Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mikeeod
Tyson was a great heavyweight, but he is a level below Evander, Lennox, Klitschkos...etc. He feasted in one of the sorriest bunch if heavyweights ever. It was great that he forced guys to start training for fear of fighting him out of shape, but he never beat a great fighter who was still in his prime. Holmes was well past his best when they fought, and Spinks was a light heavy who was intimidated and showed up for his paycheck. Any elite fighter he faced that had the mentality to beat him didn't just beat him, they knocked him out. I like Mike Tyson. I think he was a hard worker and exciting fighter to watch. I feel bad for the way he was taken advantage if throughout his life and I feel like he took being sentenced to prison for a crime he didn't commit like a man. The myth of prime Tyson, however, has reached ridiculous levels. He is above guys like Berbick, Page, Tubbs, Tucker, Bruno... Etc., but not on the level of Holmes, Holyfield, Lewis and certainly not anywhere near Ali and Louis.
Same old crap spouted by anyone wanting to diminish Tysons acheivments.
Mike fought and beat 3 separate, defending belt holders, the lineal champ and anihalated an all time great who went on to give Mercer his first loss and push Holyfield hard for 12 rounds 6 years after he retired!! In between that he beat the rest of the division and held the three titles together in 6 successful title defences. No other fighter in any other division has made 6 successive defences of all three titles!
Who did "Evander, Lennox and Klitschko" beat that proved to be any better than any fighter Tyson beat?
Holmes beats any of their opponents. In fact the Holmes that Tyson beat probably had enough left to beat Holyfield. He pushed him close 4 years after being flattened by Tyson.
Spinks would probably beat Holyfield also.
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mikeeod
Tyson was a great heavyweight, but he is a level below Evander, Lennox, Klitschkos...etc. He feasted in one of the sorriest bunch if heavyweights ever. It was great that he forced guys to start training for fear of fighting him out of shape, but he never beat a great fighter who was still in his prime. Holmes was well past his best when they fought, and Spinks was a light heavy who was intimidated and showed up for his paycheck. Any elite fighter he faced that had the mentality to beat him didn't just beat him, they knocked him out. I like Mike Tyson. I think he was a hard worker and exciting fighter to watch. I feel bad for the way he was taken advantage if throughout his life and I feel like he took being sentenced to prison for a crime he didn't commit like a man. The myth of prime Tyson, however, has reached ridiculous levels. He is above guys like Berbick, Page, Tubbs, Tucker, Bruno... Etc., but not on the level of Holmes, Holyfield, Lewis and certainly not anywhere near Ali and Louis.
I agree with Ali and Louis because Ali beat greater fighters and Louis showed consistency with 25 defences but Holyfield was too inconsistent, Lewis was vulnerable early and the Klit brothers a league below.
Yes Berbick, Thomas, Tubbs, Tucker, Bruno, Spinks and Holmes (old) were not brilliant but the way he beat them demonstrated he was a great fighter.
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mikeeod
Did u watch the Holmes vs Holyfield fight? I did. Holmes didn't push him hard at all, Evander is a counterpuncher and Holmes fought at a measured pace. It's not like it was a close or disputed decision. As for who Evander beat that was good or better than Tyson's sorry bunch of opponents: Riddick Bowe was light years better than anyone Tuson ever beat. Moorer was better than anyone Tyson beat. Tyson was a 15-1 favorite, and better than anyone Tyson beat. I agree that Evander was inconsistent, but that was due to him fighting EVERY tough fighter he could get in the ring with. He also has more historical accomplishments than Tyson. You can't name one elite fighter that Mike beat while that fighter was active and in his prime. Not one. Spinks was tiny and got two disputed decisions over an old Holmes. Holmes was out of the ring for years and was blown out by Tyson, partially because he walked in off the street with no tune ups unlike when he fought Mercer n Evander. If guys were scared of Mike, he was a terror. When guys fought back for more than 5 rounds, Mike broke mentally.
Moorer? Please! You normally write sensible posts, remember what Tua did to Micheal? Moorer would not last 30 seconds.
Tyson beat plenty of fighter after 5 rounds, it was not that simple.
Holyfield was lucky he did not face a prime Tyson otherwise he would have been obliterated.
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Fair points about Holyfield @mikeeod but disagree if Moorer can get knocked out by Foreman he can get knocked out by Tyson, styles makes fights and Tyson is all wrong for Moorer.
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mikeeod
2 more points.
1) Lennox cleaned out the division completely and beat Evander and Vitali, both of whom were better than anyone Tyson beat (thought Evander won the rematch with Lewis though). He also destroyed Ruddock (who Tyson struggled with), Morrison, Michael Grant, Golota, Shannon Briggs and Rahman (rematch). He won a war vs Mercer, who when in shape like he was for this fight was better than most of Tyson's opponents.
2) pretty sure Hop defended all three belts more than 6 times. I hate doing this because I'm a fan of Mikes, but if u look at his record he doesn't have that many great wins or great competition. He just doesn't.
Hopkins matched the 6 but lost to Taylor in the 7th!
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Also Tyson did struggle with Rudduck but Mike was not the same fighter, Mike was throwing single shots and no head movement. One of his worst performances but showed how great his chin was and it was an exciting fight.
Lewis beat the left overs of Razor.
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mikeeod
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Also Tyson did struggle with Rudduck but Mike was not the same fighter, Mike was throwing single shots and no head movement. One of his worst performances but showed how great his chin was and it was an exciting fight.
Lewis beat the left overs of Razor.
Would agree, but again, looking at styles, Lewis punched from a different angle and would likely have destroyed any version of Ruddock the same way. Razor was a one armed counter puncher who had a great chin but shaky stamina and technique. If I remember correctly Ruddock was a tennis player for most of his young life and came to boxing late.
Yes you may be right. Tyson did bust him up bad though.
Re: Tyson at welterweight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mikeeod
2 more points.
1) Lennox cleaned out the division completely and beat Evander and Vitali, both of whom were better than anyone Tyson beat (thought Evander won the rematch with Lewis though). He also destroyed Ruddock (who Tyson struggled with), Morrison, Michael Grant, Golota, Shannon Briggs and Rahman (rematch). He won a war vs Mercer, who when in shape like he was for this fight was better than most of Tyson's opponents.
2) pretty sure Hop defended all three belts more than 6 times. I hate doing this because I'm a fan of Mikes, but if u look at his record he doesn't have that many great wins or great competition. He just doesn't.
Lennox should have lost to Mercer. The same Mercer Holmes beat 6 years after getting wiped out by Tyson.....
Mercer was better than most of Tysons opponents? One of his easiest wins gave Mercer his first loss!!!
Ruddock was softened by Tyson.