What if Tyson didn't go to jail?

Nothing would have been much different.

Tyson left his original team after the Spinks fight in 1988. In his next fight against Bruno most could see his elusive head moment wasn’t what it had been as Bruno connected more than he should have.

By 1990 the original Iron Mike Tyson was in the middle of multiple divorces. One divorce from Givens, one from Bill Cayton (His Business Manager) and one divorce from the peek a boo style that made him a success. Tyson in short was doomed before he went to prison. Mike Tyson credits prison as good though, saying it saved his life and allowed him to re focus on boxing. Had he not rediscovered his passion while in prison, I see him losing to Holyfield in 91.

However the damage was done. The combination of prison time, which screwed with his timing, and the erosion of a defensive oriented boxer into a power punching headhunter allowed Mike to be beaten, not by better men but by himself.

 

Yeh, this an excellent couple of sentences. My thinking exactly, but I couldn't really put my finger on the wording for it, but I think this nailed it.

99% of M. Tyson clips have him on the offensive, but his defense was masterful pre-prison.

One reason why I'm keen to see Usyk fight at HW is that he kind of expresses himself with his defensive moves.

 

At the time, I told everyone Evander was gonna beat him, I won money on Holy. Tyson might beat Holy in the future in one of these exhibition fights. However, in their primes, I don't believe Mike is ever beating Holyfield. He couldn't intimidate Holyfield like he could the rest. Evanders intestional fortitude would always bring Mike undone. I honestly believe that. Plus if Tyson doesn't go to jail, he faces a fresher Holy, who hasn't yet been through the Bowe wars.

 

One of the biggest fights boxing never got

 

The #1 missed fight of all time.. Prime 23 yr undefeated undisputed Mike Tyson vs Prime 28 yr undefeated undisputed Evander Holyfield.. Buster Douglas stopped that from happening smh..
Side note: What if Ali didn’t miss those 5 years in the middle of his prime..

 

If Ali didn’t miss those five years he likely would’ve gotten brain damage a lot sooner

 

Probably more of the same in the ring, and more horrifying events outside it.

Now what if he got a little bit of The Toad after the Douglas fight? Holyfield might either have more or fewer complete ears depending on where Mike's new expanded perspective led him.

 

idk man the reason he was hit alot after those 5 years is because he was heavier and a tad bit slower..

 

Yes but imagine all the blows to the head and gym wars he avoided during those years

 

Well we would of probably got a far more competitive Tyson/Holyfield fight than we got. But I still see Evander prevailing, he just had Tyson's number, could take his power, bully him on the clinches, push him back and gradually break him down.

Maybe we would of gotten Tyson/Bowe instead of one of those lame first 2 title defences Bowe and Newman gave us when they were ducking Lewis. That would of been a hell of a fight and if it had happened then Tyson might of regained the belts, only to lose them again to Holyfield in a rematch.

 

The likes of Holyfield and Bowe would have beaten him and sent him into early retirement.

 

Ali was only out for 3 years, not 5.

 

He probably would have beaten holyfield if they fought earlier

 

Great summary