TYSON,the most over rated fighter of all time,what did he ever do?

[El Gamo]

If you call Tyson overrated because of the era he was in that you cannot fault him for. Then fighters like Marciano and Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey are overrated because of the era's they were in and Vitali Klitschko is even more overrated because he was in an even weaker era and never defended his title against true opposition. Tyson was the most dominant heavyweight of his era and deserves as much credit. Part of the era was taken from him because of his mistakes outside the ring but take nothing away from him. Because the knowledge is that if he had stayed retired after the Spinks fight, nobody would be calling him overrated today and they try to mirror the Tyson who fought late 90's early 00's as the Tyson who fought in the 80's and early 90's and you can't because there's a different mentality and different circumstances.

CC,nicely put and maybe if he had stayed retired,undefeated,undisputed then no-one could say anything.

[porkypara]

once again a thread to bash Tyson...

yes this guy was a fraud for you that's why he has a astonishing pedigree.

That's why people talks about evander as the man who beat Tyson (if Tyson is so bad why is it THE reference for Evander?)

That's why everybody knows the name of Tyson

That's why the boxers and people who knows boxing knew that Tyson was really really gifted and an awesome machine who went wrong at some points.

That's Why Ali (which is mentionned as the greatest by Porky) always praised Tyson's skills

My favortie quote is "Green showed the limit if Tyson" dam if getting the beating of your life during 10 rounds is equal to performing well ^^

Ok I guess that I'm too tired, but another subject on that topic...about someone who won the title at 20 and unified the tittle....

Not the greatest, not the underrated clubfighter you wanna try to demonstrate neither.

Mate Ali praises almost every boxer.

After he beat Joe Bugner Ali said that with a bit more training Bugner could be the next champ after Ali.

The point is take what Ali says with a bit of salt.


Dont get me wrong,I love watching Tyson fight and I think he is the most exciting fighter of all time,just he is totaly overrated in terms of skill.

[Gandalf]

I don 't subscribe to all the crap about Tyson being overrrated, I just think everybody has short memories and remembers him for fights when he was already a shot fighter i.e after 89. It's like remembering Ali against Holmes or Berwick. I know Tyson was still at prime age, but he was ravaged by his own demons and almost certainly drugs! What he has become should not detract from what he was and had he retired after knocking out Spinks everybody on this site would have him as a top 5 all-time heavyweight.

People will now say... who did he beat? Well who did Demsey, Louis, Marciano or Jack Johnson beat. The heavyweight division has always been dominated by one or rwo fighters who were far superior to the rest!! Apart from the Early -Mid nineties and the early seventies, I think Tyson's era is as good as as bad as any other - so I don't subscribe to the "poor opposition" argument either

Don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of the guy, but even our resident expert Mr Britkid has previously said that during the late eighties he would've had Tyson up there as one of the all-time greats, but now he doesn't. You should rank people based on their prime or else Muhammad Ali, Ray Robinson, Roy Jones, Larry Holmes, Eric Morales (and just about every other fighter that didn't know when to pack it in) is overrated!!!

very well said

interesting points

[drgoodlooking]

once again a thread to bash Tyson...

yes this guy was a fraud for you that's why he has a astonishing pedigree.

That's why people talks about evander as the man who beat Tyson (if Tyson is so bad why is it THE reference for Evander?)

That's why everybody knows the name of Tyson

That's why the boxers and people who knows boxing knew that Tyson was really really gifted and an awesome machine who went wrong at some points.

That's Why Ali (which is mentionned as the greatest by Porky) always praised Tyson's skills

My favortie quote is "Green showed the limit if Tyson" dam if getting the beating of your life during 10 rounds is equal to performing well ^^

Ok I guess that I'm too tired, but another subject on that topic...about someone who won the title at 20 and unified the tittle....

Not the greatest, not the underrated clubfighter you wanna try to demonstrate neither.

Mate Ali praises almost every boxer.

After he beat Joe Bugner Ali said that with a bit more training Bugner could be the next champ after Ali.

