I miss Tyson

[Bobthepen]

These were the only two opponents Tyson had that were ever even competitive ... most of his victims had two choices ... to either be KOed spectacularly and earn a spot on Tyson's legendary KO highlight reel .... or to hold on and try and survive the entire fight.

Or knock him out like Douglas. Or Holyfield. Or Lewis. Or Williams. Or McBride.

[TysonBomb]

These were the only two opponents Tyson had that were ever even competitive ... most of his victims had two choices ... to either be KOed spectacularly and earn a spot on Tyson's legendary KO highlight reel .... or to hold on and try and survive the entire fight.

Or knock him out like Douglas. Or Holyfield. Or Lewis. Or Williams. Or McBride.

Please learn the circumstances surrounding those losses.

Holyfield and Lewis who are considered ATGs have also been KOed. Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and other ATGs have all been KOed.

[Bobthepen]

These were the only two opponents Tyson had that were ever even competitive ... most of his victims had two choices ... to either be KOed spectacularly and earn a spot on Tyson's legendary KO highlight reel .... or to hold on and try and survive the entire fight.

Or knock him out like Douglas. Or Holyfield. Or Lewis. Or Williams. Or McBride.

Please learn the circumstances surrounding those losses.

Holyfield and Lewis who are considered ATGs have also been KOed. Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and other ATGs have all been KOed.

Well, the circumstances with Holyfield and Douglas are he got beaten by a better man. I was just yanking your chain with the others.

[TysonBomb]

Douglas was almost KOed despite putting in the best performance of his career and Tyson who literally just showed up to fight, hungover.

Holyfield intentionally headbutted his way to two "victories" over Tyson.

Douglas was actually 3 pounds HEAVIER for the Tyson fight, genius.

Not only do you prove you haven't watched half of these fights, you've also proven your incompetence at researching what happened. You probably mistook Tyson's weight for Douglas's. Tyson was at 220 lbs NOT Douglas, who was at 231.

[Bobthepen]

Douglas was almost KOed despite putting in the best performance of his career and Tyson who literally just showed up to fight, hungover.

Holyfield intentionally headbutted his way to two "victories" over Tyson.

Douglas was actually 3 pounds HEAVIER for the Tyson fight, genius.

Not only do you prove you haven't watched half of these fights, you've also proven your incompetence at researching what happened. You probably mistook Tyson's weight for Douglas's. Tyson was at 220 lbs NOT Douglas, who was at 231.

You're right about Douglas. My mistake.

Your problem, young fella, is that you view Tyson's career through posterity. You have already stated he was before your time, and you probably learned all you know about him through youtube highlight footage.
I, however, remember watching many of his fights live back in the day, and as such I read newspapers and boxing magazines and garnered a wealth of background information from the experts of the day about the state of the division and their opinions of Tyson.
I remember when Douglas beat him, because I was in Los Angeles at the time and watched the fight. The most interesting thing about that fight is the excuses. I've read Tyson was hung over, was suffering an allergic reaction to penicillin after contracting VD in a Tokyo whorehouse, to was given sedatives by the Yakuza because of the betting odds.
The strangest thing about these excuses is that they were first heard more than a decade after the fight. Nobody was making those excuses at the time.

[TysonBomb]

What the hell are you talking about?

Don King tried to get the fight overturned right away, arguing that the ref gave Douglas a long count.

Tyson was getting beat up by the likes of Trevor Berbick before the fight in sparring:

Back In Action - Orlando Sentinel

Tyson's diet of nothing but soup and salad

Private Training - Orlando Sentinel

All of this stuff was reported the time period surrounding the fight, not "decades later."

Do you really think that Buster Douglas at his best, which was this fight, could really beat Mike Tyson at his best? Tyson goofed and embarrassed himself. Yeah he lost but the fact remains that it wasn't the best Tyson we saw that night ... he looked completely lethargic from the opening bell and was getting hit with punches that he would never get hit with. He wasn't moving his head and his combinations were non existent. He got in one uppercut to save himself, which was a hell of a punch, and Douglas got up and was saved by the bell.

[swboxer81]

Everyone misses that era of Heavy weight boxing! Tyson was an animal and would've loved to see him in his prime in UFC

[Bobthepen]

What the hell are you talking about?

Don King tried to get the fight overturned right away, arguing that the ref gave Douglas a long count.

Tyson was getting beat up by the likes of Trevor Berbick before the fight in sparring:

Back In Action - Orlando Sentinel

Tyson's diet of nothing but soup and salad

Private Training - Orlando Sentinel

All of this stuff was reported the time period surrounding the fight, not "decades later."

Do you really think that Buster Douglas at his best, which was this fight, could really beat Mike Tyson at his best? Tyson goofed and embarrassed himself. Yeah he lost but the fact remains that it wasn't the best Tyson we saw that night ... he looked completely lethargic from the opening bell and was getting hit with punches that he would never get hit with. He wasn't moving his head and his combinations were non existent. He got in one uppercut to save himself, which was a hell of a punch, and Douglas got up and was saved by the bell.

Soup doesn't give you a hangover. Nor does salad. Posting links to Tyson having early nights, training in the small hours, and sparring hardly refutes theories he wasn't in shape.

Post proof of the hangover you claim Tyson was suffering from.

For what it is worth, I accept that Tyson wasn't at his best, and Douglas fought the fight of his life. For this reason I rate Tyson higher than Douglas, but all of this is beside the point.

My point is that Tyson, like Wlad, ruled a weak era. He never looked good against a fighter with a hard jab and decent footwork (Holmes was rusty as hell, and Bruno had some success with the jab but should have doubled it up and followed through instead of stepping back).
The Tyson era was followed by three standouts rising from the ashes of the division. Holyfield, Lewis and Bowe. These three were a cut above anybody Tyson beat, and all three possessed the jab and ability to beat Mike at any stage of his career.
Styles make fights, and they had Tyson's number like Douglas. Were I to list the best fighters Tyson fought at the time he fought them and I would list Holyfield, Douglas and Lewis. I accept he was shot against Lewis.

Where do you rank a prime, GTI Tyson with a go faster stripe in the pantheon of greats?