I think calling Tyson a great "Athlete" is probably a mistake by my definition, I would say at his best he was almost a perfect "fighting machine". When I think of Athletes I think of people who can do many things, where their skills can transend to many different sports. If it were not for boxing could Mike Tyson have played pro or semi-pro basketball ala Roy Jones Jr.? Mike had freakish handspeed, great endurance, a great chin and was a disciplined fighter...Mike Tyson was a fighter through and through, but I would hardly call him "athletic" although he had the physical gifts that translated into a great fighter....again my opinion.