Tyson v. Witherspoon (1989)

I see it in a similar way. Witherspoon would have enough smarts to take Tyson all the way. Not the ammo needed to hurt him though,like buster Douglas had.

 

I don't see Tim winning this one personally.. His chances might have been better circa 1987 than they would have been by 89', but It still isn't happening. I do think his defense, chin, guts, power and aweward style might have given Mike fits for several rounds though..

 

Witherspoon was a very talented fighter but Pinky was better than Spoon and we seen what Tyson did to Pinky. Witherspoon would get knocked out. I would also add Witherspoon to the list of 80's heavy's who I thought was better than Buster Douglas, even the one in tokoyo

 

i'll have that stevie.tim witherspoon is one the heavy divisions most underrated champs imo

 

Very clever boxer who did n't reach his full potential. Like a lot of 80's heavies.

 

don "the *******" king didn't help matters for him

 

Don't you think it's because a man named Mike Tyson is why most of 80's heavy's didn't really reach their full potential? I think so, except Witherspoon, who regardless even if he was more consistent, he still wouldn't of beat Tyson, but he defiently could of done better.

 

Not really Canibus. I think the likes of Dokes, Page, Witherspoon & Tubbs were showing clear signs of not living up to their potential long before Tyson was a force on the scene, in some cases before Tyson had turned pro. A few examples:

Dokes v Coetzee (1983)
Page v Berbick ('82)
Witherspoon v Tubbs ('84)

The general poor conditioning/poor lifestyle choices of the above heavyweights (and others in the early 80s) meant they were never going to reach their potential.

Imo.

 

Tubbs didn't show up for the witherspoon fight, I'll give you that but you can't tell me he was shot When Tyson fought him because he clearly wasn't.(he looked extremely fast and motivated when he fought Tyson and Tyson was the meal ticket at the time, so everybody made sure they came ready to fight) And Page and Dokes wasn't the only talented 80's heavys, and I'll give you that about those particular fighters as well.

 

Canibus, I'm not saying & didn't say Tubbs was shot when he fought Tyson. The original question was about whether or not the emergence of Tyson prevented some of the 80's heavyweights from fulfilling their own potential. In the case of Dokes, Page, Witherspoon and Tubbs, imo they were failing to live up to their potential a long time before Mike turned up. :good

PS In answer to the original thread question, Tyson v Witherspoon in '89, I go for Tyson by decision.

 

Ok, got ya.:good

 

Yeah I agree, those guys were screwing off before Tyson mopped up, but I dont think too many of them didnt take Tyson seriously when they got a shot at him. Witherspoon was too slow and engaging, I think he would have been stopped early.

 

That was not prime Thomas, though.

 

I disagree, I think Pinky physically and mentally was just the same as he was against witherspoon and it showed in their fight. Tyson had his hardest fight with Thomas and Tyson looked great in their fight. I think the reason why people try and say that is because of his previous lackluster fights and the close loss to berbick and that was the first fight he didn't have dundee in his corner. Thomas definetly was in great shape when he fought Tyson and Tyson deserves credit for that victory. If Tyson would of took him lightly Thomas would of beatin him that nite.