What was Mike Tyson's greatest win ?

[marbleheadmaui]

Floyd Patterson is still the youngest HW champion. When Tyson beat Berbick, Spinks was still the universally recognized champ, lineal champ that is. So Tyson in actuality never became HW champ until he beat the man, and that was Spinks.

Lineal title>ABC alphabet title.

So I go with Spinks as Tyson's greatest win to become the 2nd youngest HW champ in 1st round ko.

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion ever in my mind and in most people's minds.

Doesn't mean it's true. Boxing is a man who beat the man who beat the man sport. Alphabet gangs don't change that. Tyson wasn't champ until he had beaten Spinks who beat Holmes who won it beating Norton after Ali retired who had beaten Leon who had beaten Ali who had beaten Foreman who had beaten Frazier who had beaten Ali who had beaten Liston.

Just because some corrupt organization strips a still active champion doesn't make the new guy a champion if the word is to mean anything. See Darius M being stripped and belts being given to Jones as a classic example.

The only "youngest" title Tyson really has is the youngest heavy ever to lose the crown.

[Hulk]

Floyd Patterson is still the youngest HW champion. When Tyson beat Berbick, Spinks was still the universally recognized champ, lineal champ that is. So Tyson in actuality never became HW champ until he beat the man, and that was Spinks.

Lineal title>ABC alphabet title.

So I go with Spinks as Tyson's greatest win to become the 2nd youngest HW champ in 1st round ko.

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion ever in my mind and in most people's minds.

Doesn't mean it's true. Boxing is a man who beat the man who beat the man sport. Alphabet gangs don't change that. Tyson wasn't champ until he had beaten Spinks who beat Holmes who won it beating Norton after Ali retired who had beaten Leon who had beaten Ali who had beaten Foreman who had beaten Frazier who had beaten Ali who had beaten Liston.

Just because some corrupt organization strips a still active champion doesn't make the new guy a champion if the word is to mean anything. See Darius M being stripped and belts being given to Jones as a classic example.

The only "youngest" title Tyson really has is the youngest heavy ever to lose the crown.

Consensus is that he is the youngest my friend.

We can play semantics all day with him winning a world title but not the lineal title, but perception is everything.

And it is a moot point, as Spinks proved to be no threat what so ever. Hardly worthy of denying Tyson from being the youngest hw champ ever.

Regardless, who do you think was his best victory ?

[marbleheadmaui]

Floyd Patterson is still the youngest HW champion. When Tyson beat Berbick, Spinks was still the universally recognized champ, lineal champ that is. So Tyson in actuality never became HW champ until he beat the man, and that was Spinks.

Lineal title>ABC alphabet title.

So I go with Spinks as Tyson's greatest win to become the 2nd youngest HW champ in 1st round ko.

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion ever in my mind and in most people's minds.

Doesn't mean it's true. Boxing is a man who beat the man who beat the man sport. Alphabet gangs don't change that. Tyson wasn't champ until he had beaten Spinks who beat Holmes who won it beating Norton after Ali retired who had beaten Leon who had beaten Ali who had beaten Foreman who had beaten Frazier who had beaten Ali who had beaten Liston.

Just because some corrupt organization strips a still active champion doesn't make the new guy a champion if the word is to mean anything. See Darius M being stripped and belts being given to Jones as a classic example.

The only "youngest" title Tyson really has is the youngest heavy ever to lose the crown.

Consensus is that he is the youngest my friend.

We can play semantics all day with him winning a world title but not the lineal title, but perception is everything.

And it is a moot point, as Spinks proved to be no threat what so ever. Hardly worthy of denying Tyson from being the youngest hw champ ever.

Regardless, who do you think was his best victory ?

The concensus is factually wrong. This isn't a matter of opinion, we can determine the correct view. Unless you want to argue the meaning of the word champion has changed over time? Then "history" requires and apples to apples comparison. The lineal crown is the only measurable constant. That says Floyd is the youngest.

