Prime Mike Tyson (88) vs Prime Muhammad Ali (66)

Ali didn`t have Robinson`s power.

 

Holmes was old and had been layed off, let's put things in to perspective.

 

My own view is that Tyson's win over Pinklon Thomas was his best from a pure boxing performance. Not his most famous win but impressive knockout. Thomas after surviving Tyson's initial onslaught took the play away from Mike for awhile. That finishing combination was lightening. Never seen a heavyweight throw hooks that fast before or since.


I always thought Pinklon Thomas was a helluva heavyweight. Certainly quality.

 

That's why i said almost.

 

Mike actually said later that Holmes was very hard to hit cleanly, landed more jabs on him than he liked, and caught him with a couple of right hands.

 

He did indeed, if I remember rightly Holmes gave Tyson a swelling under one eye.

 

That KO was as brutal as any I’ve seen - particularly against such a well chinned guy as Pinky. It still took some very heavy tonnage to finally put him down. I actually feared for Thomas’ condition after that KO.

 

The right that put Larry down for the first knockdown was one of the hardest single punches landed by Mike. Had it been right on the chin, it would’ve been nighty night right then and there.

It’s funny, in deference to talking up Mike’s contributing accuracy, speed and punching in combination - his actual single shot power is sometimes now underrated.

For Larry’s part, all things considered, he did okay for several rounds - never to question Larry’s courage but he was understandably leery in there with Mike.

Prime vs prime, I’ve got Larry by UD or later round stoppage.

 

I've been saying this for ages. Many are now blind to his true one punch power via the exact the factors you state. The guy could simply BANG as well.

 

The single howitzer punches in the Golota and Botha fights I remember well also, to nominate another two examples.

After their fight, Golota was a mess in that dressing room interview - properly informed on his condition I couldn’t begrudge him saying “enough is enough”.

 

I read an article on early Tyson as he smashed his way thru the ranks. Numerous opponents commented on his power, how it felt etc. It wasn't a pretty read hahaha

 

That sounds like a great article. I’d love to read it. I read one, in the Ring mag. I think but not sure, in which several of Shavers sparring partners related what it was like to spar with Earnie.

They had accompanying protrait photos, post sparring - oh geeze, these guys faces were an absolute mess and I recalled one of them looked like he was still only semi conscious.

You could never pay me enough to cop that. Lol.

 

Wow!!!! Shavers is a beast. This was in a mag too, International or World boxing from memory.

 

True but Tyson would have destroyed him in 85 too, but would have struggled more in the early 90`s, another interesting point is that I didn`t like how Tyson fought while being trained by Giachetti against Ruddock and in his second fight v Holy, Holmes and Giachetti were great together as trainer and fighter.

 

Didn`t Rocky spar with him too? lol