Tim Witherspoon "I took a dive"

I think it's nonsense; life imitating the rumor mill.

During that time period Don King had a stronghold on the Heavyweight division and if you wanted to fight Mike Tyson it required that you give Don options on your next 2-3 fights. So losing that fight to get out of a contract meant nothing if you're hoping to get a Tyson fight because it meant dealing with Don King.

I think he's rewriting his own history to drive book sales.

 

I've always believed Witherspoon entered the Smith fight entirely unprepared and without ambition ,he was also regularly using cannabis at that time, he was basically disenchanted with the fight game.
Whether he intended to lay down before hand or not is a moot point ,Im inclined to think he took a shot and just thought **** it!
Prime Witherspoon would have given Tyson a good fight, but he was slow ,and not in shape by the time Tyson was the man.
Jack Newfield's," The Life & Crimes Of Don King" says it all!

 

Yes,I read that article too. Would n't surprise me at all. Like most people,I thought that fight had an odour about it. When you look at the way that Tim soaked up Frank Bruno's best shots in his previous fight,his capitulation looked unreal and Frank could belt as hard as Smith could.

The ease in which Witherspoon beat the Bonecrusher in their first fight just one year beforehand gives Tim's revelations even more credibilty

 

If memory serves me well,Tim was ordered to give Tubbs a rematch of their January '86 fight because traces of pot were found in a urine test. I always found that odd when you consider that,for boxing,it was hardly a performance enhancing drug.

 

I have suspected Witherpsoon vs Smith was not on the level for years. The night of the fight Witherpsoon's house was robbed.

 

Agreed, he lost to Smith because , Bonecrusher was the better fighter that night period, and Tyson would have beat him to a pulp..

I take what Witherspooon says with a grain of salt, it was his own fault for signing with King in the first place...

 

interesting I never saw that before

 

It is plausible that he threw that fight.

Bear in mind that he wasn’t stopped again for another 13 years!

All I am saying is, it never hurts to keep an open mind.

 

I think he's trying to sell books ..

Tim thrashed Bonecrusher in their first bout .. beating him terribly .. Bonecrusher knew he had one shot in a rematch and that was to catch Tim early and fast .. Tim was not very focused those days and not terribly well conditioned .. a very talented guy but a notorious under achiever .. Tim got hit hard with the first punch Bonecrusher threw and seemed never to recover his balance .. he did not seem that hurt but Tim hd a terrific chin ... it could have been a dive or a half dive .. that being said he was hit ..

 

Like he had choices? Get real!