Again, what I note about Tyson's best victory is how mediocre it is compared to the best wins of other great fighters. I guess I'd say Spinks or Tony Tucker.

[IamInuit]

Floyd Patterson is still the youngest HW champion. When Tyson beat Berbick, Spinks was still the universally recognized champ, lineal champ that is. So Tyson in actuality never became HW champ until he beat the man, and that was Spinks.

Lineal title>ABC alphabet title.

So I go with Spinks as Tyson's greatest win to become the 2nd youngest HW champ in 1st round ko.

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion ever in my mind and in most people's minds.

Doesn't mean it's true. Boxing is a man who beat the man who beat the man sport. Alphabet gangs don't change that. Tyson wasn't champ until he had beaten Spinks who beat Holmes who won it beating Norton after Ali retired who had beaten Leon who had beaten Ali who had beaten Foreman who had beaten Frazier who had beaten Ali who had beaten Liston.

Just because some corrupt organization strips a still active champion doesn't make the new guy a champion if the word is to mean anything. See Darius M being stripped and belts being given to Jones as a classic example.

The only "youngest" title Tyson really has is the youngest heavy ever to lose the crown.

Just stop already. Lineal in many cases is = to a can of soup. One of the most overused meaningless terms in boxing. I do not particularly like Tyson but he's the youngest hev champ ever and the last unified one.

[marbleheadmaui]

Floyd Patterson is still the youngest HW champion. When Tyson beat Berbick, Spinks was still the universally recognized champ, lineal champ that is. So Tyson in actuality never became HW champ until he beat the man, and that was Spinks.

Lineal title>ABC alphabet title.

So I go with Spinks as Tyson's greatest win to become the 2nd youngest HW champ in 1st round ko.

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion ever in my mind and in most people's minds.

Doesn't mean it's true. Boxing is a man who beat the man who beat the man sport. Alphabet gangs don't change that. Tyson wasn't champ until he had beaten Spinks who beat Holmes who won it beating Norton after Ali retired who had beaten Leon who had beaten Ali who had beaten Foreman who had beaten Frazier who had beaten Ali who had beaten Liston.

Just because some corrupt organization strips a still active champion doesn't make the new guy a champion if the word is to mean anything. See Darius M being stripped and belts being given to Jones as a classic example.

The only "youngest" title Tyson really has is the youngest heavy ever to lose the crown.

Just stop already. Lineal in many cases is = to a can of soup. One of the most overused meaningless terms in boxing. I do not particularly like Tyson but he's the youngest hev champ ever and the last unified one.

Nonsense! The line ran Holmes, Spinks, how could Tyson win it by beating Trevor Berbick? It's like arguing Ernie Terrell was a heavyweight champion when he beat Eddie Machen in 1965. I mean after all, the WBA had stripped Ali and given the belt to the winner of the Terell-Machen fight! And he had a couple of defenses as well!

Yet NO serious fan thinks Terrell was heavyweioght champion. Why not? The linear king was still freaking active!

[generalbulldog]

Lineal title means a lot more than an ABC title. Whoever holds it in the eyes of many hardcore boxing fans and boxing historians is considered to be the true champion.

Would anyone here dare say John Ruiz was Heavyweight champion when he beat Holyfield for the WBA alphabet strap while Lennox Lewis was universally recognized as the lineal champ? Is John Ruiz considered to be the same kind of HW champ as Sullivan, Dempsey, Johnson, Louis, Marciano, Ali, Holmes? Or was he just an paper champion?

[Hulk]

well this has degenerated into nonsense even faster than I had imagined...

[marbleheadmaui]

well this has degenerated into nonsense even faster than I had imagined...

As the immortal sportswriter Dan Jenkins wrote "It ain't hard to f##k up...it just takes time!"

[Hulk]

well this has degenerated into nonsense even faster than I had imagined...

As the immortal sportswriter Dan Jenkins wrote "It ain't hard to f##k up...it just takes time!"

I was quoting the immortal David Letterman during an interview with the immortal MR. T.

