Prime Tyson vs Douglas?

Prime Riddick Bowe lasted 47 minutes in that case.

Prime Buster Douglas lasted less. (He didn't need all 12 rounds).

Prime is very hard to define, and very fluid for boxing fans too.. It seems to go hand in hand with whether a fighter wins or loses....

 

I agree, and "prime" can be easily stated as an opinion too, impossible to measure that **** and can be argued for days... preferably at a bar, drunk with your friends, with one getting pissed off and walking home.... 7 miles away. i seent it happen.

 

Defining "prime" is simple: it's when a fighter is at his best, win or lose. There was a significant drop-off skills wise after Tyson left Rooney. He was in better shape for Ruddock than for Douglas, but still wasn't his "best". And Tyson was relatively young when he was released from prison at 28 and was definitely past prime. People with a good eye can see for themselves with film available.

 

most guys Tyson fought after winning the title were bigger than him and he broke them down. Berbick,Smith,Tucker,Thomas, etc. Douglas had a history of quitting and not wanting to be in tough fights. The sharp Tyson who was dominant in 1987 beats him easily. Had Douglas beaten Tucker in that title fight in May of 1987, I think Tyson beats Douglas easier than he beat Tucker, which was by decision.

 

Prime Tyson got KTFO by Douglas so there really is no need to speculate.

 

My point was that he had focus, at some point or he couldn’t have achieved what he did.
He lost it after winning it all and accomplishing all his goals.

But I guess it depends what one means by "having focus"

 

:deal

 

atsch

Prime, Well conditioned, well trained, well focused, with a solid gameplan Tyson would eat Douglas alive.

1st round ko

 

had a 9 part playlist for this on utube last night, must of fell asleep on part 6, woke up to find it had been removed due to copyright :twisted:

 

Tyson's problem wasn't physical conditioning, it was keeping his head in the game.

If he was focused on that night, nobody would have ever heard of Buster Douglas today.

 

It seems "Iron" has officially been replaced with "Prime" as Tyson's first name :think

 

A 15-0 Tyson / pre-Cus D'Amato death Tyson would take out Douglas by round 5

Otherwise - complacent & under-trained, loss of defense discipline Tyson vs in shape of his life Douglas w/ a solid fight plan, would stop Tyson.

 

Tyson was, what, 22 or 23 when he lost to Douglas? If your skills go away by then you are not a natural fighter. I don't think that has ever happened before to an alleged all time great, absent injury. The fact is he was still in his physical prime even when he got the crap beat out of him by Evander. Why is he not "prime" Tyson at that age too.

It can't just be because he started fighting poorly. How is poor training and decision making leading up to particular fights related to being in ones "prime?"

As an aside, Mike is proud of his fight with Douglas and said he knew (unlike say PBF) that great fighters of the past sometimes lost fights.

 

Yeah, I guess you can define "prime" as when he fought well, and "not prime" as when he let his opponent outbox him. He was in absolutely perfect physical condition with all his youthful reflexes for his losses to Douglas and Holyfield. If he couldn't keep his technique together for those prime physical years then he was destined to get exposed eventually. Holyfield was a more natural fighter and maintained his combination punching and boxing to a very late age.

 

I wish there was a rematch