Best opponent Mike Tyson defeated at the time he beat him

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Now this question is more difficult. Note: when he beat them excludes Holmes, who was the best fighter of them all but not at the time of the beating.

Let's also distinguish Rooney-Tyson and post Rooney Tyson.

Who was the most dangerous/best opponent team Rooney faced in your opinion? Spinks?:eek:

And post Rooney - Frank Bruno?
 
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Spinks or Tucker, probably.

Tyson doesn't have a lot of "wow" wins on his resume, just a long list of solid heavyweights. Great because of consistency, for the most part.
 
Spinks or Tucker, probably.

Tyson doesn't have a lot of "wow" wins on his resume, just a long list of solid heavyweights. Great because of consistency, for the most part.

And post Rooney? Gotta be Bruno?
 
And post Rooney? Gotta be Bruno?
Tough call. No one really stands out. Sort of the same deal, he beat all the b level guys out there but lost to the best. I think in that sense, a lot of his wins are sort of underrated but also its easy to see why people argue against his greatness.
 
One thing I don't get is why Tyson couldn't get past Holyfield. Holyfield lost to far lesser fighters like Bowe and Moorer back then. Tyson is better than both those guys. Better=more abilities.
 
controversial call, but Ruddock was a bad man
 
Spinks was lineal, undefeated, and a very impressive fighter, but maybe because he was blown out in 91 seconds by Tyson he won't get any credit. Maybe Spinks was better at LHW than HW, too.

Ruddock was a solid win.
 
But Bruno is better than Ruddock, and equally dangerous puncher.
I'm not sure I agree. Bruno never had Ruddocks chin. Both big punchers, for sure, but Razor's style was a little harder to get used to IMO
 
His best win is Michael Spinks
His second best win is Bonecrusher Smith

Those 2 wins stand out above all the others as both opponents came into the fight with momentum.
 
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Spinks or Tucker, probably.

Tyson doesn't have a lot of "wow" wins on his resume, just a long list of solid heavyweights. Great because of consistency, for the most part.
The epitome of a can crusher... :cool:
 
The epitome of a can crusher... :cool:
Not really though. Look at what Tyson did to Alex Stewart, then watch the same guy against Foreman. He was beating decent guys. Just not elite.
 
One thing I don't get is why Tyson couldn't get past Holyfield. Holyfield lost to far lesser fighters like Bowe and Moorer back then. Tyson is better than both those guys. Better=more abilities.
By the time they fought their careers had gone down different roads. A fight around '90 would have probably given us a better fight to rank them historically.

While Holyfield was champ and having tough fights against the best competition in the world Tyson languished in prison. When he got out he fought a string of no hopers. He was still physically powerful but he wasn't the fine tuned fighting machine of his youth. Aside from the stint in jail he had also long ago split with his original trainers and had Don King's henchmen leading his camp.

By the time they fought Holyfield showed some signs of age and possible health issues but he proved himself one of the most durable fighters of all time. He was still used to competing against guys like Bowe and Moorer while Tyson faced guys like Mathis and Seldon.
 
controversial call, but Ruddock was a bad man
I would say Tucker, Doulglas and Ruddock were his best opponents before he went to prison. I know Douglas was pretty cold most of his career but on that night he was red hot. Holyfield and Lewis were probably his best after his stint in prison.
 
Not really though. Look at what Tyson did to Alex Stewart, then watch the same guy against Foreman. He was beating decent guys. Just not elite.
I agree I was just messing with you for @WilliePep. :p
 
I would say Tucker, Doulglas and Ruddock were his best opponents before he went to prison. I know Douglas was pretty cold most of his career but on that night he was red hot. Holyfield and Lewis were probably his best after his stint in prison.
agreed. Lewis and Holyfield were just guys who would always beat Mike IMO, but Douglas was a guy he could definitely beat.
 
agreed. Lewis and Holyfield were just guys who would always beat Mike IMO, but Douglas was a guy he could definitely beat.
Well that's kind of iffy in my mind. Who knows how a fight against 205 pound Holyfield would have ended up around '90. Tyson wasn't so far removed from his prime and Holyfield hadn't really made his bones at HW.

The older, bulked up, Steward version of Lewis probably always beats him but I'm not sure the younger version wouldn't have been caught and stopped.
 
Mmmm maybe ruddock?

Spinks is an atg lhw but...i dunno about hw.

Tyson has got a relatively weak resume all things considered
 
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