Who really was the best fighter Tyson fought while Champion

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by punchy, Dec 25, 2007.


  1. punchy

    punchy Well-Known Member Full Member

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    After reading the article by James Slater on Tysons wins should we rate Spinxs as his best win and Holmes a great win as well, surely Douglas, Tucker and Thomas would have beaten Spinxs who is overrated and Holmes who at 38 had come out of retirement for a good payday. I agree with Slater that Tyson's competition was very solid but not the order. I have included Douglas in the poll even though he defeated Tyson the poll is not about Tyson's wins but who was teh best fighter he fought while champion in his first reign. Your thoughts please.
     
  2. sthomas

    sthomas Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Tucker may have been @ the time of their fight. Undefeated, beat Buster, had real good skills. They fought when Tyson was peaking too. Too bad Tony fell off the rails after Tyson beat him.
     
  3. Woddy

    Woddy Guest

    I voted for Tucker simply because he gave Tyson a better match than the others, and the Douglas fiasco was more of a result of Tyson being unprepared. Not to mention, Tucker did in fact beat Douglas. It should however be noted that Trevor Berbick probably had better credentials and was still reasonably close to his prime than most of Tyson's other victoms.
     
  4. Sonny's jab

    Sonny's jab Guest

    Spinks or Holmes, IMO.

    I think Pinklon Thomas was better than Tony Tucker.

    I'd say we're talking about 8 or 9 fighters who are all roughly on the same level though.
     
  5. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    Can't believe 6 people have voted for that lummox Tucker. If he's the best 'prime Tyson' fought then on re-evaluation that could be the worst era of all-time. :huh
     
  6. brownpimp88

    brownpimp88 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    i highly doubt its the worst era of all times. Tim witherspoon and holyfield were also fighting in the heavyweight division during that era.

    Take a look at the eras of jack dempsey and joe louis. Billy conn was his #1 contender for like 3 years. The 1928-1934 era was by far the worst.
     
  7. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    I agree. Grandad Larry would have beaten Tucker and Thomas & Spinks were much better fighters. Tucker's very stern beard took him the distance, togther with his awkward 'passive' style (and his great height did him no harm either). I know i've said it before but he was merely a black Joe Bugner.
     
  8. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    I've never thought it the worst era of all-time. My point was if Tucker was the best out there, then on re-evaluation it must be one of them.
     
  9. brownpimp88

    brownpimp88 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    1940

    1941

    1942

    Joe Louis, Champion

    1. Max Baer
    2. Arturo Godoy
    3. Red Burman
    4. Abe Simon
    5. Buddy Walker
    6. Buddy Baer
    7. Pat Comiskey
    8. Lee Savold
    9. Otis Thomas
    10. Lem Franklin



    Joe Louis, Champion

    1. Billy Conn
    2. Lem Franklin
    3. Bob Pastor
    4. Melio Bettina
    5. Abe Simon
    6. Turkey Thompson
    7. Buddy Baer
    8. Lou Nova
    9. Arturo Godoy
    10. Roscoe Toles



    Joe Louis*, Champion

    1. Jimmy Bivins
    2. Tami Mauriello
    3. Turkey Thompson
    4. Roscoe Toles
    5. Harry Bobo
    6. Big Boy Brown
    7. Lee Savold
    8. Lou Brooks
    9. Tony Musto
    10. Joey Maxim

    That is joe louis's era. From 1940-1942, those were his top 10 contenders.

    This is the tyson era from 1986-1989, as you can see its alot better.

    1986

    1987

    Michael Spinks, Champion

    1. Mike Tyson
    2. James (Bonecrusher) Smith
    3. Pinklon Thomas
    4. Tim Witherspoon
    5. Tony Tubbs
    6. Trevor Berbick
    7. James (Buster) Douglas
    8. Tony Tucker
    9. Frank Bruno
    10. Tyrell Biggs



    Michael Spinks, Champion

    1. Mike Tyson
    2. Evander Holyfield
    3. Tony Tucker
    4. Tim Witherspoon
    5. Pinklon Thomas
    6. Carl Williams
    7. Trevor Berbick
    8. Adilson Rodrigues
    9. Tyrell Biggs
    10. Mike Weaver

    1988

    1989

    Mike Tyson, Champion

    1. Evander Holyfield
    2. Carl Williams
    3. Adilson Rodrigues
    4. Tim Witherspoon
    5. Michael Dokes
    6. Razor Ruddock
    7. Tony Tucker
    8. Orlin Norris
    9. James (Buster) Douglas
    10. Francesco Damiani


    Title Vacant

    1. Mike Tyson
    2. Evander Holyfield
    3. Michael Dokes
    4. Francesco Damiani
    5. Tim Witherspoon
    6. Orlin Norris
    7. James (Buster) Douglas
    8. Carl Williams
    9. Razor Ruddock
    10. Gary Mason
     
  10. My dinner with Conteh

    My dinner with Conteh Tending Bepi Ros' grave again Full Member

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    Yeah, the 90s was a very good era, 80s was ok. But Tucker? I'd like to know what impressed people so much about him, cause i certainly ****ing missed it. He NEVER convincingly beat anyone any good. He look ok when losing once or twice and that's about it. The time he claimed a trinket was in the days when fatty Douglas was a quitter with no stamina.
     
  11. brownpimp88

    brownpimp88 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Personally i think he was a decent fighter, not great but he has beaten contenders. Head to head, he would probably beat alot of guys from the old days.
     
  12. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Billy Conn was the No1 contender for 3 years because the rankings were frozen over the war. No fighter who was ranked before the war could be downgraded untill after the war.

    After the war Conn had been inactive for years but he leapfroged over the heads of fighters like Jimmy Bivins and Tami Maurelio who had done all the work during the war.
     
  13. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    I voted for Larry Holmes.

    Even then I think he was the best tyson fought. We cant ignore the fact that he went on to beat Ray Mercer.
     
  14. Robbi

    Robbi Marvelous Full Member

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    Tyson's best win while champion was probably against Tucker, followed closely by Thomas. Ruddock was also one of his best wins, but that was a non title fight. Spinks was a light-heavyweight, and Holmes was past his sell by date.

    The best fighter he ever fought, win or lose, was Holmes IMO. Although some others might say Holyfield or Lewis.
     
  15. brownpimp88

    brownpimp88 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    you have to admit tyson's era was better. I mean his contenders were holyfield, bruno, pinklon, witherspoon, old holmes, berbick, buster douglas, carl willaims, dokes, etc. His era was pretty good actually.