If Tyson didn't pull out last minute due to that rib injury, would he has recaptured the undisputed crown or would Holyfield be able to prove his name in the heavyweight division?
Holyfield was just about at his best as a heavyweight while Tyson was already past his own prime,albeit less than he was in 1996. It would have been a lot closer fight in '91 but I still see Evander pulling it out with a late round stoppage. The only incarnation of Tyson I can see beating a prime Holyfield is the 1987-88 model. He would halt Holyfield by the midway mark.
Fights to compare: Holy Foreman and Holy Cooper and Tyson vs Ruddock. I think Tyson 91 would have beaten Holyfield 1991 but he wouldn't have beaten Holyfield 1996. What really interests me and makes me wonder is whether Tyson 87 would have beaten Holyfield 1996. I'll say right away that I don't think Holyfield 1996 was better than 1991 but in many ways he was more ready for Tyson. He wasn't more ready for Lewis, for example, because with Lewis footwork was important and it was getting worse. With Tyson it didn't matter because Tyson was the one who shortened the distance so what mattered was cunning, skill, athleticism, punch, punch for punch. Holy in 1991 was faster but less strong so Mike would have caught him. In my opinion: Tyson 1991 vs Holy 1991 - Tyson tko Tyson 91-Holy 96 - Holy UD, close Tyson prime vs Holy orime - Tyson
I had a lot of money on Commander Vander. Terrific odds I thought with all the Tyson fans pouring their money in on the guy. But Evander takes him out to deep water and drowns him. Can you imagine the Tyson fanatics if it was Evander pulling out of the fight w/ a rib injury? And he would have been held to a 3 week postponement and the bout takes place.
