Which fight showed the decline of Mike Tyson?

But it was.

 

I like how you put that, that he lost his technical ability, but the power, speed, and stamina was still there.

 

Bruno.

This was Tysons first fight without Rooney.

He didnt move his head well and got briefly rocked.

 

I thought Mike could have had a good run at heavyweight from '95 on if he had faced people more dangerous than McNeeley and Mathis, but fought people less dangerous than Holyfield. I don't necessarily think Tyson was worse as a fighter, but I think Holyfield just knew how to fight and beat Tyson and put it into action. If they'd fought in '89 or '90 I have no doubt Holyfield would have beaten Tyson (though with more difficulty). Also, that Seldon farce does not boost his credibility.

 

Why not?

Most of us watched his whole career up to that point while you werent yet thought of by your parents.

 

Ya, I agree. He didn't floor Bruno clean, and he didn't stop him clean. Still, for those who say Tyson had a "granite" chin, this is one of the greatest proofs for Tyson's chin.

 

The Carl Williams fight came afterwards though, and although I think the ref was too hasty, Tyson looked great and landed a perfect right hand that dropped Williams.

 

Very true, but I can and have watched most of Tyson's fights, which does not put me at much of a disadvantage (unless I'm half-blind and I don't know it?).

 

The second Mitch Green fight in Spanky's boutique for gay pugilists really was the beginning of the end and the end of the beginning.

 

My error.

 

Many might disagree with me, but Tyson was riding high after the Michael Spinks fight, he had momentum on his side. He was like a finely tuned automobile. But in all fairness, psychologically he was starting to show mental impairment prior to the Douglas fight. He did have too many Hanger On' s. Too many Yes people much like Muhammad Ali had in his later years. I have also mentioned before, too many outside domestic distractions, which he lacked the adult maturity to handle at that point in his life. it would have been a matter of time that his fighter trainer relationship with Kevin Rooney would have erupted. Mike would have felt that Rooney was all business, and no play. Tyson lost the desire and interest in the fight game. In Tokyo this was evident, lack of intense training, late nights with the ladies of the evening, which is strongly forbidden prior to a match. He believed in his newspaper clippings, figured he would blow out James Buster Douglas, but he met an opponent that had nothing to lose, who dealt better with numerous tragic outside distractions, and won.

 

Bruno no doubt.

People point to the Truth Williams fight as proof that Tyson wasn't in decline, but Tyson landed one shot, a left hook, which was proven to be Truth's kryptonite. Ferguson decked Williams twice with left hooks, Weaver KO'd him with a left hook and Tyson lands one flush left hook and it was over.

Tyson looked better against Ruddock in 1991, the best he had looked since Spinks. But I think it's proof that despite Tyson's decline in skill, if he trained hard and came to a fight prepared that he might still be the best heavyweight out there.