88 Mike Tyson vs Ike Ibeabuchi

[ross]

Tyson was more than a bully he was skilled at his best and would be far cleverer than Tua. Tyson would find holes and exploit them. Still think Ike is standing at the end but like Razzor he would have busted ribs and jaw.

Yes Tyson is more skilled than Tua , but his chin isn't as good , and Ike is far better than Ruddock.
We have seen Tyson dropped , and Quit and cheat , Ike didnt show many weaknesses , im sticking to Ike by KO.

Ike didnt show many weaknesses because he only fought 2 decent fighters. Tyson went through a whole division in the eighties and left no question.

[Master]

Tyson was more than a bully he was skilled at his best and would be far cleverer than Tua. Tyson would find holes and exploit them. Still think Ike is standing at the end but like Razzor he would have busted ribs and jaw.

Yes Tyson is more skilled than Tua , but his chin isn't as good , and Ike is far better than Ruddock.
We have seen Tyson dropped , and Quit and cheat , Ike didnt show many weaknesses , im sticking to Ike by KO.

Ike didnt show many weaknesses because he only fought 2 decent fighters. Tyson went through a whole division in the eighties and left no question.

Also 1988 Tyson would not get dropped he was too good.

[ross]

Ike may have a good chin but Mike didnt throw one left hook at a time. Not back then. Tis kimd of thread pops up all the time where certain people refuse to give any kimd of credit for what Mike was and achieved before King ruined him.

We may as well say that Jones Jr was also an overrated bully who was found to be taking steroids and because of all his numerous KO losses was just absolute shite

[FinitoElDinamita]

Most guys were intimidated before even stepping into the ring so they pretty much went in there with no confidence at all. Infact as soon as they got hit with the first punch, they knew they had no chance against mike.

Ike wouldn't have that problem and that kind of fearless mentality would be a huge factor. Mike only acted crazy but ike was truly crazy in the head, medically proven lol.

I don't know man. Ike was the complete package and perhaps he could have been the first to expose tyson, and not buster douglas.

[Britkid]

Most guys were intimidated before even stepping into the ring so they pretty much went in there with no confidence at all. Infact as soon as they got hit with the first punch, they knew they had no chance against mike.

Ike wouldn't have that problem and that kind of fearless mentality would be a huge factor. Mike only acted crazy but ike was truly crazy in the head, medically proven lol.

I don't know man. Ike was the complete package and perhaps he could have been the first to expose tyson, and not buster douglas.

I do not think Ike Ibeabuchi was anywhere near the 'complete package'. He had an illness that meant he choose to walk through David Tua's left hooks. That is not a smart decision, that is not sane, that is wrong. The people around Ike were just interested in money, not helping their man. If he had been given help to control his illness, I think he would very ordinary boxer. A slow lummox with a good chin and fair power, he would've lost to anyone with speed or a boxing brain.

I think Mr President would have been in grave danger if he was around in 1987/88 to fight prime Tyson, he would of been badly hurt, but because of his illness, he would just kept coming forward at Tyson, who unlike Tua, in his pomp had a lot more than a ferocious left hook in offensive arsenal...

[El Kabong]

Now as a boxing (and football) fan I don't necessarily WANT to open this can of worms, but could CTE caused from the Tua fight (or previous fights) have caused his mental health problems? I say there's a distinct possibility.

Ike may have a good chin but Mike didnt throw one left hook at a time. Not back then. Tis kimd of thread pops up all the time where certain people refuse to give any kimd of credit for what Mike was and achieved before King ruined him.

#1 Watch Ibeabuchi vs Tua....one hook at a time, please

#2 If anything people overrate Tyson more than underrate him. Just because people offer up a slight critique here and there doesn't mean they think he was a crap fighter. He was a great fighter nobody questions that, exactly HOW GREAT is the debatable point and rightfully so.

[p4pking]

I've seen that fight recently Lyle. Tua would triple up on the hooks at times but that doesn't make him a combination puncher, he still had to reset. Tyson was a completely different animal and could hurt you from both sides at once in his day. In fact Tyson was so much better than David Tua I think this thread is kind of hilarious, but hey.

The worst case scenario for Tyson would be a gruelling decision win imo, and that's only assuming Ibeabuchi had it in him to go full on mental and walk through that kind of hell on any given night.

[ross]

Now as a boxing (and football) fan I don't necessarily WANT to open this can of worms, but could CTE caused from the Tua fight (or previous fights) have caused his mental health problems? I say there's a distinct possibility.

