What if Mike Tyson had fought for the Heavy Weight title...

[Hulk]

What if Tyson had gotten a crack at the undisputed Heavy Weight Championship after Lennox Lewis had been KO'd by Hasim Rahman. So around 2001. Do you think Mike would have been able to knock Rahman out, becoming the only HW in history to have held the title in three differnt decades? I would have to say Yes. Not that Rahman wouldn't have a chance, he would if he could hang in there long enough. But Tyson would have had a damn good shot of knocking him out cold at that time in my mind.

[oakleyno1]

yeah its true, he could definetly of beaten him

[cockey cockney]

Yeah i wonder what this would of done in terms of Mike's greatness if he did that, which im very confident he could of done. Or people might just say hes living of Lennox's leftovers?!

[El Kabong]

YES Tyson would have beaten Hasim because Hasim although physically gifted, has the longest arms in the division today but doesn't use it to his advantage.

Rahman is not a smart fighter, he's not trained in a smart manner, he doesn't fight in a smart manner, and it has haunted him in his career, examples:

1. Lost to Oleg Maskaev TWICE the same way...he tried to brawl AGAIN and got KO'd AGAIN.

2. In training for a rematch with Lennox Lewis he used Monte Barrett and DaVaryl Williamson as sparring partners for the 6'5 250 pound heavyweight.

3. He has hired and fired NUMEROUS trainers in search of a good style to suit him...Buddy McGirt would have done him well had Hasim listened to him.

[El Kabong]

...it would have been a great fight to see as would these Tyson fights that could have happened:

Oleg Maskaev
Kirk Johnson
John Ruiz
Chris Byrd
Michael Moorer
Vassily Jirov
Jameel McCline
Shannon Briggs
Riddick Bowe
Vitali Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
(South Africa) Corey Sanders
James Toney
Roy Jones Jr.
Lamon Brewster

In my opinion he would neither have lost all of them or won all of them but they would have been better theater than ooooh let's say the Savarese debacle

[ElTerribleMorales]

i think that Tyson was completely done after the FIRST loss to Holyfield, he completely broke down in the rematch and after that continued to just further damage his legacy, I honestly think that he could have won the title from Rahman, but again he wouldn't of gotten any real credit, the people would have wanted to see Tyson/Holyfield III and then he'd go and have another breakdown

[stebs]

i think that Tyson was completely done after the FIRST loss to Holyfield, he completely broke down in the rematch and after that continued to just further damage his legacy, I honestly think that he could have won the title from Rahman, but again he wouldn't of gotten any real credit, the people would have wanted to see Tyson/Holyfield III and then he'd go and have another breakdown

Tyson's legacy is set in stone as the youngest and most devastating heavyweight of his time if not of all time, name another heavyweight who brought the excitement Tyson did. He has another legacy to go with the first one too, but he'll always be remembered and brought up in the heavyweight talks. So he has a two legacy's that people will talk about for years and years that will never go away.

[ElTerribleMorales]

true, but also when you talk abou this legacy you'll have no choice but to bring up his drastic decline after his loss to Douglas, and then even worse his loss to Holyfield, IMO Holyfield was a more EXCITING HW cause he would fight his opponants fight and for the most part still come out the winner

[oakleyno1]

Tyson showed he was a warrior, vs razor ruddock, mayb ruddock wasnt a holyfeild but he sure fought his bst hes ever fought vs mike, imo that was good enough to show tyson had a chin and a heart

[stebs]

true, but also when you talk abou this legacy you'll have no choice but to bring up his drastic decline after his loss to Douglas, and then even worse his loss to Holyfield, IMO Holyfield was a more EXCITING HW cause he would fight his opponants fight and for the most part still come out the winner

Everything has to be brought up, thats what legacy's are all about and Tyson has several actually, youngest heavy champ, devastating puncher, rapist, overall nut job after biting Holyfield, we all know he's been done for a long time now but he still generates all kind of interest and some still want him to fight.

As far as Holyfield, I have been a big fan ever since he beat Ricky Womack of Detroit in the Olympic boxoff's 2 straight times. His disqualification in the Olympics may have made him a bigger star starting his pro career then if he would have came home with the gold. ( Same with RJJ) Holyfield was great and I always rooted for him and especially against Tyson. I never liked those loud mouth a**holes like Tyson and dare I say it Ali. But their all great and will go down in history regardless of what they do now.

[ethanpiazza]

i think tyson would have ebaten rahman. shame taht the fith never happened. i would have liked to have seen a 1995 version of mike in with todays best HWs. it would be interesting to see what taht version of him could accomplish.

[Mintymen]

Hey 90's Mike wasn good well aside from losses to Evander and Buster. He won World Championships and gave us excitement and of course the highest PPVs available.

[ross]

This fight was going to happen before Lewis took Rahman to court to enforce the rematch clause. He was scared Rahman would lose to Mike then his rematch with Hasim meant nothing, he then took Mike to court to stop a Mercer warm up fight just before their match, he was to scared Mike would sharpen up

This is one reason that proves Lennox never really wanted to fight Mike while he was a going concern in 96 rather than enforce his mandatory he gladly took the money and ran

[TheBESTP4P]

COOL CLICK HULK thats rather interesting

[Tito BHB]

well considering lennox did rahman in the rematch in 5 ( wasnt it? think it was)
i think tyson...though past his prime still! would have knocked the rock out
would have been a sweet accomplishment and would have been a sweet time to retire too!!
cc for hulk!! i never even thought of this situation it something to think about!! guess there was no chance lennox wast gona get an imediate rematch though! im pretty glad lennox got the immediate rematch it was a sweet fight
peace