Is mike Tyson that great ?

[marbleheadmaui]

People that discredit Tyson, would not have done so after the Spinks fight. I don't remember any of the criticisms that we now have, being made back then...which means they are based on what went after that. Well that's not looking at his prime! If Tyson retired after the Spinks fight, I'd like to bet not many people would believe that Bowe, Lewis or anybody else since Tyson would've beaten him. Although people try to be objective and forget what he became and all his flaws/weaknesses, these things (that happened after hiS prime) are always (even subsconsciously) taken into consideration imo.

Fact is if he retired after the Spinks fight, everybody has him top 5 all time heavyweight!
(imo of course)

I remeber pulling Britkid up on this years ago. He said he had Tyson as number 12 all time heavyweight. I asked him where he had him on that list back in 1988 and he said top 3. To which I said, well he is still top 3 then!!

But that's how we assess EVERYONE! Looking back. The fact is had he retired after the Spinks fight everyone would have said that's the shortest, least complete heavyweight championship career we've ever seen, WTF?

Prime is prime and after Williams Tyson was damaged goods. If you are looking at peoples' prime you have to judge him between 1986 and 1989. How many world title fights did your beloved John L Sullivan have? Savaldor Sanchez was World champion for 2 years, his death did not change how good he was, so why should what happend to Tyson?

BTW being Lineal champion and that being the shortest reign ever IF he retired after the Spinks fight does not mean he wasn't great. A belt does not make you great.

And longer primes are better than shorter ones, right? I don't have John L in the top ten for exactly that reason and I don't have Sal Sanchez in Mexico's top five for that reason as well. Fighters who can generally defeat the best for five years or more are, everything else equal, more impressive than those with a three year prime, right? And those guys who perform for a decade are more impressive yet, yes?

But let me get this straight. A 23 year old fighter who has not only never lost, but has never been in a war and won his last fight by KO1 is somehow "damaged goods?" Really?

The number of GREAT fighters without a TRUE championship in boxing history can be counted on both hands and 7-8 of those were color issues.