Ike may have a good chin but Mike didnt throw one left hook at a time. Not back then. Tis kimd of thread pops up all the time where certain people refuse to give any kimd of credit for what Mike was and achieved before King ruined him.

#1 Watch Ibeabuchi vs Tua....one hook at a time, please

#2 If anything people overrate Tyson more than underrate him. Just because people offer up a slight critique here and there doesn't mean they think he was a crap fighter. He was a great fighter nobody questions that, exactly HOW GREAT is the debatable point and rightfully so.

How can Mike be over rated? A man that in a space of just 2 years had 8 fights that left no question as to who the best was. He unified the title beating 3 separate belt holders, the lineal champ and absolutely anihalated Spinks the lineal champ and Holmes who went on to beat Mercer and push Holyfield and McCall.

There will always be questions as to who is the best now. Wlad may be beaten by Vitali if they fought. The only way for one to be the best of this era is for the other to lose or retire so his brother can win and hold that belt.

[IamInuit]

Prior to fighting Tua, Ike really fought nobody with a winning record outside of say Anthony Wade. He had only fought over 8 rounds twice. Tua was his 17th fight. Tua on the other hand had fought 27 times. Tua at the time was being touted as the next Tyson and had recently blasted out Ruiz, Wilson, Izon and Maskaev. Tua had been fighting 10 and 12 round fights for 4 or 5 years. At the time, it was being said that Ike was a flash in the pan and a coddled contender. As it turns out he was not the sum of his past opponents. Dark Lord Al makes a great point in that Ike would have had no fear and it may have been Tyson who got intimidated. That is a huge factor imo. Tyson may have fought about 15 times in a year but let’s be honest here, he was spoon fed more than Ike or Tua. He never even fought any kind of a perceived threat until 1987 and that was Thomas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.

[p4pking]

Prior to fighting Tua, Ike really fought nobody with a winning record outside of say Anthony Wade. He had only fought over 8 rounds twice. Tua was his 17th fight. Tua on the other hand had fought 27 times. Tua at the time was being touted as the next Tyson and had recently blasted out Ruiz, Wilson, Izon and Maskaev. Tua had been fighting 10 and 12 round fights for 4 or 5 years. At the time, it was being said that Ike was a flash in the pan and a coddled contender. As it turns out he was not the sum of his past opponents. Dark Lord Al makes a great point in that Ike would have had no fear and it may have been Tyson who got intimidated. That is a huge factor imo. Tyson may have fought about 15 times in a year but let’s be honest here, he was spoon fed more than Ike or Tua. He never even fought any kind of a perceived threat until 1987 and that was Thomas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.

Fair post, except that it's purely speculation that Tyson would've been intimidated in his day, as is most anything that points to Ike having much of a shout here imo. Tua hardly blased out Maskaev either, for what thats worth. He was looking pretty damn pedestrian and being soundly outboxed until he caught up late. If Ibeabuchi had any inclination to box that may have been a clear win for him, I actually thought Tua could've easily got the nod instead.

[El Kabong]

Watching Ibeabuchi vs Tua .....honestly a decent jab could have turned the tide in that fight good news for Tyson. Both guys did get staggared in the fight.

[IamInuit]

Prior to fighting Tua, Ike really fought nobody with a winning record outside of say Anthony Wade. He had only fought over 8 rounds twice. Tua was his 17th fight. Tua on the other hand had fought 27 times. Tua at the time was being touted as the next Tyson and had recently blasted out Ruiz, Wilson, Izon and Maskaev. Tua had been fighting 10 and 12 round fights for 4 or 5 years. At the time, it was being said that Ike was a flash in the pan and a coddled contender. As it turns out he was not the sum of his past opponents. Dark Lord Al makes a great point in that Ike would have had no fear and it may have been Tyson who got intimidated. That is a huge factor imo. Tyson may have fought about 15 times in a year but let’s be honest here, he was spoon fed more than Ike or Tua. He never even fought any kind of a perceived threat until 1987 and that was Thomas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.

Fair post, except that it's purely speculation that Tyson would've been intimidated in his day, as is most anything that points to Ike having much of a shout here imo. Tua hardly blased out Maskaev either, for what thats worth. He was looking pretty damn pedestrian and being soundly outboxed until he caught up late. If Ibeabuchi had any inclination to box that may have been a clear win for him, I actually thought Tua could've easily got the nod instead.