[marbleheadmaui]

well this has degenerated into nonsense even faster than I had imagined...

As the immortal sportswriter Dan Jenkins wrote "It ain't hard to f##k up...it just takes time!"

I was quoting the immortal David Letterman during an interview with the immortal MR. T.

Geeze and I thought I was up on all my Mr. T related stuff! My bad

[IamInuit]

well this has degenerated into nonsense even faster than I had imagined...

You got that right.

[IamInuit]

Please the term begs the question for its own need. It's Who beat Whom not who beat whom who beat the other guy. Taylor beat Hopkins. He never beat those Bernard did. Lineal is a metaphor for alphabet.

[marbleheadmaui]

Please the term begs the question for its own need. It's Who beat Whom not who beat whom who beat the other guy. Taylor beat Hopkins. He never beat those Bernard did. Lineal is a metaphor for alphabet.

Boxing has always been (and despite the present dilapidated state) hopefull will always remain a sport analagous to "King of the Hill." There is one hill (in boxing a division) and room for only one king at a time at the top of the hill. The way to become king is to take the hill from the current king.

Having some corrupt friend build another hill nearby and point at you and say "You're a king too!" carries no drama, no honesty and starts something we are seeing today. We have what? Around 100 "champions" just with the four biggest groups. Heck that doesn't even include the IBO/IBC type groups.

Believing these alphabet titles mean anything is like believing a division "championship" in baseball is the same as winning the World Series. It's just silly.

[IamInuit]

Please the term begs the question for its own need. It's Who beat Whom not who beat whom who beat the other guy. Taylor beat Hopkins. He never beat those Bernard did. Lineal is a metaphor for alphabet.

Boxing has always been (and despite the present dilapidated state) hopefull will always remain a sport analagous to "King of the Hill." There is one hill (in boxing a division) and room for only one king at a time at the top of the hill. The way to become king is to take the hill from the current king.

Having some corrupt friend build another hill nearby and point at you and say "You're a king too!" carries no drama, no honesty and starts something we are seeing today. We have what? Around 100 "champions" just with the four biggest groups. Heck that doesn't even include the IBO/IBC type groups.

Believing these alphabet titles mean anything is like believing a division "championship" in baseball is the same as winning the World Series. It's just silly.

That's right and the term lineal is no different. Its like p4p. Absolutely meaningless today. A buzz phrase for popularity. Toss all the freakin tin for all I care.

[marbleheadmaui]

Please the term begs the question for its own need. It's Who beat Whom not who beat whom who beat the other guy. Taylor beat Hopkins. He never beat those Bernard did. Lineal is a metaphor for alphabet.

Boxing has always been (and despite the present dilapidated state) hopefull will always remain a sport analagous to "King of the Hill." There is one hill (in boxing a division) and room for only one king at a time at the top of the hill. The way to become king is to take the hill from the current king.

Having some corrupt friend build another hill nearby and point at you and say "You're a king too!" carries no drama, no honesty and starts something we are seeing today. We have what? Around 100 "champions" just with the four biggest groups. Heck that doesn't even include the IBO/IBC type groups.

Believing these alphabet titles mean anything is like believing a division "championship" in baseball is the same as winning the World Series. It's just silly.

That's right and the term lineal is no different. Its like p4p. Absolutely meaningless today. A buzz phrase for popularity. Toss all the freakin tin for all I care.

But that's just not true. At least not always true. Look at a guy like Wonjonkam, one of maybe 6-7 real champs around today. That line goes from him to Naito to him to Tunocaos to 3k Battery all the way back to Miguel Canto in the mid 1970's. Sergio goes through BHOP who began a new line when he beat Keith Holmes and became THE MAN at 160. The crowns were earned directly, not by appointment by some authority.

Now like I said, there's only AT MOST 6-7 champions today. The rest? Contenders with jewelry. I don't want to throw out the idea of titles completely (as you seem willing to do) because i think it is elemental to the sport and I don't really know what it looks like without the concept of a championship.