The point is take what Ali says with a bit of salt.


Dont get me wrong,I love watching Tyson fight and I think he is the most exciting fighter of all time,just he is totaly overrated in terms of skill.

[El Kabong]

I am not exactly soled on the fact he's overrated in terms of skill...he was very skilled and worked hard at it but I think when you try to compare him to Holyfield, Bowe, and Lewis he comes up short. Not because of skill becauce in his prime he would be able to go toe to toe with those guys, not win all the time but do well against them. The thing is Tyson burned out and that sucks but it's true...he was in an era where his main rivals were Frank Bruno, Mitch Green, and Tony Tucker....he was on the decline when he got to Holyfield and Lewis.

[BIG H]

I don 't subscribe to all the crap about Tyson being overrrated, I just think everybody has short memories and remembers him for fights when he was already a shot fighter i.e after 89. It's like remembering Ali against Holmes or Berwick. I know Tyson was still at prime age, but he was ravaged by his own demons and almost certainly drugs! What he has become should not detract from what he was and had he retired after knocking out Spinks everybody on this site would have him as a top 5 all-time heavyweight.

People will now say... who did he beat? Well who did Demsey, Louis, Marciano or Jack Johnson beat. The heavyweight division has always been dominated by one or rwo fighters who were far superior to the rest!! Apart from the Early -Mid nineties and the early seventies, I think Tyson's era is as good as as bad as any other - so I don't subscribe to the "poor opposition" argument either

Don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of the guy, but even our resident expert Mr Britkid has previously said that during the late eighties he would've had Tyson up there as one of the all-time greats, but now he doesn't. You should rank people based on their prime or else Muhammad Ali, Ray Robinson, Roy Jones, Larry Holmes, Eric Morales (and just about every other fighter that didn't know when to pack it in) is overrated!!!

very well saidÂ

interesting points

Back at ya m8

[NewKid]

is tyson is overrated then lewis is a complete bum D level fighter i mean, what has lennox lewis done? over half of his best wins were already beaten by tyson, so he made a career off of overrated tyson wash ups, and tyson sucks so lewis beating him is pointless

[El Gamo]

is tyson is overrated then lewis is a complete bum D level fighter i mean, what has lennox lewis done? over half of his best wins were already beaten by tyson, so he made a career off of overrated tyson wash ups, and tyson sucks so lewis beating him is pointless

One of my favourite posts ever!! I don't know but I think some people here give Lewis waaaaay more credit than he deserves. He was the good boxer from an average generation,he would not have lasted 6 rounds with a peak Mike and how people say he would last with Ali is ridiculous!!!

[BIG H]

is tyson is overrated then lewis is a complete bum D level fighter i mean, what has lennox lewis done? over half of his best wins were already beaten by tyson, so he made a career off of overrated tyson wash ups, and tyson sucks so lewis beating him is pointless

One of my favourite posts ever!! I don't know but I think some people here give Lewis waaaaay more credit than he deserves. He was the good boxer from an average generation,he would not have lasted 6 rounds with a peak Mike and how people say he would last with Ali is ridiculous!!!

Holyfield, Bowe,Tyson, Ruddock, Morrison, Moorer, Foreman, Tucker, Mercer, Bruno - not an everage generation fella!!

[El Gamo]

Not average per se but most were way past their primes!

[Taeth]

is tyson is overrated then lewis is a complete bum D level fighter i mean, what has lennox lewis done? over half of his best wins were already beaten by tyson, so he made a career off of overrated tyson wash ups, and tyson sucks so lewis beating him is pointless

Sorry to say but Lewis beat everyone except Foreman... He beat Holyfied twice("draw" he won, and the second fight he won), Mercer, Tua, Bruno, Ruddock, Bowe(olympics, and Bowe was scared to fight him as a pro), Morrison, Grant(when he was considered good), Vitali(I think he was comming back closer to the end of the fight and he was out of shape for it anyways not to mention alot older), Briggs, He returned to destroy Rahman and McCall(not as much, but won), Botha, Golota. He fought more good people, and had a better record against them than anyone except Ali who didn't actually win alot of his fights against even mediocre competition during his time.

