Prime David Tua vs prime Mike Tyson who wins ?

**ross** · 04-06-2009 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by VanChilds

Here is my longwinded thought on Tyson that I've posted before

man it seems like this is discussed weekly. I have very mixed feelings about Tyson's placement in history. Tyson's wins are against mostly average to decent fighters. Not that this is his fault and not that many fighters(marciano, Louis,holmes etc) don't have the same dilemma in regards to their legacy. I think quite often it wasn't who he beat but the electrifying way he did it. I often ask myself if Tyson was a defensive master who out pointed and embarrassed fighters would we feel the same way? If he was the pernell whitaker of the HW era would he have such a fan base? Tyson embodied what we as fans want in our champion. I think people quite often get wrapped up in the sheer entertainment value of Tyson. His wins over Berbick, Smith, Tucker, Ruddock, tubbs, thomas, biggs etc are impressive in that he cleaned out a division and in the manner he did them but the actual opposition is really just slightly better than average. Tyson has two great wins: the destruction of Spinks and Holmes. Although Holmes went on to several more decent wins I don't think anyone will argue that he was the same man who himself had cleaned out a division. And I don't think we will ever know why spinks gave such a sorry performance never the less the man is blown up LHW not a legit great HW. The biggest problem with grading Tyson's career is that his "prime" was so short. He didn't face any truly good HW's in their prime until late in his career. Obviously Tyson's management decisions and personal demons had a lot to do with his decline as a fighter, but this is a part of who Tyson was as a fighter. He simply didn't have the dedication and focus of other great HW's. I look at him alot like Bowe. They both had all the skills to be ATG's but couldn't capitalize. I don't judge Tyson's career after the Lewis fighter b/c it was obvious he didn't care. That being said whether he came in poorly prepared or not he was beaten soundly by douglas, holy, and Lewis. Great fighters rise to the occasion and Tyson didn't. When he met fighters who weren't intimidated, were bigger, had a decent jab and could back him up and tie him up he was definately frustrated. You dont get to count Tyson's great hand speed and head movement but not his fragile mental psyche and emotional problems. It is not only the great physical tools that make Ali/Robinson/Leonard etc ATG it is their pure dedication to being a fighter. Tyson is one of the greatest power punchers ever, and arguably the most exciting fighter ever. He will stand as an icon in boxing of what might of been, but in my personal oppinion not an all time great fighter and hugely overrated.

Out of all you just said the One thing I can agree on is that Mike lacked mental toughness.

He was tough, he could take a massive punch and keep coming but as soon as he didnt have the security of that original team behind him he just couldnt put the effort in.

When he looked back at his corner in the eighties, he had the best team around and he knew he could sit calm and take instructions from some of the most experienced men in boxing, whereas when he left and went with King, he looked behind him and saw who king could afford, each and everyone, Mike himself could give lessons in boxing to, he had no respect for them.