review of Tyson holyfield 1 and why tyson would have won in 1991(imo)

I agree, both initiated clinches, not just Holyfield. You're right about punching with Tyson as well. Holyfield was countering effectively. But Holyfield didn't fight Tyson on the inside for the first 5 rounds. He would throw a few punches in close range and then clinch. Tyson would do the same. It was nothing like Holyfield-Bowe. There was no sustained in-fighting. In the 5th round both fighters were in close range and Holyfield didn't clinch, Tyson teed off on Holyfield forcing him to retreat and clinch. Holyfield didn't allow Tyson to fight on the inside the rest of the round. Holyfield fought a smart fight. I have no idea what Tyson's gameplan was in that fight. Holyfield used his strength and experience to overwhelm Tyson. I don't think he'd be able to fight this way in '91. He wasn't strong enough to control Tyson on the inside, it'd be the other way around. Holyfield was much more composed when he fought Tyson. He can't brawl with Tyson and Holyfield had a tendency to do that in his prime. I don't think Holyfield beats Tyson if both were in their primes.

 

Bump

 

Holy had plenty of priceless experience going into the fight with Mike. I don't think that, say, the Holy prior to Bowe 1 would have beat the 80s Mike because at that point he hadn't learned not to always accept a punch out challenge. To me, Holy was much more quick to slug it out with a slugger back before Bowe, and that would have spelled his doom in the 80s.

The Holy of the later Mike fight would have done the same thing to Mike 1991 imo. Holy had learned to grab more and manipulate when sluggers try to provoke him into slugging. In fact, I daresay that same Holy would have at least taken a SD over 80s Mike, he was that much better as far as temper/restraining his Warrior.

All that said, the pre-Bowe Holy was in other ways incredible; he had a tenacity and even a new spin on style the way he darted in and out with punches in bunches and great movement. The Holy that fought Mike had aged out of a portion of those qualities, but made up for it both in experience, plus the fact that he grew into being a heavyweight more (spin that last assertion however you wish).