Change one event in boxing history.

[SlimTrae]

Cus Damato lives for another 10 years.

It would have been interesting, but I don't think it would have changed things that much. Tyson is a head case and he would have screwed Cus over at some point. Camille Ewald was his surrogate mother and only died a few years ago, but she didn't seem to have much influence on him.

Tyson doesn't know the meaning of loyalty and I say that as a fan! He likes to blame everyone else for his mistakes and the long history of bad behaviour, but the fact is he's not a very nice person.

Camile Ewald never had a say in Mikes career or probably had a clue what was going on. Cus made Mike and if he and Jim Jacobs had not died so early in Mikes career would King have really got a hold on Mike? I doubt it. King needed Mike to lose those influential people.

I honestly don't think it would have made any difference. Tyson is a self-destructive person and still behaved like an arsehole even when Cus was alive. He would have gone off the rails regardless.

He may have had small altercations but he would have trained properly without King giving him everything he wanted. Mike Tyson knew who was responsible for his success early but King made him believe he didnt need them and they were a chain round his neck.

Oh, how King broke up his true family that happened to have been "all-white", instigated shit to Robin & Momma. As Robin told the story years later- King in her ear- when she and Mike got turned down trying to buy a house. (He had her thinking they were ripping him off) later she stated-it was a family who knew how to manage his money- as he had everything he wanted- -but they got it (for) him.

You cannot compare those two periods of his career. King taking Mike and Mikes career turning to shit (compared to what it was) is more than just coincidence.

The question we longed to know, but will never know (how long could Cus have kept Mike from self-destructing?)

I believe had Damato and Jacobs been around to steady Mike he would have had a similar longevity to Wlad now, only with the whole world wanting to see all his fights. Holyfield would have just been a good little scrap while it lasted with Tyson winning. Bowe would have been awesome and Lewis would have faced Mike instead of McCall. Potentially Mike becomes the greatest heavy ever.

This is where we disagree. I'm sure you heard the story of Lennox & Mike as kids watching fights one night- and both being told- they would fight each other- from Cus
With that being said- I am under the impression there were certain fighters Cus wouldn't have pitted him against. Forman being one, Lennox the other. The size factor -reach and style of the Lennox's, Formans and maybe even Bowe- would have been the last fights Cus' would have made for him from the tapes I've heard of Cus---even relating it a bit to the previous peekaboo dude Floyd P.
Cus knew the limitations of his fighters.