Was prime Mike Tyson a "face first brawler"?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Jack, Oct 9, 2010.


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  1. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I see him as an incredibly talented, aggressive boxer. There is a whole load of difference between being able to apply aggression smartly, like Tyson did, and being a flat out brawler. Tyson in his prime had amazing skills, thanks primarily to Cus D'Amato who admitted training him as a boxer. In interviews, Kevin Rooney has called Tyson a boxer, whose style was based around his defence. Not quit a "face first brawler" then?

    However, MichiganWarrior disagrees with me and refers to Mike Tyson as a "face first brawler". The basis for this? The knockouts over Spinks and Holmes.

    Let's put this to ESB. Was Tyson an aggressive boxer, like I think, like D'Amato or Rooney think, or was he a brawler? And this is prime Tyson we are talking about, not the version who fought Kevin McBride and showed no boxing ability whatsoever.
     
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
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  2. haglerdude

    haglerdude Active Member Full Member

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    tyson was a killer with good skills and killer instinct , plus a muderous puncher
     
    haglerdude, Oct 9, 2010
    haglerdude, Oct 9, 2010
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  3. Bogotazo

    Bogotazo Amateur Full Member

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    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KJKKHH49gI[/ame]

    Clearly he was a swarmer/aggressive boxer puncher. Anyone with eyes could see that his footwork and punching technique were applied in an intelligent and efficient fashion against opponents. If Tyson was a face-first brawler, then so was/are JCC, Duran, Frazier, Ward and Cotto.
     
    Bogotazo, Oct 9, 2010
    Bogotazo, Oct 9, 2010
    #3
  4. Rumsfeld

    Rumsfeld Moderator Staff Member

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    **** no! Anyone who thinks he was a "face first brawler" probably didn't see much of early Mike's work.

    He had exceptional all around boxing skills which ENABLED him to use his explosive speed and strength to his advantage.

    Tyson was actually a pretty smart fighter, too.

    When the intimidation factor didn't work and people stood up to him, he can sometimes lose focus (and I'm referring to pre-Douglas), but he was quite good at making adjustments and trickier than given credit for by many.
     
    Rumsfeld, Oct 9, 2010
    Rumsfeld, Oct 9, 2010
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  5. ed7890

    ed7890 Col. Hunter Gathers Full Member

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    Thats the best post I've seen from you in ages Jack. Early Tyson had bucket-loads of skill and was a great boxer. The fact that he was a KO artist has overshadowed how good he was in his early fights.
     
    ed7890, Oct 9, 2010
    ed7890, Oct 9, 2010
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  6. Fighting Weight

    Fighting Weight Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    My memory may be a little bit faded but the first time I ever remember anyone saying that Tyson got caught and hurt was against Tucker in the first round when Tucker caught him with an uppercut that stopped him in his tracks for about 2 seconds.

    Pretty impressive if he was a 'face first brawler' I'd have said, considering the opponents he'd mown down on the way to that fight.

    Face first brawler? Nonsense. Prime Tyson was hell on wheels for any HW champ in history.
     
    Fighting Weight, Oct 9, 2010
    Fighting Weight, Oct 9, 2010
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  7. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

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    A prime Tyson is the opposite of face-first. He was an awesome boxing machine in his prime that was as defensive as you could be while trying to murder someone and eat their children and stomp on their testicles.
     
    Boxed Ears, Oct 9, 2010
    Boxed Ears, Oct 9, 2010
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  8. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think you can just about get away with calling him that, if you're JUST referring you him at the end of his career. Even then, against Williams, he showed signs of good skills, but he just lacked the agility, speed, or perhaps more to the point, the youth, to pull those skills off.
     
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
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  9. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I agree, mate.

    Do you think to people who don't analyze fights, that big punchers tend to be viewed as limited? In the same way that I think agile fighters tend to be seen as elusive, though that's not always the case. There's a lot of generalizations about boxers with certain attributes.

    I would never consider Tyson a brawler though. Even if you don't look at his fights, where you clearly see he is a very good technician, just listen to D'Amato or Rooney. They both clearly say that Tyson was always trained to be a boxer.
     
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
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  10. Leon

    Leon The Artful Dodger Full Member

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    No.

    Tyson had excellent head movement for someone who fought that aggressively. I call him a swarmer.
     
    Leon, Oct 9, 2010
    Leon, Oct 9, 2010
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  11. Jack

    Jack Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Agreed, but apart from his head movement, he had good defensive skill though as well. He had a very good guard, could pick shots off, could counter. His footwork was very good too. Obviously the offensive side of him will always get the most praise and even there, he looks like Alexis Arguello or Ike Williams at times with his precision punching. The way he moves his body in to place, then fired off a combination is pure skill.
     
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
    Jack, Oct 9, 2010
    #11
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  12. Fighting Weight

    Fighting Weight Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yeah but since when has it been fair to make a description of a fighter based on their final few fights?

    If that's the case how would Ali be remembered? Or Holmes? Or Louis? Or Leonard, Duran, Jones Jr, Hearns etc etc etc.....

    You have to look at the best versions, not the worst. Tyson was not in any way shape or means a face first brawler. Maybe once he hit 30+ yes but before that, no chance.
     
    Fighting Weight, Oct 9, 2010
    Fighting Weight, Oct 9, 2010
    #12
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  13. Colpolite

    Colpolite Guest

    The only face first no defense fighter is Ricky Hatton
     
    Colpolite, Oct 9, 2010
    Colpolite, Oct 9, 2010
    #13
  14. Bodysnatcher

    Bodysnatcher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    edit
     
    Bodysnatcher, Oct 9, 2010
    Bodysnatcher, Oct 9, 2010
    #14
  15. GOW7

    GOW7 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The best way I can describe Tyson is much like Roberto Duran since both guys technical skill is over looked by causal fans. You just see the beasts they are and can assume they're brawlers easily.
     
    GOW7, Oct 9, 2010
    GOW7, Oct 9, 2010
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