Tyson-Spinks was a great performance by any HW champ

To be fair Holmes was way past it, took Spinks for granted and still come back to give Spinks hell in the rematch. Peak Holmes would have flogged Michael, no shame for a 175 pounder.

 

Spinks didn't show up to take the title from Tyson ( not that he would have even if he did ). Rather he was there to pick up a quick check.

 

Maybe. Maybe not.
Michael Spinks was probably one of the better fighters Holmes faced, despite being inexperienced against heavyweights.
The Holmes of a few years earlier might have had similar difficulties. Still, I think the rematch proves a younger Holmes would certainly have had the beating of Spinks.
I would put it all down to Spinks' 'awkward style' but I'm not sure Holmes "flogged" anyone as good as Spinks ever.

 

****

 

The rematch, which should have been won by Holmes, showed exactly what Holmes would do to Spinks during his peak. Holmes at his best would be a nightmare for the much smaller man, he was just as fast and if anything faster, Spinks could not hurt him whatsoever, Holmes certainly had the power to knock Spinks stiff, he had fantastic stamina at his best and allied to that he had that brilliant snapping jab that would dominate the smaller man with average power in this one. Holmes jab was a faded memory when they fought and his stamina was well under what it had been, a real key as well when talking peaks.

 

You're probably right.
I think Holmes mentioned he thought Spinks' style would have always given him problems, in hindsight of course.

When was Holmes' peak ?

 

Holmes looked real good between 1978, and maybe 1982. The Cooney fight was probably the last of his better performances.

 

Spinks would always be awkward yes, but i think Holmes would overpower him after taking 4 or 5 to work him out. I think 78-79 is pretty good Holmes. Struggled with Norton and Weaver but i believe he had a habit of fighting down to his opponents and being a bit slug happy at times. One can definitely look at him from both sides of the fence depending on personal opinion.

 

yeah beating a light heavyweight im not saying it isnt impressive, but when you think its Tyson's best....
And the KO was pretty shitty hit him on the forehead

 

I don't see why one should undermine Tyson's victory. Because if that is the case then:

Frazier was made to order Foreman so lets undermine Foreman's victory.

Patterson was made to order for Liston so then lets also undermine Sonny's win.

 

Spinks may have been a lightheavyweight, but so was:

1. Billy Conn and if memory serves me well, Joe Louis needed a little bit more than 91 seconds to get the job done.

2. Micheal Moorer who beat Evander Holyfield in thier first meeting.

3. Archie Moore who dropped Rocky Marciano before succumbing to a 9th round KO.

4. Gene Tunney who beat Jack Dempsey twice.

and of course the man in questions Michael Spinks who as a LHW beat Larry Holmes twice.

 

Couldn't have put it better myself mate, totally agree with you! Mike Tyson was so gifted, naturally talented as a fighter/boxer, that he should/could have gone on to be the best HW ever.

Not only that, but if he would have taken a different road, then he would have probably been the first billionaire sportperson, had many, many sponsorship deals etc. Tyson's earning potential was uncapped.

 

To ad to that list, Ezzard Charles spent most of his career at middle weight and lightheavyweight. John Henry Lewis was a lightheavyweight champ, and heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis began his career at middleweight to.

Half of the men Jack Johnson fought could have qualified as either a MW or LHW, including the man he took the belt from.

 

and it says a lot about thematsch

 

Well to compare to say Tyson ko 1 Spinks and Johnson, Marciano and others, Tyson was mostly a faster started. He end it in 1 round if he could. Johnson perfer to hold the guy up plus 20 rounds to torture him even more. And Marciano was a slow started once he won the crown, and fought 2 times a year. Also the Rock was slowing down by the Moore fight.

Louis was trying to say below 200 pounds, so when he fought Conn, it would not look as bad. Also Conn was pretty hard to catch with his speed. Louis had fast hands, but his foot speed is pretty slow. Reasons imo on why most of these guys lasted past the first round.