Why did Evander Holyfield have a better heavyweight career in heavyweight

techks · Jul 5, 2023

InMemoryofJakeLamotta said: ↑

Sure, but you can't deny it gave him the physicality he needed to be successful. Holyfield was 187 pounds I believe, when he became cruiserweight champion. How do you think his fights against Tyson, Bowe or Lewis go if he enters the ring at 187-190 pounds?

Now, a 187-190 pound Holyfield would have been a heavyweight in times past. And a damn good one. I think he could have been as successful as say Floyd Patterson or Archie Moore or Jerry Quarry at heavyweight if 190 pound Holyfield fought in the 70s or prior HW division. But to survive among the 90s giants over a long period of time, he needed the extra "help".
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Indeed. I'm a hundred percent sure he was juicing against Tyson.

techks · Jul 5, 2023

slash said: ↑

What it amounts to is Holyfield on steroids vs. other heavyweights on steroids. Lewis-Holyfield 2 is amazing in a way.

And Holyfield-Tyson 2 is interesting because they both came in so much "improved" from their 1st fight. That was much closer to what a fight in '91 may have looked like. Of course Holyfield would have won then too.

He always beats Tyson, going back to when he slapped Tyson around at the '84 Olympic tryouts (although steroids were probably rampant in the '84 Olympics also). That's why he couldn't wait to get Tyson in the ring in '89-'90.. he already bossed Tyson around in '84 and then had to listen to how great Tyson was in '88. There you go.
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I get u but that wasn't 86-88 Tyson so it remains in question how Holyfield would've dealt w that version of Mike. Ofc its Mike's fault they couldn't have fought in 90-91.

Barrf · Jul 5, 2023

lone star said: ↑

Personally, I believe Tyson did use post-prison. There were reports/accounts that his weight was down to 190 or so when he was released and yet a few months later he was a ripped 220 vs. Peter McNeeley.

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Tyson had such ridiculous genetics for muscle mass though. Between those genes, muscle memory, and lifting for the first time (I don't think he actually started with weights seriously until post-prison), I could see him doing it naturally.

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Why did Evander Holyfield have a better heavyweight career in heavyweight

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Why did Evander Holyfield have a better heavyweight career in heavyweight

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