes not beating Botha and Golota.

The HW division Tyson was returning to from prison had Lennox and Moorer having lost their belts, Holyfield being out of contention and Bowe having his WBO drama. Besides those guys and Foreman(none of whom Tyson had a particuarly good chance of beating) Gotha and Botha probably were the two best HWs available. Including Tyson none of that group fought more then 2 of the 5 other members and even if Tyson was truly the best of them an Ali like run was not in the cards here.

Everyone in the 80s was doing cocaine using the "he was a cokehead" excuse is kind of naive.

 

Same thing...maybe it's about the psychiatrists. He didn't have the heart to fight. He wanted it to last a short time. He was a washed-up boxer. If Bruno in 1996 had been Bruno in 1989, he wouldn't have won the title, even though the fight with Bruno was one of his worst title fights before going to prison, and the rematch with Bruno was his best past prison

 

Wasn't about requiring a new team. For me it was about keeping the original team. That team was suited for the Cus style he was fully invested in.

 

Short Heavyweight with long Layoff and closing 30 = No,no,nooooo

 

Even with the original team, even if Cus lived for another 10 - 15 years, Mike would've self-destructed eventually.

I'm inclined to believe the majority of the Atlas story about Mike and his female relative. Winning the title brought Mike extreme access and with his background and mental makeup, something would always give and in the most extreme of ways.

 

Tyson still had it in him to beat guys like Tua, Mercer, Rahman, McCall, Moorer and Morrison. He showed it by punishing Bruno and Golota who was in that general class of fighter. He may have lost to Holyfield and Lewis.