Heavyweight Boxing

Just in your comment that the heavyweight division was in the bin back then, I'd say it's worse now. When Whyte is top five and Chisora top ten it's pretty bad.

This is true yeah. Was bad post Holmes though. Tony Tubbs a top 5. Tyrell Biggs top 10 etc.

Its all been sh1t since Holyfield/Tyson/Lewis lets face it.

The reason id pick Fury is because we have never seen him lose no matter what Fury turns up he finds a way to win ,

Mike showed us numerous times he can be beat, he can turn up not ready , he can give up , all things we are yet to see form Fury ,

If you want to watch the highlights of explosive ,vicious heavy weight boxing watch a highlight package of Mike,

If you want to watch the greatest Heavy weights in action he's a long way down that list,

Yes, Lewis could very well give prime Tyson issues. I just believe that his chin won't survive. Lewis did not have a glass chin. It was a decent chin, but Mike was so so much better 1986-1988 compared to 2002. Now, Lewis may have been better than 2002, but that's questionable. Lewis in the late 90s and early 2000s was a hulk of a man, and physically stronger than the lighter early 90s version

Lewis is kind of like Ali for me....his peak was a mix of two timespans. Ali mid to late 60s and early to mid 70s....was stronger and took better shot in the 1970s.......was faster and more elusive in the mid 60s. Lewis was faster in the early 90s, and more aggressive, but stronger and more mature/experienced in the late 90s and early 2000s...

Problem for Lewis is that during both spans, he was clean knocked out. A prime Tyson will be very dangerous for Lewis....

Joe Louis: a boxer-puncher at 200 lbs. I happen to think prime Tyson gets him out in a round. Tyson is Joe's worst style match

1. Joe could be hit
2. he could be hurt
3. Tyson comes to kill
4. won't find Joe difficult to find/hit
5. Tysons chin better
6. 20 lbs solid weight heavier

Clean win for Mike here

Holmes? Watch their 1988 fight again, Holmes was doing nothing. Few silly flashes on his toes and popping a jab. He was then brutally taken out

Tyson always a bad match for Holmes. Holmes was not, for me, as wily/durable/resilient as Ali. Larry as down heavy several times from far less overall deadly punchers than Mike. Holmes has nothing on his shots to deter Mike. And Holmes will not avoid heavy leather...he gets knocked out.

A fit Fury at 280 pounds with big reach and height advantage is a nightmare for Tyson imo.

You could ask same question of many HWs? Who were the best they beat? They beat who was in their era at the time

You are fixated on wanting to portray Tyson's first reign as being against bums, which is ridiculous, and inaccurate..

Who at HW was so great that Holmes beat? Louis? Liston? Dempsey? Tunney?

They beat who was in front of them, and lost to what was in front of them

Mike was the younger man when he fought Lewis and got demolished ,

Lennox beats him 9 out of 10 times ,

Well of the people Tyson is allegedly in contention with (ie top 10 ever)

Holmes beat Norton, Shavers and loads of the people Tyson beat. Williams, Smith, Witherspoon, Marvis.

Ali beat Liston, Patterson, Williams, Foreman, Frazier, Norton.

Foreman beat Frazier, Norton, Lyle.

Lewis beat Tyson, Holyfield, Klitschko.

Holyfield beat Tyson twice, Foreman and all the others Tyson beat.

Frazier beat Ali.

Tyson beat..... Bruno?

Its a genuine question. And the only way to judge greatness. The fantasy stuff is just that.

Which greats of his era did he beat? Theres usually only 2 or 3 by the way in any era. But he lost to both of them. Apart from Naseem, still my favourite fighter ever to watch mind you.

The obvious strategy for Fury would be to get behind that jab all night and use that 14 inch reach advantage. Even if Mike did catch Fury and put him down I'd have full faith that he'll get up and still win. Mike's only hope would be to end it early, longer it goes on Fury with lean on him, wrestle him, slow him down and probably get a late stoppage.

He could also win going on the offensive, take the centre of the ring and get tyson fighting on the back foot. He'd look for those clubbing right hands to the ear, lots of 1-2's and clinch, wear him down. Bit riskier but likely to end in a quicker stoppage.

Norton and Shavers were not near great, despite Norton beating Ali...

Some the names you mention were every bit as weak as you want to make Mike's opponents to be.

They beat who was in their era....Tyson's 10 wins up to 1990 Douglas was every bit as decent as some the names on Holmes' ledger

Foreman lost to Jimmy Young for chrissake Norton he knocked out. Big deal. So did Cooney...even quicker I believe.

Your selecting Mike's wins and trying to lambast his opposition, while trying to not lambast others is way off....they all beat and lost to names that were in their time.

Holmes, lost to fooking Spinks......a man Mike pulverized in one round, yet what happens? Yes, Mike's detractors slag Spinks as being too small...this is the kind of logic that gets thrown around

And on Floyd Patterson: One of, if not the weakest HW champions ever. I'd back all Tyson's opponent he beat during his 1986-1989 reign to KO Patterson. Liston is 2-2 in championship bouts. Both wins vs. Patterson..

Not sure what that means about it being Mike's fault.....whatever age he was, in 2002 vs Lewis he was clearly shot to bits.....

Why are you asking me what year was prime Mike?

You know the year(s) I gave, and what most educated boxing fans would give

What year(s) would you say were when Tyson was at his best, or really close to it?

All boxers have prime ages/years etc.....Tyson is no different.

I always knew Tyson would KO Spinks. Most picked him to. Where did I say that I thought he was a serious heavyweight?

Fact is that he was the lineal champion, as he beat Holmes twice. So let's not pretend he was a nobody.

My Spinks point was clear, if you read it. Holmes lost to Spinks twice, and you won't hear too much criticism, yet Tyson pulverizes Spinks in 90 seconds and it gets dismissed as Spinks being too small. Despite being 6-7 lbs lighter than Mike...

I am not arguing Spinks as a great HW. I am simply pointing out the bias/logic that people use to harshly assess and criticize Tyson's opposition

Again, where did I say it was Tyson's best win?

And, why are you asking me for Mike's prime, again?!

I already said what I believe to be his prime...it is the years 1986-1988/1989....any one these calendar years I think he was at his best.

Having to pick one year where Tsyon looked to me to at his fighting best? 1988.....1987 a close second.

You have not said what you believe to be his prime year(s) where he was at his fighting best...

So then you'd have Fury and Marciano as a draw?

Also it's very fair to judge pre Buster Douglas Tyson with Fury. Mike had more fights at that time than Fury has in his career to date.