Prime Mike Tyson vs. Prime Vitali Klitschko

V.K. ko in 5-6 rds Tyson beat anyone who can back him up.

 

Vitali wouldn't back him up though. Tyson would easily back Vitali up as he voluntarily backs up anyway. Vitali is not quick enough to catch Tyson cleanly.

Tyson late TKO on cuts or UD.

 

The cliche claim that Tyson had problems with big men is over-exaggerated in my opinion. Mitch Green RAN from Tyson the entire fight. It was a blow out. Bonecrusher REFUSED to fight Tyson. It was another total blowout. Anyone can go the distance by fighting a survival fight and never putting yourself in a position to be knocked out. Tyson should get all of the credit in the world for forcing Bonecrusher to fight like that. Tillis also never landed much of anything on Tyson, he just kept away from him. Tyson also dispatched a lot of prime taller fighters, like Carl Williams and Biggs.

Anyway, I'm surprised at a lot of the answers so far. I think people are forgetting that we are talking about a PRIME Tyson here, which I think is easy to forget sometimes.

A prime Tyson takes Vitali in 6 or less, because Vitali has a good chin and isn't afraid of anyone. This one is clear to me, because quite frankly, a prime Tyson makes Vitali look very slow. Just watch a fight of each fighter back to back. Tyson would have no trouble finding gaps with Vitali. That was a prime Tyson's style. It would just be a matter of time.

 

Klitschko TKO for me

 

Klitschko is fast enough to tag Tyson........... Christ, if James Smith & Frank Bruno were able to land a few bombs on Tyson, surely V.K. would get off some serious leather upside Tyson's head too.......

MR.BILL

 

True..... Tyson never proved he could chop down a tree taller than 6' 4" tall......... Tall dudes like "Green, Smith, Tucker & Ruddock" were soundly beaten for the most part, but not parked like Cadillacs'...... Vitali Klit at 6' 7" tall would bother Mike Tyson big time....

MR.BILL

 

Tyson, mid-round stoppage.

 

Vitali has some assets that will cause problems here:

* Huge size. Tyson fought some big men, but Vitali might be the physically largest guy Tyson would have fought. He's a strong ******* too and could handle Tyson in the clinches, even if Tyson resisted.

*Warrior mentality.
He would be coming in to win, make no mistake. The Lewis fight showed he could handle adversity and keep coming back. Vitali would not be a trembling wreck in there, but would fight back hard if caught.

*Cast iron chin
Always an asset against a strong puncher.
That Lewis uppercut would have torn most fighter's head's off. Vitali actually came back after taking it. Amazing. No one punch is going to take Vitali out, so Tyson had better be in supremo combo form for this one.



Those three points right there make him a tough opponent for virtually anyone. To boot, he has solid all-round skills, respectable punching power and always comes into the ring in great shape. He's always well-prepared.

Lewis was death against fellow big men, yet Vitali gave him no end of problems. Okay, it was a rather old Lewis, but I still think it would have been a hard fight a few years earlier for Lewis.

Tyson was phenomenal in his short prime and I can see a points victory for him, maybe after dumping Vitali on the canvas at some point, which could make all the difference in the scoring. Vitali will make it a very tough fight though...I simply cannot see an early or easy Tyson win here. If Tyson stays focussed and disciplined, I think ultimately he's got enough in the bag to win.

An "upset" is possible though. If Tyson gets frustrated after a few rounds and begins eating some solid jabs, all bets are off.

 

I think Mike breaks him down in about 4 or 5 like the previous comment says.

 

Can't people see how Vitali Klitschko's size works against him?

Like Big Joe Egan said on Bunce's Boxing Hour on Setanta over here, anybody above 6'3" gave Tyson far too much room to gain full extensive and leverage on that uppercut. Imagine the momentum, power and speed he could generate in that uppercut against a 6'7" guy like Klitschko?

He has can't go to the body to slow Tyson down, one because he doesn't go to the body anyway, but two because he's too tall to get down and get to the body in time. He also fights with that upright style, chin exposed and mouth open. He does that against Tyson and its getting broken in about 20 different places.

 

Saverese and Tucker were both 6'5 and plenty of 6'4 fighters on tysons resume. A few with longer reachs than vitali too

 

The only way I can see Vitali taking this is if he keeps Tyson at bay with his jab and much longer reach. Unfortunately for Klit, Tyson was a very very good slipper of the jab. I see Tyson bulling his way inside and hitting Vitali with some of his vintage combinations and catching him with some trademark uppercuts.

If that happens (which I think it would) Vitali's got problems - big problems!

 

It depends on the timing and the mindset...the Vitali after The Lewis fight was an improved fighter, confident and unafraid......The Tyson of the Spinks fight was at his peak in confidence and condition......the thing that sticks in my mind is the Tony Tucker fight...Tucker stopped Tyson in his tracks in like the 2nd rd and Mike took his foot off the peddle a bit...they kind of made a silent agreement in that fight...also the Mitch Green fight ....I think barring a cut if Vitali could hang in there with Tyson for the first 6 rds, he would have a good shot of coming on and taking charge. Vitali had better late power than Mike and Tyson only once stopped a man after the 8th rd.,Journeyman Ribalta. Vital would not be easy to hit and Mike may get caught early...remember Vitali lost 4 prime years. I loved Mike Tyson leading up to the Spinks fight and after but there were a few kinks in his armor that were exposed a bit in the Douglas fight and later on magnified. I think the kink was when a opponent stood up to hit best shots and was still there redy to dish it back and this stands out in my head...I think of his opponents Tucker,Tubbs,Rudduck,Spinks,Bruno,Berbick,Thomas,Douglas,Holyfield and can not see any of them beating a top Vitali ...only Lewis and Tyson was not prime for the Lewis fight and Vitali still was a bit green in the mind and top experience....The fact remains, WHO of Tysons opponents were as good or better than Vitali and only Lewis comes to mind, based on that I think Vitali has a strong shot to be the first man to expose the kinks if the timing was both men prime but it would not be without a serious test for both men. I think Tyson was on his way to be a top 5 heavy after Spinks but fell short and based on how he withered when he fought a fighter that really wanted win and was not mentally beaten before the fight. We saw it vs Dougla,Holyfield,Williams,McBride and Lewis...a man that could never get off the floor to win or stop a man after the 8th rd. I think I would would have to pick Vitali to have a strong chance to be one of those that beats him but the first 6 rds Vitali would have to exchange and endure and so would Mike....I got it at 50-50 but leaning with Vitali to be better than all of MKES OPPONENTS not included Lewis

 

Tyson would get to him quickly. Not sure how bad of a beating Vitali could take, because his face would like it did against Lennox a lot quicker. Id say Tyson within 5