Tyson V Marciano's Challengers?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mcvey, Jan 20, 2016.



  1. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    This is a great point. We were all so carried away with Tysonmania that we forgot what a live challenger looked like.

    I certainly don't think Tysons first loss was due to any decline.


    Tyson beat a lot of names, he was legitimately great in his own right anyway, much like Louis was before Schmeling, but his championship opposition (despite their names) flattered him initially because many were not legitimately live challengers in the first place.


    We thought they were but they were not.


    Tyson got too used to things falling into place. The more legitimate ones took him the distance. Tucker and Bonecrusher. Yet that prepared nobody (myself included) for Douglas. The next live legitimate contender after Tucker.


    That loss amplified to me that Tyson needed to prove he was not just a one trick pony, And he might have been on the way to doing that because I believe he was good enough to do so but he went to prison and surrounded himself with creeps. A lot of talk about needing cus or Rooney to move his head is BS. Tyson was a brat by then who chose to do what he did. Rooney wouldn't have made any difference.


    His comeback was actually quite amazing. I think he was legitimately the best heavyweight in the world again. Nobody was saying Tyson was past his best until he lost to Holyfeild. But that loss broke his heart. His appetite for competition went with that first loss to Holyfeild.
     
  2. BlackCloud

    BlackCloud I detest the daily heavyweight threads Full Member

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  3. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Tyson stops them all. Walcott and Charles put up good battles.
     
  4. GlaukosTheHammer

    GlaukosTheHammer Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I wrote a long thing demonizing the practice of comparing eras and questioning the strength of a pioneer's innovation outside a time when it was innovative, but I'm sure y'all have read that sort of junk before so I'll just say I agree with the folks making a case for Mike to win all with the suggestion that people at least try to guess what a Mike Tyson who is 19 in 52 boxes like.

    Strip away everything he's using that comes from the eras between the 50s and the 80s and who is Mike Tyson?

    It's easy to make a case for the kid who was 19 in 86 or some such close enough, but much more difficult to even assume who Mike might have been if he didn't have the luxury of being after Marciano and Ali.
     
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  5. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    Great point. He's probably no bigger than Floyd Patterson was.
     
  6. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Tucker and Smith fought to survive not to win ,that's why they lasted the distance.
     
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  7. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Yeah same as Louis and Foreman.lol
    Patterson was 183lbs at 21 years old
    Tyson was 221lbs =38lbs!
     
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  8. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    They looked just as tall. The era might be instrumental in the difference in weight?
     
  9. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    No difference
     
  10. Wass1985

    Wass1985 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    And if they fought to win they may have got the victory.
     
  11. Nighttrain

    Nighttrain 'BOUT IT 'BOUT IT Full Member

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    I am confused, what do you mean by the things that came from the eras between the 50's and the 80's?
     
  12. Nighttrain

    Nighttrain 'BOUT IT 'BOUT IT Full Member

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    Do you think the Tyson who faced Douglas was indistinguishable from the version who faced Spinks or Berbick?
     
  13. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Lol. Tyson was bigger than 21-yo Patterson when he was 12.
     
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  14. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

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    Very, VERY strange replies in this thread...
     
  15. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    The era probably did play a role, but there was always going to be a big weight difference.

    Cant see Tyson being much under 200lbs in any era.
     
    escudo likes this.