What was tyson s best post jail performance?

For everyone not looking for excuses for his subsequent losses (which includes everyone at the time) that was an impressive performance. It's bizarre how all his dominating KO's past Spinks gets downgraded in order to excuse his losses.

 

Yes, Golota was his only worthwhile opponent between Holy and Lewis. Don't know why he mostly met dross during those years, but it doesn't matter much. Holy clearly wasn't an option and had he faced Lewis earlier he'd still lose. He could have beaten another couple of contenders - I'd still favor him against anyone besides Holy, Lewis and Vitaly during this time - but that wouldn't make much difference.

 

The second Bruno fight was a very good performance. As good as some of his "prime" wins, in my opinion. People can pick holes in it certainly, but often the ones who are motivated to do so are the first to holler foul play if you point out flaws in some of his prime performances.

The loss to Holyfield was a better performance overall, proved more really, standing up to Holyfield for 11 rounds with Tyson's style wasn't easy.
But it depends on your opinion of Bruno's quality, I guess. I consider him too inferior to Tyson (and Holyfield) to count for an awful lot.

 

I think Bruno was pretty much like most of the fighters made his bones off. Big and powerful with a good jab, but also somewhat slow and robotic. Not very different from Berbick, Smith and Ruddock. But while blasting out guys like that meant a lot pre Spinks it's apparently close to nothing afterwards.

For my obey, Tyson got beat by guys that showed him something substantially different.

 

My recollection was being worried for Holyfield, he had those heart issues hanging over him around this time.

 

Savarese post fight presser?

 

Some people were.
During the time that Tyson was jailed Holyfield was fighting the best heavyweights out there. Not guys like Bruno and Seldon but the true top heavyweights like Foreman, Bowe and Moorer as well as Ray Mercer. He lost a couple but he had the feel of the ring and he was battle tested. At the time I felt that Evander could take Tyson into the mid/late rounds and have a good shot to at least find out what Tyson was made of. Too much was also made out of the Bobby Czyz fight.

 

The weirdest part of his matchmaking was the Julius Frances fight. He was a completely unworthy opponent. I can understand why they wanted a U.K. opponent and the pool was limited, but you'd think they could've done better.

 

The Bruno fight stands out. aesthetically it was a brilliant finish and had people thinking the old Tyson was back. It did its job in terms of hype even though it was clear he wasn't as sharp. It ended Bruno's career, he was no push over but was beaten before the bell. Frank was hyped up for the fight but it looked like the reality hit him, he knew Tyson always had his number even if he wasn't at his best. Post prison is patchy at best, he wasn't even a real fighter after Holyfield, just a side show.

 

The problem was that Tyson would get his money and a title shot regardless of his opponent. I think Botha gave him a scare so they eased off tough match ups.

 

that fight was another circus. after being out for biting off Holyfled's ear could anyone take him seriously as a fighter again? Tyson was mentally shot and looking for a way out again against Botha when it looked like things were not going his way. how on earth he was allowed to keep fighting is beyond me, then the Saverese mess. He shouldn't really have been fighting by this time but his name allowed him to. the game was up but the circus continued, Lennox even tried to get some credit for beating this Tyson and to this day still does...

Tyson's post prison career is an exercise in how to take a giant dump on your own legancy

 

I don't really take issue with the Savarese fight. The ref had no business officiating that. He didn't show authority because he was scared to properly break up the fight and as a result Tyson didn't even realize the fight ended. That wouldn't have happened with Richard Steele.

 

I dunno, the ref wasnt the greatest but it looked like Tyson was out of control to me. the ref was clearly between them for a significant amount of time but Mike punches around him! you could say in the heat of battle he didn't realise but its a stretch imo. Tyson was just a shot away mentally I think at that point?

 

The last shot was a little bit much but he stopped throwing when he registered that the fight ended. I remember Tua saying it was no big deal in the heat of the moment.

Anyway, that was Tyson's best performance post prison. He did everything right and the fight didn't go long enough for him to show flaws. The problem was technically after the fight and not during.