The Holmes that fought Tyson...

Not many clean punches were thrown and landed by both until the 4th round.

 

Holmes was busy trying to stifle Tyson's attack, in the method a la Bonecrusher Smith. That's why.

 

he was not really that bad a fighter then, he just fought Tyson who was prime.

 

As soon as Holmes opened up and attemped to box using the jab it became his undoing....Tyson was designed to crush tall guys boxing behind a jab...A Primer Holmes might of made it an extra few rounds but would of undoubtedly seen the same result....Lewis, Wlad etc would of left the ring on gurney.

 

So then Buster Douglas fought the wrong fight.

 

Holmes did well in the 3rd round by throwing his jab and uppercuts. He even nearly made it out of the 4th round until he threw that now somewhat famous uppercut that found the ropes instead of Tyson.

 

I remember that Bill.. Larry deserved the third round and he did okay in the 4th for a brief period. He also continued to try and get up after being floored multiple times and even wanted to get up a fourth time, but the three knockdown rule put and end to it

 

Buster cought Tyson much like Rahman cought Lewis, both had underestimated their opponent and did little training, only the Buster who put away Tyson was in a different league than Rahman and Tyson did a whole lot better than Lewis did before being ko'd.

Is Rahman a better fighter than Lewis? Lewis got the opportunity for a rematch , trained hard and redeemed himself. Mike didn't.

 

No, Buster Douglas fought the wrong Tyson.

 

Can I ask?

Was Tyson out of his prime at the moment he fought Douglas?

Had he faded that much that he couldn't win a round against this Buster Douglas, or for one fight was Buster Douglas the greatest heavyweight in the world? I think Douglas had to style and confidence to beat Mike. Larry Holmes would have been the same way. Him and Douglas were built almost the same.

After that fight Douglas was beaten and embarassed by Holyfield and the same year Tyson went right back to beating up on fighters who were not much better than Douglas (Tilman KO1 , Sewart KO1). Then he fought a true contender in Razor Ruddick to a controversal stoppage and then a UD. Once he got out of prison his next four fighters took him 8 rounds to KO combined. Looked like the old Tyson.

Then Holyfield..KO'ed and DQ'ed. After being suspended, he was back to getting old Tyson results, Botha KO5, Norris NC 1, Francis KO1, Savarese TKO1, Golota NC1, Nielsen RTD 7. Then Lennox blasted him outta there in 8. Then the old Mike in Etienne KO1, and then KO'ed by Williams, and McBride. After the Douglas fight he was 13-5 9 KO's.

Honestly, all Tyson beat were just guys who were contenders or bums. He did not compete at all when he was faced with world caliber fighters and was pushed hard when ever he fought someone who believed that they had a chance to win.

Don't get me wrong. I think Tyson accomplished a lot. CLEANING OUT the division, Unifying the belts, and defending them 8 times. I think Tyson was an All-time great fighter and if he was focused he could have been much better which is scary considering he was a dragon in his prime. It just think we tend to look at Tyson like a sportcenter highlight instead of objectively looking at his body of work and judging it for what it was.

 

What was controversal about the Ruddock stoppage?
Razor was off his feet, staggering and Tyson was coming to finish him and do him serious damage.
Ruddock would of been put to sleep and the ref along with everybody else knew it.
The stoppage was appropriate. Razor just wasn't in in class.

 

Tyson definately had him going and may have stopped him right there. The controversy was when Richard Steele jumped in and stopped it Ruddick looked completely clear and was stunned more by the fact the fight was stopped. Ruddick went over and hugged Mike and then a riot broke out in the ring...Steele had to be escorted out the ring.

Some of the fans were not happy how the fight was stopped because it was a good hard fight. If Ruddick was going down, let him be counted out after a good hard fight like that. That I think that was the problem. The way it was stopped. Tyson did nothing wrong. I am not sure if you were getting the impression that that is what I was saying. That Tyson was somehow in the wrong. No, he fought hard.

As far as class levels Mike looked great offensively, but Ruddick was hitting Mike with some serious leather that fight and I think he rocked Tyson a few times. At least for that fight Riddick was in Mike's class.

"He punches like a ****ing mule kick" -
Mike Tyson After the first fight.

"Man this guy is tough, he'll be champion of the world one day if he stays dedicated and doesn't slip up".
Mike Tyson after the second fight.


Was that the only problem you found with my post? I am more than will to discuss any other part of it.

 

He trained for six weeks after an 18 month layoff and fought a prime Tyson who might have beaten him at his best ... that being said he inferior to the Holmes that beat Mercer by a significant margin ...

 

I actually disagree with most of this but especially the idea that Douglas and Holmes were the same build. Douglas was an inch taller and about 20 lbs heavier in fighting shape. That's a big difference, like the size between Ezzard Charles and Ray Robinson almost.

 

Cool.