Quote Originally Posted by miles
Quote Originally Posted by Lyle
...enough with all the warm fuzzy memories of "Prime Tyson" yeah he hit hard, yeah he was the youngest champ ever but Michael Spinks was a light heavyweight, that win did not (in my opinion) solidify him as the best heavyweight at the time....the win over Berbick did.

Tyson still had his flaws even waaaaay back in his prime years.


Any heavyweight...ok

George Foreman that beat Frazier

The Frazier that beat Ali

The Riddick Bowe who whipped Holyfield

The Holyfield who beat Bowe

The Lennox Lewis who thrashed Rahman

The Joe Louis who beat Max Baer

The Jack Dempsey who beat Jess Willard

There are a number of guys who would have beat Mike, bigger or smaller, it doesn't matter...there are only a HANDFUL of great Mike could contend with....don't call me a hater, Mike was fun to watch but it's the truth, people are so enamered by the KO's the forget to look at the actual style and skill...which yes he had great skill in his style but his style was EXTREMELY flawed as was he emotionally and mentally
IMO Tyson has a shot at beating any one of those guys....prime for prime Tyson is a great and should not be belittled because of Tyson revisionism which tends towards belittling what he was doing throughout the 80's because of a lacklustre 1990's....

hindsight is a blessing and a curse....if tyson was to retire after the bruno fight he would renowned as an all time great for all time, now we have doubters who have seen the lewis fight and suggest that this is what we should judge tyson on....I dont buy it...

PrimeTyson wasnt just a fun fighter to watch, he was a skilled, physical specimen who could put up a good fight against any of the greats IMO and more often than not be the victor....
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Great article and great points you make Miles.CC.I agree totally,he was some kind of beast with everything,good D,power,raw strength,jab,great head movement etc etcIf anyone went the distance with Tyson@the beginning of his career,it was considered a failure for him and a success for them even if they got the crap beaten oput of them(Bonecrusher Smith comes to mind)and I have no qualms in saying that Mike,at his peak is a match for ANY hw that ever lived.Period.