Was Mike Tyson's prime overrated?

What were his five best wins? This is the part that gets tough for Tyson fans.

 

Overrated at the time for sure I would say. Most real boxing experts have him someplace in the 10-15 range of all time heavyweights. I do feel he does not get enough credit for some of his wins. The KO of Pinklon Thomas was a really good win over a still very good fighter, and Berbick was still a solid Heavyweight, just a few months removed from his own solid win over Thomas when Tyson beat him. He best a big, skilled Heavyweight in Tony Tucker, before crushing Larry Holmes, who although unprepared for that one fight, still had enough left in the tank to give Holyfield problems a few years later and straight beat Ray Mercer. Michael Spinks although terrified, as a Heavyweight had managed to conquer Holmes twice and dispatch a dangerous Cooney, and could never be called a bum. I actually think Tyson’s post prime wins over Ruddock are more impressive than any win against the fragile in all ways Bruno, whom I think Tyson would KO 10 out of 10 times. Was his competition the same as that of the 70’s? Of course not. But he certainly fought some fighters during his short prime that were of higher quality than many of Joe Louis’ opponents during his reign.

 

Berbick
Spinks
Thomas
Ruddock
Holmes or Tucker

Yea I know we can scrutinize this list like we can with any heavyweight and minimize all of these, but during the 80s he was consistently beating top ten heavies in dominant fashion. The 90s was hit or miss as he was partying, getting older, and became more one dimensional.

 

I never understand why Evander Holyfield at 6’2”, 208 lbs when he won the title, is considered the most dangerous opponent that Tyson didn’t face at the time, while 6’1”, 203 lb Joe Louis is considered a “small Heavyweight” who does not belong in the ring with Tyson. I feel like a young Foreman would crush Tyson inside of a few rounds. I feel like the similarly short prime Bowe would have given him fits. I feel like Vitali Klitschko also beats Tyson. I’m not sure that Wladimir could hold up to Tyson’s punch.

 

Wilder is literally at a lesser skill level than Primo Carnera. I’m not being snide or sarcastic. He has fought competition that is epically, historically, laughingly bad, throughout his “rise” and reign.

 

Can't argue about Wilders skill level. But I feel with the power and speed Wilder has, he would KO the guys mentioned in the OP.

 

Hasn't Joshua fought 5 current or former champions (if Povetkin is included) in his first 22 fights?

Unless he suddenly retires, the Usyk rematch will make 6 in 25.
Then he just has to fight Wilder and Fury and he surpasses that statistic of Tyson's 7 in 35 fights.

But I take your point that Tysons initial run was phenomenal

 

Iron Mike will always be the baddest man on the planet.

 

His prime is very good considered his young age and the fact he faced and beat opponents much taller than him. He got highly overrated once released from prison instead. He took it into his head that he could dropp all opponents remaining stationary in the ring. Holyfield punished his pride.

 

It’s underrated

 

You might say he was lucky or unlucky that he never faced any very good boxers during his short prime... lucky because he might have been exposed.

To me he should be ranked no better than Anthony Joshua, both good at koing limited fighters, question marks over whether they would beat great fighters in their primes.

Joshua still has the chance to beat Uysk, and more importantly Fury though, which would give him a better resume.

 

If memory serves he didn't go after James Tillis with all his might (the one that stopped his KO streak). To me it looked like he wanted to get some rounds in.

Imo maintaining a KO streak adds more mental stress on top of an already stressful situation. Getting that out the way against an opponent you should / can beat takes some of the pressure off.

 

Usyk KO1 Tyson

 

During his prime, he was one of the most formidable HWs ever. But his resume doesn't match his physical ability, yeah.

But I gotta say, his resume is getting underrated. People talk about Joshua's resume and him already being a top20-25 HW of all times, but Tyson's resume was far superior. Even if you only look at the first 8 years of his pro career in contrast to AJ's so far, with wins over old Holmes(old and inactive but not as old and inactive as the Wlad that Joshua beat), Spinks, Bruno, Ruddock x2, Tony Tubbs, Tucker, Pinklon Thomas, Trevor Berbick.