I think the only fighters he "avoided" (I will use respect and not say he ducked anyone) were Lennox Lewis (whom he eventually fought) and George Foreman who earned the right to fight Tyson after destroying Gerry Cooney.

I do wonder why he never fought the following: Riddick Bowe, Shannon Briggs, Michael Moorer, Hasim Rahman, David Tua and Tommy Morrison. I guess he didn't take on Moorer because of Teddy Atlas, but I think all of those at some point in the 90's would have been classic bouts and IMO Tyson had a shot to beat all of them.

Tyson is a great fighter but I think lots of the champions from different eras could have beaten him or given him hell. I rate Tyson as exactly what he is Floyd Patterson with Sonny Liston muscle and he was a little lacking in confidence which in his prime you never would have imagined. I just don't like all the hype that some rabid Tyson fans have.