Agreed. Lewis wasn't Pernell Whitaker, and Tyson had the power to leave him on ***** street. I just can't see Lewis keeping Tyson at arm's range all night, and even if I could, it'd take some convincing to get me to think it was more likely than Tyson setting up a big shot and taking him out.
I think Vitali starches Tyson, Vitali had an iron chin and fought more aggressively than Wlad. I also think Lewis beats any version of Tyson.
Lennox didn't have the speed to deal with Mike, when both were at their best. Mike has Lennox out of there by round 5.
Def a good fight. Prime Lewis was very Godly. So was prime Tyson. Man I would have loved to watch this fight in their primes..
Infidels, please don't ever mention Wlad in the same sentence as Lewis or Tyson.. esp in their prime.
Agree. Still say tyson had the potential to be one of the best heavyweights ever in modern times. He was on the way. Before blowing it spectacularly. Think just looking at how highly lewis regards that tyson win even to this day kind of reveals how good tyson was. He was finished. Miles from the fighter he once was...still lewis lauds it as a massive win. Lewis, holyfield we,re both tremendous fighters. Still think tyson was potentially easily the best of them all. Was a reason he created the hype that he did. Its just that he fell off spectacularly and he did pretty young as well...started training and living like an amatuer. Looking back he done that pretty early into his career. No one can get away with that for a prolonged period of time. Actually unbelievable that he was still able to remain competetive for so long bearing in mind his lifestyle. I dont think he could have if he wasnt a special talent or probably made into a special talent even. Lewis and holyfield ended up having the better careers. Got the most out of themselves for longer. Which is part of it all tbf. But tyson was potentially better than the both of them. I,d go as far to say easily as well. He would have just got better as he aged....if he continued what he started. Till about 30/31 with his style anyway. The big problem was the style did need an incredible workrate to keep up. He wouldnt have got away with giving away so much height/length etc when his speed and stamina started going. but he could have beat the both of them till he got to that age anyway.
Lewis would beat Tyson 8 out of ten in their primes. In 2 out eight Tyson gets in there early or sneaks in an upper cut mid.
All Lewis has to do is get Tyson’s respect early, after that his skills cruise him to a late stoppage.
tyson had very deceptive reach from the outside. most of his opponents got hit at distances they were sure they were safe. his legs were so fast, like pac. lewis superior reach would not keep him safe.
He definitely wouldn't keep Tyson at range all night, Tyson was probably the most adept heavyweight I've ever seen at getting inside a jab, even shot Tyson early on was able to get inside on Lewis, almost as if Lewis didn't even have a jab. Problem is though Lewis wasn't just some one dimensional out fighter only capable of fighting on the outside. He would of kept that left hand extended which Lewis is often criticised for by those that don't understand it's purpose as doing that it prevents a basic rush and forces his opponent to lead. You have to slip the extended left to get into range and that to a counter puncher like Lewis is a telegraphing of intent and allows Lewis to counter. Tyson dips under the jab, Lewis greets him with a vicious upper cut, Tyson slips to his left, Lewis throws a right hand down the pipe, Tyson slips to his right he is greeted with a forearm. For a fighter like Tyson who liked to use his head movement to draw a lead that's a problem. For all of prime Tyson's gifts he never had the answer for Lewis in his toolkit. Even when he could get inside the lead left and wasn't greeted with an uppercut he would be smothered, tied up and pushed back taking away much of Tyson's effectiveness. We saw Bonecrusher Smith tie him up and last the distance, we saw Douglas use many of Lewis' tactics with the forearm bar, leaning down on Tyson's head with the forearm, tying Tyson up on the inside. Holyfield too tied Tyson up and pushed him back. Fact is Tyson was a small heavy and was prone to being manhandled by stronger opponents who knew how to do so and that took away much of his offensive prowess in the ring. Does Tyson have a punchers chance, of course he does, anything other than a 100% focused Lewis very likely gets McCall'ed or Rahman'ed in brutal fashion. But I don't agree with this view that Tyson was some mythical, invincible champion in his short prime, he like any fighter even the great ones had weaknesses and flaws in his game that made him vulnerable to the right fighter with the right style, nobody is perfect or invincible.