Prime Mike Tyson vs. Jess Willard...Does Tyson take Willard out in 1?

hmmm...good question

could Dempsey take out Berbick in 2?

i always felt these 2 fights are like twin fights

 

Hmmmm

While Tyson was a tremendous finisher, he never quite mastered fighting on the inside, and he could be tied up by fighters who clinched a lot.

I also think that at 215lbs, Willard would regard him as a more serious threat than he did Dempsey, and this would e reflectedin a more cautious pattern of fighting.

I pick Tyson to win, but I think it happens in the 6th.

 

Sure.

Tyson crushes Dempsey in couple of rounds or less too.

 

I guess that he could do it, in the sense that he is physically capable of it....But Willard does not get the respect on here that he should, and his durability does not make KO 1 the likely scenerio...

Could it happen? Sure....I just don't see it as the most likely scenerio

 

Maybe.

Or maybe he breaks his hand with the small gloves on.

 

I'm voting yes. Willard was, what, 3 years inactive? Once tyson drops him and stands over him it's game over for jess.

I think if Tyson comes out swinging he can do it within 3 minutes.

 

A first round KO against a world class opponent requires either a massive amount of intimidation (think Liston-Patterson, Tyson-Spinks, Lewis-Golota) or a good bit of luck. You can't bank on luck.

That said, Tyson would for sure KO Willard within 3, and if he had the advantage of a 1919 ruleset, wherein he could hover over his downed opponent, would have a good chance to finish him in 1.

 

he didn't really break his hand in any of the street fights that he had as a kid so i dont think this would be likely

 

I did not expect you to be the voice of reason here, but you have been.

I wouldn't bet a dime on Dempsey repeating that performence if there had been a rematch either.

 

Yes he would and he'd take Dempsey immediately after as well in similarly short time.

 

This saddens me to no end. I thought we had something here.

Exactly. It takes a certain set of circumstances.

 

"Dempsey knocked Willard down seven times in the first round, winning the title when Willard was unable to continue after the third round. In the fight Willard was later reputed to have suffered a broken jaw, cheekbone, and ribs, as well as losing several teeth."

All that and he still lasted three rounds. I'm not sure there's anything Tyson or most anybody could do that Dempsey didn't already do in that onslaught to force the stoppage any sooner. I think Tyson at best matches Dempsey's performance. You would have to literally kill him in the ring to surpass the beating Dempsy dished out.

 

So when are we next going to see a first round knockout at world level, and who will try to predict it?

 

While Tyson certainly had the potential to demolish many men inside a single round, there's never any certainty when it comes to these type of scenarios. We must not forget that it sometimes took Tyson several rounds to polish off "tomato cans".

If he finds Willard with a massive left hook early on as Dempsey did then it is definitely possible but I would not necessarily count on it.

A lot of people forget that Willard actually lasted two more rounds with Dempsey despite the severe beating he took in the first. He was a tough big man who was usually very cautious and prone to clinch his opponents if they got too close to him. Dempsey just took him unaware by seemingly backing off whenever Willard tried to make a fight of it, only to open up in sudden fashion and catch him clean with a huge haymaker of a left hook.

Willard was also older with a lot of ring rust so his reactions may have been rather off.