Prime Mike Tyson vs FOTC Joe Frazier

Frazier goes down early rounds, maybe twice. Mike is visibly astonished as he watches him get up, clapping his gloves together and ready to fight. Frazier endures a nasty shellacking, but his Smokin makes Mike miss a lot more than land. Mike engages in some dirty infighting with Joe, but the latter overwhelms him on the inside. By the 5th round Joe's mauling him is really starting to wear. Mike starts holding more, especially after enduring some awful body shots. A hook drops Mike in the 6th, by the 8th he is badly staggering. The ref mercifully stops it when he falls again.

 

If you haven’t yet, please vote. My boy needs the help!

 

I made a similar point in the last Liston vs Frazier thread. Liston was more measured than Foreman, & that leaves the door at least a little ajar for Frazier. They weren’t just facsimiles, the same way Ali & Holmes weren’t.

I think we’re in agreement where it matters. Frazier likely doesn’t survive any of these three fighters, even on the night of the 8th of March, 1971.

 

In my opinion Liston is a stylistically a NIGHTMARE for Fraizer. Definitely one of his worst matchups in all of HW history.

 

One of, certainly. Not quite as bad as Foreman, however.

 

Honestly, I think its worse. I think Foreman and Liston had pretty comparable punching power. While Liston was much more calculated, he was still an extremely aggressive headhunter who had a much better jab to keep Fraizer at bay with a much longer reach.

 

He was and did, which is why I only quoted the "Tyson was never beaten by anyone who weighed less than him" part of your post.

 

WOW!! Another fight I'd pay $500.00 for a ringside seat and not even blink! Tyson would start fast as he always did--might even drop Joe in the early rounds!

But they absolutely didn't come ANY tougher than FOTC Frazier! His indomitable will would ultimately carry the day!! Tyson, for all of his great ability on his BEST day NEVER had the kind of toughness that the FOTC version of Frazier had! Joe eventually KO's or stops Mike 10-12 rounds.

 

I love Frazier but he was made to order for Mike ... no 200 pound slow starting swarmer is surviving a prime Tyson, period.

 

Going to repost an old post of mine. I don't think it's the blowout people here envision.

 

To me, FOTC Frazier in particular was simply too durable for Mike. MIke would lay back if he didn't end things early, and Frazier would just LOVE that.

 

That's what folks tend to overlook about Frazier. The left hook was certainly his money shot but Frazier could WHACK on the body with both hands!! Watch the FOTC again--Joe is POUNDING Ali to the body with CRUNCHING body shots--lefts and rights. And once Tyson gets a little fatigued and Joe lays that pulverizing body attack on him I think that's where the real difference lies between them. Tyson HAS to get Joe early--past 4-5 rounds he's toast! Joe would just outwork him to death!!

 

It’s a ludicrous myth. Aren’t people actually watching the fights? You don’t beat 29-year-old Muhammad Ali by throwing the same hand at him, body & head, for fifteen rounds. It’s so self-evident & yet people persist with this nonsense that Frazier was one-handed.