What was Mike Tyson's greatest win ?

[IamInuit]

Razor back to back fights for me. I don't consider Spinks that big a win. Somebody should have just handed Spinks a diaper or just thrown in the towel before the bell rang.

[Hulk]

I'm surprised the overwhelming majority of people picked Spinks. I mean Spinks was a blown up Light Heavyweight who was scared shitless and put up no opposition what so ever.

Larry Holmes was a top 10 HW of all time, who got robbed against Spinks, and had never been soundly beaten. Not to mention years AFTER Tyson destroyed Larry, he still went on to compete against Holyfield for the title, McCall, and to dominate Ray Mercer.

One could argue Trevor Berbick was Tyson's greatest win as well, seein as it made him the youngest heavyweight champion ever.

[generalbulldog]

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.

[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.

[El Kabong]

Both Bruno and Ruddock could box a fair bit but they were also sluggers whose power could match Tyson's (though their handspeed and chins couldn't). Those are the 2 most dangerous fighters (and prime fighters) Tyson beat.

Tucker broke his hand in their fight (so I've heard). Holmes didn't have time to fully prepare. Spinks was scared. The only other fighter I could think of is Smith but he was scared too, but once he let his hands go he hurt Mike.

Looking at who Tyson beat and who he actually did well against I think its actually a very tough sell to say he'd beat a Klitschko much less walk through one seeing how both have the style to destroy him. But that's another argument for another day.

[El Kabong]

I really do think at certain points: Foreman, Mercer, Morrison, Rahman, Briggs, Bowe, and MAYBE Moorer could have all beaten Tyson.

Tyson's prime was so short...but that's the way pressure fighters are. If Ruddock had more discipline he could have really done damage...too bad he didn't have "it".

[generalbulldog]

Both Bruno and Ruddock could box a fair bit but they were also sluggers whose power could match Tyson's (though their handspeed and chins couldn't). Those are the 2 most dangerous fighters (and prime fighters) Tyson beat.

Tucker broke his hand in their fight (so I've heard). Holmes didn't have time to fully prepare. Spinks was scared. The only other fighter I could think of is Smith but he was scared too, but once he let his hands go he hurt Mike.

Looking at who Tyson beat and who he actually did well against I think its actually a very tough sell to say he'd beat a Klitschko much less walk through one seeing how both have the style to destroy him. But that's another argument for another day.

Yeah yeah yeah, just like Wlad on paper can beat guys like Brewster, Sanders, but we all know what happened.

And just like Vitali at his absolute prime and on paper should beat an old, fat, inactive, 38 year old, past his prime Lennox Lewis, who was fighting Vitali on short notice, but we all know what happened. I'm pretty sure if Lewis didn't fight Vitali you would probably say Vitali runs through Lewis and makes him look like a bum in some hypothetical matchup. But hey that's another discussion.

[Spicoli]

Name , notoriety or passing of the torch....Spinks or Holmes. Beating a current viable threat, Ruddock...Tucker...Bruno 1.

Agreed. Although I think Bruno 2 was a better fighter than Bruno 1, he just shit his pants and didn't perform. That fight was there for him to win at that stage of Tyson's career!!

Ya know man can def see that yeh. Bruno had a run going with activity, finally winning strap as opposed to year + layoff going into 1st meet. Tyson had next to nothing in 4 pure shake off the rust rounds going into 2nd.

[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...