Holmes vs Tyson- PRIME FOR PRIME!

[SlimTrae]

I'd like to think Tyson may have had his number regardless.
But realistic: How does Tony Tucker, Mitch Green & James Tillis have the skills/clinching ability to take a young Tyson the distance but not a prime Holmes?

[p4pking]

I'd like to think Tyson may have had his number regardless.
But realistic: How does Tony Tucker, Mitch Green & James Tillis have the skills/clinching ability to take a young Tyson the distance but not a prime Holmes?

Those guys weren't interested in winning the fights, in fairness. Holmes never once fought to survive, I think he had to much pride for that and it would have always cost him against a prime Tyson imo.

[SlimTrae]

I'd like to think Tyson may have had his number regardless.
But realistic: How does Tony Tucker, Mitch Green & James Tillis have the skills/clinching ability to take a young Tyson the distance but not a prime Holmes?

Those guys weren't interested in winning the fights, in fairness. Holmes never once fought to survive, I think he had to much pride for that and it would have always cost him against a prime Tyson imo.

Great Perspective, hard to argue it-with sensibility that is.

[Spicoli]

Rarely do I see a difference in prime vs prime scenarios much differently when the execution and result were as decisive as this one. Also the time and retained individual skill gap wasn't extreme, taking into account what Holmes went on to do. If that makes sense

[Beanflicker]

I'd probably go Tyson UD. I think Holmes would have gone the distance and won a handful of rounds. Holmes was nearly 40 when he fought Tyson and he was carrying a spare tire around his waist and an extra 10-15lbs above his prime weight. I think a 30 year old, 210lb Holmes is much more effective in keeping Mike on the outside and tying him up on the inside, but I don't think he wins the fight.

IMO prime Mike is poison for guys like Holmes and Ali, as great as they were. Mike's style keeps guys like that on the defensive and surviving Mike's offence often means giving away rounds. For my money you need a guy who is long and has the muscle and punching power to back it up. Buster Douglas was a fit 230 when he whipped Tyson.

[ykdadamaja]

I'd like to think Tyson may have had his number regardless.
But realistic: How does Tony Tucker, Mitch Green & James Tillis have the skills/clinching ability to take a young Tyson the distance but not a prime Holmes?

James Tillis came to survive. Tucker ran the entire fight. Mitch Green had an awesome chin. But, as someone else mentioned, Holmes came to win and really was never truly "chinned" in his entire career outside of Witherspoon and Shavers and another guy, the shot that he was more dazed than he was hurt as the shot had little to no good steam on it.

How did Larry stand up after the Shavers shot was amazing. But, that was Shavers only good shot. As you could see, Mike had the capacity to hit him with ATOMIC BOMBS all night long. And for an old Holmes, there was only so much of that he could have taken when Tyson smelled blood.

[Beanflicker]

And Tyson was a much better puncher than those guys.