Tua vs Tyson during 1996 who would have won?

If they fought as early as '96, my money would still be on Tyson. Tua would destroy Tyson in 2000, and get destroyed by him in 1988. (I mean prime Tua of course, not the fourteen-year-old kid he actually was in 1988).

 

Tua probably would have fallen for the intimidation around Tyson at the time. Not as bad as the Bomber and Seldon, but still Tua had issues with this aspect of boxing.

So with that in mind, I see a very negative Tua out for merely survival. The irony being this tactic might work if Tua gained confidence as the fight hit the later rounds as Tyson tended to get more frustrated as fights went on and his offence was not clicking.

 

Last of the small heavyweights? Do you not realize that using absolutely identical logic you could have argued in 1955 -with absolutely equal logical validity- that Louis and Baer were the last of the large heavyweights?
In 1992 you could have said that Morrison and Coetzee were the last of the white heavyweights.

This is the kind of silliness you get when you overextrapolate from short term trends.

Edit: I should say, "by the logic I presume you're using" since, to be fair, you don't spell out your logic and had no responsibility to since it's not the primary subject of your post.

 

I'd pick Tua in 96, after prison Tyson didn't have the ability to fight a 12 round fight, the evidence pretty much shows this. Tua would be too durable and outlast Tyson in the 2nd half of the fight, he was at his best at this point as well. Tyson was a con by 96, he was only beating average fighters and those petrified of him. Tua might be wary at the start of the fight but he could take a punch and when Tyson begins to tire he would get brave and start landing leather. 91 Tyson beats him soundly though, IMO.

 

I think one of the reasons Holyfield had an easy time with Tyson in 96 is because he had Tua for sparring, who did a better Tyson than Tyson by this point.

 

Pick em fight for me - Tua had an iron chin, good stamina and big power, all qualities needed to beat Tyson but while Mike's skills had eroded by 1996 his speed, power, timing and ferocity were still there and for me Tua was a little too easy to hit and it doesn't matter how good your chin is you can't let Tyson tee off on you.

Could go either way but I'll say Tyson in 7 rounds.

 

I think the Tyson from the Bruno rematch was still too fast and sharp for Tua.

Any version of Tyson post-Holy loses to Tua

 

1996 would've been an incredible match to witness. Tua was deemed the poor man's Tyson: great power, great chin, huge left hook but very one dimensional. Also, Tua seemed to struggle against guys that Tyson would practically destroy.

Tyson would land more often than not and his defense would have Tua questioning his career choice.

 

Sangria has a valid point about opposition.

96 Tyson, though past his prime, would still have obliterated guys like Izon and Maskaev, two guys Tua struggled with.

 

Tua didn't fear Ike Ibeabuchi and he wouldn't fear Tyson. Holyfield traded with Tyson. the same Holyfield who couldn't handle Bowe's power. Yet Tyson couldn't phrase Holyfield. If Holyfield could handle Tyson's power so could a young Tua. Tua would break Tyson down and stopped him by the mid rounds if not before.

 

Tyson for me. Tua isn't Holyfield.