How good was a 'prime' tyson?

[brucelee]

I agree Big H. Tyson would have blown them into pieces. hehehe.


No matter what people say, Tyson would have beaten anybody had he concentrated on his boxing career not his jail career.

I suggest that before somebody posts something about how great or not great a fighter is he should at least watch 10 of his fights. Remember that Tyson was the youngest Heavyweight champ. That was a great accomplishment already.

I am a Tyson fan because I have seen his fights when he was knocking people out. I am of the belief that was his prime period. After unifying the heavyweight titles, Tyson lost his mind and was never the same. He was not in his prime when he fought Douglas. In fact, Douglas fought an already very troubled Tyson.

[Lance Uppercut]

Tyson was the youngest Heavyweight champ. That was a great accomplishment already.

I wonder what Michael Spinks thinks about this.

After all, he was still the heavyweight champion when tyson beat berbick for an alphabet title, and Spinks would go on to successfully defend the real/linear Heavyweight Championship against Jerry Cooney 7 months after Tyson picked up the alphabet trinket from Berbick.

[DaxxKahn]

Tyson may have fought in a weak era but a Tyson at his best had

1. Speed and combination punching that is perhapes one of the top 5 of any HW

2. His conditioning was fantastic and his power was unquestionable

3. His jaw was fantastic....Just look at shots he ate from Ruddock

4. He had a support team that at the time Tyson believed anything they said was the word of GOD so as long as they encouraged him his mindset was that of a champion

To question if Tyson was really that good is almost pointless....No One questioned how good Michael Spinks really was as a HW until Tyson sparked him...At the time no one thought Tony Tucker was ordinary until Tyson beat him, Trevor Berbick though had 3 or 4 losses at the time Tyson beat him was a feared puncher, Frank Bruno who is still thought of as a highly skilled fighter in his day with his only downfall being a soft chin was starched early both times when he fought Tyson...Other then a loss early in his career Bruno only lost to the elite of his era...and all murderous punchers.....

Skill wise Tyson was as good as any HW in history....If his mind was not fragile he coiuld have been a top 3 ATG....

If Tyson would or would not have beaten Bowe, Holyfield, etc if he stayed on course? I am not going to specualte that....There are many peolole out there that have asked the question

"If Tyson kept on the way he was and had not ended up leaving the Catskill camp then ending up in prison would guys like Bowe, Holyfield, Mercer etc have been such big names in the 1990's or Tyson opponents?"

Not a crazy question IMO

[brucelee]

Tyson was the youngest Heavyweight champ. That was a great accomplishment already.

I wonder what Michael Spinks thinks about this.

After all, he was still the heavyweight champion when tyson beat berbick for an alphabet title, and Spinks would go on to successfully defend the real/linear Heavyweight Championship against Jerry Cooney 7 months after Tyson picked up the alphabet trinket from Berbick.

Spinks would be thinking that he doesn't deserve that linear Championship after her was knocked down early and EASILY by Tyson.IMO

During that time, people were actually saying that Tyson would be like fighting Ali coz Spinks was still undefeated at that time. Many have been saying that Spinks would surely beat Tyson only to be viciously proven wrong.

By the way, Berbick was not a champion for nothing. He had been knocking people also and he was in no way an easy opponent for most heavyweights during that time. Tyson, again, disposed him easily.