I suppose we could split hairs here for quite awhile but Tyson had issues with Thomas, Tucker, Tillis and even Biggs. And that was this prime Tyson. The Tua v Ike fight could have gone either way and when you are dealing with that kind of punch output I'd hate to be a judge. All I am saying is that Tyson vs Ike is far from a forgone conclusion. Either one of them could win a best out of three.

[Spicoli]

Prior to fighting Tua, Ike really fought nobody with a winning record outside of say Anthony Wade. He had only fought over 8 rounds twice. Tua was his 17th fight. Tua on the other hand had fought 27 times. Tua at the time was being touted as the next Tyson and had recently blasted out Ruiz, Wilson, Izon and Maskaev. Tua had been fighting 10 and 12 round fights for 4 or 5 years. At the time, it was being said that Ike was a flash in the pan and a coddled contender. As it turns out he was not the sum of his past opponents. Dark Lord Al makes a great point in that Ike would have had no fear and it may have been Tyson who got intimidated. That is a huge factor imo. Tyson may have fought about 15 times in a year but let’s be honest here, he was spoon fed more than Ike or Tua. He never even fought any kind of a perceived threat until 1987 and that was Thomas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.

He was really brought in from being buried on Kushner cards and far off from being known or ranked. I don't know if he had fear really but I don't think a guy that scattered and insecure outside the ring could mask it once under what a Tyson would hit him with. Even more so after the Tua win when he developed almost a God complex and snapped numerous times with arrests and jail stint, he was already refusing 6 figure showcases on Hbo to build up a Grant fight and a walking melt down just prior to Byrd.

[jon09]

Prior to fighting Tua, Ike really fought nobody with a winning record outside of say Anthony Wade. He had only fought over 8 rounds twice. Tua was his 17th fight. Tua on the other hand had fought 27 times. Tua at the time was being touted as the next Tyson and had recently blasted out Ruiz, Wilson, Izon and Maskaev. Tua had been fighting 10 and 12 round fights for 4 or 5 years. At the time, it was being said that Ike was a flash in the pan and a coddled contender. As it turns out he was not the sum of his past opponents. Dark Lord Al makes a great point in that Ike would have had no fear and it may have been Tyson who got intimidated. That is a huge factor imo. Tyson may have fought about 15 times in a year but let’s be honest here, he was spoon fed more than Ike or Tua. He never even fought any kind of a perceived threat until 1987 and that was Thomas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.

He was really brought in from being buried on Kushner cards and far off from being known or ranked. I don't know if he had fear really but I don't think a guy that scattered and insecure outside the ring could mask it once under what a Tyson would hit him with. Even more so after the Tua win when he developed almost a God complex and snapped numerous times with arrests and jail stint, he was already refusing 6 figure showcases on Hbo to build up a Grant fight and a walking melt down just prior to Byrd.

Yeah I think the Tua war is what sent him over the edge more than less.

[IamInuit]

Prior to fighting Tua, Ike really fought nobody with a winning record outside of say Anthony Wade. He had only fought over 8 rounds twice. Tua was his 17th fight. Tua on the other hand had fought 27 times. Tua at the time was being touted as the next Tyson and had recently blasted out Ruiz, Wilson, Izon and Maskaev. Tua had been fighting 10 and 12 round fights for 4 or 5 years. At the time, it was being said that Ike was a flash in the pan and a coddled contender. As it turns out he was not the sum of his past opponents. Dark Lord Al makes a great point in that Ike would have had no fear and it may have been Tyson who got intimidated. That is a huge factor imo. Tyson may have fought about 15 times in a year but let’s be honest here, he was spoon fed more than Ike or Tua. He never even fought any kind of a perceived threat until 1987 and that was Thomas. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.

He was really brought in from being buried on Kushner cards and far off from being known or ranked. I don't know if he had fear really but I don't think a guy that scattered and insecure outside the ring could mask it once under what a Tyson would hit him with. Even more so after the Tua win when he developed almost a God complex and snapped numerous times with arrests and jail stint, he was already refusing 6 figure showcases on Hbo to build up a Grant fight and a walking melt down just prior to Byrd.

He complained at the hospital right after the Tua fight that he had and odd ringing and feeling. Nobody really did anything. Why good ole Cedric would have thrown him in there with Tua to begin with at that stage is anyone's guess. The Ike that fought Tua would have been even up against Tyson and one is forced to be that specific because that fight was probably his prime. Make a great trivia question. "Best fighter with the shortest prime?"