IMO Tyson would have lost to Lewis because of the size differential, and that Lewis still had speed to keep Tyson away, anyone else in history I think Tyson beats.

[Cortez The Killer]

Did you watch him during his prime... the only thing that held him back from taking away Ali's crown was his mind. He more phyiscal gifts than any other fighter barring RJJ. Tyson had a good style not the best for him IMO, but he used it more efficiently than any other fighter ever has... Had he not broken down mentally so much he might still be champion defending his zillionth title because he definitely still has the physical assets.

the mental aspect is of primary importance to boxing, just look at Bernard Hopkins who didn't have the physical gifts of an elite fighter but because he always stayed in shape, and always had a single minded devotion to the game became a great. Tyson's career is based on unfulfilled potential

nah,Tyson didn't lack balls. He didn't lack anything other than direction. He had insane work ethic in his prime (early 20's) but then he came across Don King, took his skills for granted, and spiraled out of control
Spopt on mate!
Have a CC.

Tyson had the potental but lacked the balls!

[JonesJrMayweather]

A lot of good arguments...maybe there was one, but i didn't see it..so I'll say this...Does anybody want to give credit to DonKing for making tyson the name that he is...He did put him the ring with a bunch of stiffs that he could knock out in the first round...It kinda reminds me of Mayweather said about Gatti... "HBO takes two C-rated fighters, put them in the ring, they have a war and now they're great fighters, bullshit they're still c-rated fighters", the same with tyson...great punching power + a weak chin = a short night...

Personally i thought that tyson did loose to all the real heavyweights he fought and he only beat an old larry holmes...who probably would have beat tyson into submission with that excellent jab had he been a few years younger...

So I think he was great to watch, but with the help of great marketing..but as great heavyweight fighter hell no...not even in the top ten....

[drgoodlooking]

A lot of good arguments...maybe there was one, but i didn't see it..so I'll say this...Does anybody want to give credit to DonKing for making tyson the name that he is...He did put him the ring with a bunch of stiffs that he could knock out in the first round...It kinda reminds me of Mayweather said about Gatti... "HBO takes two C-rated fighters, put them in the ring, they have a war and now they're great fighters, bulls*** they're still c-rated fighters", the same with tyson...great punching power + a weak chin = a short night...

Personally i thought that tyson did loose to all the real heavyweights he fought and he only beat an old larry holmes...who probably would have beat tyson into submission with that excellent jab had he been a few years younger...

So I think he was great to watch, but with the help of great marketing..but as great heavyweight fighter hell no...not even in the top ten....

He also beat Michael Spinks and a few others. But, Tyson was also knocking out big bums before he got with Don King Productions.

[JonesJrMayweather]

A lot of good arguments...maybe there was one, but i didn't see it..so I'll say this...Does anybody want to give credit to DonKing for making tyson the name that he is...He did put him the ring with a bunch of stiffs that he could knock out in the first round...It kinda reminds me of Mayweather said about Gatti... "HBO takes two C-rated fighters, put them in the ring, they have a war and now they're great fighters, bulls*** they're still c-rated fighters", the same with tyson...great punching power + a weak chin = a short night...

Personally i thought that tyson did loose to all the real heavyweights he fought and he only beat an old larry holmes...who probably would have beat tyson into submission with that excellent jab had he been a few years younger...

So I think he was great to watch, but with the help of great marketing..but as great heavyweight fighter hell no...not even in the top ten....

He also beat Michael Spinks and a few others. But, Tyson was also knocking out big bums before he got with Don King Productions.

That's why I said real heavyweights...spinks wasn't a real heavyweight...that's like giving credit to joe frazier for knocking out Bob foster.... Now tyson didn't beat some contenders...ruddock, tucker, berbick, but none of these guys where on a level high enough to warrant tyson any credit to be called great....