Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield prime for prime

wellz6 said:
From what I understand, if Tyson had gotten past Buster Douglas he would have fought Holyfield next. It sucks that we had to wait another 6 years or so before seeing the fight after Tyson had spent a few years in prison. I would have much rather watched this fight take place in 1990 or 1991.
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It nearly happened in 1990, but as you say Douglas got in the way.

It also nearly happened in late 1991 but a combination of the rape accusations and a rib injury cancelled it (Francesco Damiani also pulled out and thus Cooper got his shot).

nastyleft said:
**On a side note**
I don't know if you all remember but they were trying to get a Lennox vs Tyson fight done for a long time when they both were rollin'; but Lennox kept ducking Mike until he was clearly ripe for the beating some 5-6 yrs later.
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If by "Lennox kept ducking Mike" you actually mean "Tyson paid Lewis millions of dollars so he wouldn't have to face him" you'd be right. I don't think it constitutes a duck but it was Tyson who didn't want the bout (and was willing to pay significant money to make sure it didn't happen) rather than Lewis.
 
Bubble Bath said:
It depends who is coaching Mike Tyson. If Cus D'Amato is, then Mike takes it. If not, then Holyfield wins.
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In 1988 Tyson was trained by Kevin Rooney who was even better than d'Amato.
I agree with all of you, 1988 Tyson beats a 1991 Holyfield.
 
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i always felt holy was a tough but winnable fight for iron mike,so long as it didnt go the distance
 
I'd wager on a prime Mike. By the mid 90's, Tyson was a drug addict ex-con who trained part time. I'm not sure the public truly appreciates and sympathizes for Tyson when it comes to the time he lost out on in his physical prime, especially considering he was falsely accused and poorly represented in court.

Tyson still had some good years left in him before heading to prison. After prison, he was a shell of himself but still good enough to regain portions of the heavyweight title.

Prime for prime, give me Iron Mike. I wouldn't pick many heavyweights over him in a prime for prime sense. He had all the physical tools to be the GOAT he just lacked the mental fortitude.
 
it was like lightning in a bottle. It took the right no nonsense guys he came up with to keep him in top fighting form and to fulfill his full potential and he just didnt have that anymore. But he was still a tough motherfucker,who could kill you with one punch...and his ability just didnt "go away"


I just hate how people say he was a bully,who was a coward when pushed back. There are plenty of fighters who indeed fall apart when they get hurt but he wasnt one of them. The lennox fight was a hard fight for me to watch,cos it really was the end of tyson,he wanted to quit on his stool,but they talked him out of it and he went out there and tried his best,despite being outclassed and outgunned.Normal People who never have accomplished a thing in their lives,look at a guy like tyson and they feel threatened,so they like to see him taken down a peg,so that he looks human like the rest of us. He wasnt a saint,but he showed bravery in the ring when he was hurt,cant just outright lie about that.
 
Both in their primes, either a close decision win or TKO for Holyfield. As earlier mentioned Holyfield was never gonna be a good stylistic match up for Mike, especially with how durable he is.
Also the HW division when Mike was running through it was shite! Half the guys getting in with Tyson had lost before a punch was thrown, they were intimidated. Frank Bruno was visibly terified in both fight imo. Holyfield had to fight far better guys when he was champ than Mike did
 
Jonny Ninja said:
Holyfield had to fight far better guys when he was champ than Mike did
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Ancient George Foreman, an even older version of Holmes than Tyson beat and Bert Cooper?

During the period we're talking about the only boxer Holyfield faced who was better than Tyson's competition when champion was Bowe... and excellent bout or not, Holyfield lost that contest.
 
Tyson overwhelms mid rounds or is too far ahead on cards to lose the decision as Holyheadbutt starts to take over.
 
Holyfield wins at any time he was a well established HW. The 1988 version of Tyson would have the same problems and the same outcome. He couldn't KO or intimidate Holyfield and he would have been worn down, frustrated and then stopped.
 
kiljoy said:
headbutts vs ear bitting i'll take the headbutts. on a serious note tyson was a far better boxer and harder puncher but nowhere near as tough as holyfield. i would have to go with tyson. tyson vs foreman was the match i would have loved to see.
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Tyson was harder hitting for sure but Holyfield was the better boxer
 
nastyleft said:
If during that time(in which he had a much better chance of winning), he had fought Lennox, and Holyfield I think people would be putting him higher up on the echelon of greatest ever. Cause I think he would've beaten them both, circa 88-91.

Prime Tyson, head movement an all was a very baaad man, and would've been a major problem for anyone in history.
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Lewis was just starting his pro career then, so yeah Tyson probably could have beaten him, but the post McCall 1 Lewis would have smashed Tyson at any point in his career.

I would say the Tyson that took out Spinks would have beaten the best version of Holyfield. He was just too relentless to let Holyfield mount a comeback. The thing that allowed Evander to beat Tyson was that that version of Tyson was basically a head hunter, and when an opponent could stand up to his shots, was not afraid of him, and when give the rough stuff back he wasn't mentally prepared to use the ring smarts he truly had to win.
 
Spirit Breaker said:
Lewis was just starting his pro career then, so yeah Tyson probably could have beaten him, but the post McCall 1 Lewis would have smashed Tyson at any point in his career.
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Dream fight, but I think Mike's head movement would protect him from Lewis' jab.
You saw how fast he cleaned out Larry Holmes who stylistically matched up well against Mike. Larry was never knocked out before or after that fight.

Holmes vs. Lewis is one more dream fight.
 
STD Tyson > Lennox Lewis
 
holyfield and it wouldn't have even been close. tyson quit in their fights and he would have quit than to
 
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