How is Tyson not the greatest heavyweight puncher?

[ykdadamaja]

Tyson may not be the greatest puncher of all time because he relied too much on speed, timing, combinations and not raw power.

Tyson's timing was impeccable... accurate and timed precisely.

[Master]

Tyson may not be the greatest puncher of all time because he relied too much on speed, timing, combinations and not raw power.

Tyson's timing was impeccable... accurate and timed precisely.

He also weighed only 220lb. I am sounding like Max Power now, where is that twat gone?

[Beanflicker]

Sure, he blew out lots of people early on with one punch, but by and large they were early career cannon fodder. Later on, if you notice, he didn't get that many one punch kayos.

Ok well from when he fought the world champ on, I can think of...

Berbick, Tubbs, Spinks, Carl Williams, Tillman, Frans Botha, Etienne as one punch KO's. Those are world class guys (at the time anyway) going down from one punch.

[cambay411]

I will probably get alot of shit for saying this but Tyson is underrated. Even tho he is underrated he still should have been better than what he was.

Why is he underrated? For the exact reason the OP started this thread. Tyson has more 1st round KO's than anyone ever im sure and this in itself proves he is the best puncher/KO artist of all time. No one KO'd dudes like Tyson.

Its easy to forget what Tyson did and remember what he didnt do (understandably so).

We have never had to wonder so much about what a fighter could have been. And we have never seen a fighter not live up to there potential so much has Tyson but he is still an ATG. Its as amazing as it is disappointing.

[powerpuncher]

i guess it depends on your definition of puncher then. i definitely think that he would be in the top 3. i dont think that he is a top 10 HW ever but as for a pure puncher, i agree that he should be among the top few.

I define it as the combination of everything put together: speed, power, accuracy, combination ability, types of punches able to utilize, ect.

So many times when we mention big punchers we mention guys like Hearns, Frazier, Trinidad, ect, and fair enough, but they were more or less known for knocking guys out with one hand or even one particular punch. How many guys did Frazier KO with his right, or Hearns with his left? Tyson could take your jaw off your face with any punch in the book. He knocked guys out/down with everything, right hooks to the body, left uppercuts to the head. He was the perfect punching machine.

And then if you look at the guys who could knock guys out with either hand, did they have anywhere near the speed or technique that Tyson had? Hell no. I don't know who could possibly outrank Tyson? Marciano? Great puncher, two handed power, he was no Mike Tyson. Foreman was slow and wild.

if thats your definition then i would say its definitely between him and joe louis (sorry about using the old fighter reference).

[ross]

Couple of things that Tyson did that others couldn't that show Tysons class.

Nail Holmes to the canvas.

Unify all three belts and keep them unified for 7 defences (simce the emergence of the three major belts don't think anyone from any weight has done that!). He beat 3 seperate title holders then defended against the rest of the top ten and then lineal champ leaving absolutely no argument over who was the best and this was done in just 3 years!

[X]

Sure, he blew out lots of people early on with one punch, but by and large they were early career cannon fodder. Later on, if you notice, he didn't get that many one punch kayos.

Ok well from when he fought the world champ on, I can think of...

Berbick, Tubbs, Spinks, Carl Williams, Tillman, Frans Botha, Etienne as one punch KO's. Those are world class guys (at the time anyway) going down from one punch.

yeah, you could argue that. The point I was trying to make is that Berbick and Williams (at least) were actually stopped on their feet. They had got up but were in no fit state to continue. Spinks had already been knocked down, and Tyson then finished him off. I think Tyson was a fearsome puncher, but in his prime he didn't overly rely on that like he did later, he threw combinations and it was his skill at finishing off people that was his greatest strength rather than his pure punching power.

[FinitoElDinamita]

Combination of technique, snap, and punch placement, prime tyson was the best HW puncher of all time.. plus he was probably the best body puncher too.

[ross]

Sure, he blew out lots of people early on with one punch, but by and large they were early career cannon fodder. Later on, if you notice, he didn't get that many one punch kayos.

Ok well from when he fought the world champ on, I can think of...

Berbick, Tubbs, Spinks, Carl Williams, Tillman, Frans Botha, Etienne as one punch KO's. Those are world class guys (at the time anyway) going down from one punch.

yeah, you could argue that. The point I was trying to make is that Berbick and Williams (at least) were actually stopped on their feet. They had got up but were in no fit state to continue. Spinks had already been knocked down, and Tyson then finished him off. I think Tyson was a fearsome puncher, but in his prime he didn't overly rely on that like he did later, he threw combinations and it was his skill at finishing off people that was his greatest strength rather than his pure punching power.

The ref stopped Berbick from falling back down!

[erics44]

tyson was also Brunos bogey man

bruno being the best HW of all time thats something not to be sniffed at

[IamInuit]

I've been looking at "greatest puncher" lists and I'm very surprised to see that people actually rate several heavyweights as better punchers than Tyson.

I get it, I get it. Rating old timers above relatively newer guys makes you look more knowledgable... yeesh.

Were there guys that hit harder? Probably. Were there guys with faster hands? Probably.

But who had that combination of technique, speed and power? The ability to hurt a guy with any punch (including a jab), the ability to switch up between the head and the body?

Someone actually rated Joe Frazier as a better puncher than Mike Tyson. I wish I could spit in his face in person.

You know that could be true at times for people but its also true that there have been many big heavyweight punchers throughout boxing history. By saying what you did, you are doing the very same thing that you accuse others of doing. You are saying Tyson "is" regardless. I was going to chuck a few names out there but I wont. Tyson is the biggest puncher ever and nobody else even matters. I wouldn't want anybody to think that I'm acting smart or making it seem like I know something. Power in the heavyweight division begins in 1985 and ends in 2005.

[Spicoli]

Tyson's detonation of Botha was one of his most impressive one and done for me. He looked like he was hit with a 100mph bowling bowl. Tubbs though had been sparked more impressively by a Butler. Etienne. No

[Beanflicker]

You know that could be true at times for people but its also true that there have been many big heavyweight punchers throughout boxing history. By saying what you did, you are doing the very same thing that you accuse others of doing. You are saying Tyson "is" regardless. I was going to chuck a few names out there but I wont. Tyson is the biggest puncher ever and nobody else even matters. I wouldn't want anybody to think that I'm acting smart or making it seem like I know something. Power in the heavyweight division begins in 1985 and ends in 2005.

Now don't start getting butt hurt and using that sarcasm nonsense, let's talk about it like two boxing fans.

Who do you have in mind?

And I'm not talking about pure power. There is absolutely no doubt it my mind that guys like Shavers, Foreman, and probably quite a few others had more pure power than Tyson. Foreman had to have insane pure power because he was a wild-swinging, inaccurate slow motherfucker.

I'm talking the whole package: one-punch KO power in each hand, speed, technique, combination ability, types of punches used, ect.

Who do you have in mind? I'm totally open to suggestions.

But if you say John L Sullivan, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, or something along that line... you gotta get real man!

[Master]

Joe Louis had power, he had great timing. Jack Johnson knocking out Ketchell was brutal too. Rocky had raw power, did you see the shoulders of Dempsey? Murderous punchers.

[Beanflicker]

Joe Louis had power, he had great timing. Jack Johnson knocking out Ketchell was brutal too. Rocky had raw power, did you see the shoulders of Dempsey? Murderous punchers.

Great punchers. Murderous punchers.

I'm not saying everyone else stinks, Joe Louis and Marciano were brutal.

I just think when you consider everything, putting it all together, Tyson was the perfect punching machine.