I didn't know Holyfield sparred with Tua in '96

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

October 1996, in preparation for Tyson.

How perfect a sparring partner was Tua?

[Master]

I read Evander was sparring with another Tysonesque type fighter and was getting battered early in his preparation. It was not Tua.

[J_Undisputed]

Yeah that was the younger, thinner tua who being coached by Duva and I think, Ronnie Shields. He was the right height weight and style. He didn't have as much head movement and didn't have the combo punching precision of D'Amato system but in 96, neither did Tyson (as much) anymore. Tua was on his way to being the next Tyson till he got derailed by coach/management problems (trusting the wrong people to manage his money) and probably a stray cheeseburger here and there.

[Beanflicker]

Tua had tree trunk legs, no wonder he hit so hard.

[El Kabong]

I always thought Holyfield should have fought: Tua, Golota, Morrison, Rudduck, Briggs, and Bruno and I wonder how those fights would have gone.

Also against Wlad or Vitali around the time Evander fought Ruiz.

[Master]

I always thought Holyfield should have fought: Tua, Golota, Morrison, Rudduck, Briggs, and Bruno and I wonder how those fights would have gone.

Also against Wlad or Vitali around the time Evander fought Ruiz.

Holyfield was inconsistent at that time he could beat Bowe but lose to Moorer.

[El Kabong]

I always thought Holyfield should have fought: Tua, Golota, Morrison, Rudduck, Briggs, and Bruno and I wonder how those fights would have gone.

Also against Wlad or Vitali around the time Evander fought Ruiz.

Holyfield was inconsistent at that time he could beat Bowe but lose to Moorer.

Yeah which would make all those fights exciting

[Master]

I always thought Holyfield should have fought: Tua, Golota, Morrison, Rudduck, Briggs, and Bruno and I wonder how those fights would have gone.

Also against Wlad or Vitali around the time Evander fought Ruiz.

Holyfield was inconsistent at that time he could beat Bowe but lose to Moorer.

Yeah which would make all those fights exciting

Yes peak Holfield breaks down all of the above. Holyfield that lost to Moorer possibly loses to all of them except Bruno.

[mikeeod]

I took the heavyweights of the 90's for granted and didn't appreciate them enough. That was, in my opinion, the second best heavyweight division in history, if not tied for first place with Ali/Foreman/Frazier...etc. Evander was my favorite of that bunch and he went out of his way to fight the toughest challengers and make the biggest fights. He was inconsistent at times, but no one had an easy time with him and when he was on he was one of the greatest fighters ever.

[Spicoli]

Good stuff! That was right in the middle of Tua's 1 year great run and near decapitation of fully durable Ruiz. Sometimes though I think that KO was the worst thing for Tua as he fell in love with his power and mystique.

[ykdadamaja]

Tua wasn't mimicking Tyson's style at all. But, Evander won both fights... so, it must have worked.

[ross]

I read Evander was sparring with another Tysonesque type fighter and was getting battered early in his preparation. It was not Tua.

That was Gary Bell.

[jon09]

Tua wasn't mimicking Tyson's style at all. But, Evander won both fights... so, it must have worked.

I was thinking the same thing about the sparring match. Tua fought like Tua.

[Master]

Tua wasn't mimicking Tyson's style at all. But, Evander won both fights... so, it must have worked.

I was thinking the same thing about the sparring match. Tua fought like Tua.

Tua can not do a Tyson, but he could do an old Tyson with little head movement and single punches. That was what Holyfield was facing at the time.

[ykdadamaja]

Tua wasn't mimicking Tyson's style at all. But, Evander won both fights... so, it must have worked.

I was thinking the same thing about the sparring match. Tua fought like Tua.

Tua can not do a Tyson, but he could do an old Tyson with little head movement and single punches. That was what Holyfield was facing at the time.

That wasn't even old Tyson... that was Tua being Tua.