Heavy Weight Boxing: Debate

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  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    Tyson for a brief period looked as if he would become an all time great. Sadly, external distractions, deep character flaws AND fundamental stylistic flaws meant that never happened. He belongs in a discussion about the top 10, top 15 heavyweights but he is a lonng way from no.1. He made his name against a group of fighters either on the slide - Thomas, Berbick, Holmes - or who never really had it - Biggs, Tucker - or who were just too small - Spinks. He could be shut down by big men bent on survival, his pace slowed and he became one dimensional after 4 or 5 rounds, he couldnt fight on the inside worth a damn and for all he had a good chin there was the element of the classic bully in him - once he couldnt impose his will and his opponent wasnt scared of him he stopped really trying.
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    Tyson was invincible before prison, I doubt there would be any boxer of any time who could have stood up to the barrage that he brought to the ring. Ali was an incredible boxer, but could he have fought Tyson in his pomp? The ferocity and vicious nature of his fighting was astounding, with no little skill and the ability to just get the job done. Even a real craftsman like Ali would have struggled with what was thrown at him, for all his superior skill.

    Tyson got knocked out by Buster Douglas before he went to prison so you're statement is technically incorrect. But even in the period from 86-89 when he was in his 'pomp' there were plenty of signs of his limitations. Bonecrusher Smith and Tony Tucker both shut Tyson's offence down. They never looked like winning their fights with him but showed that a big strong heavyweight with a decent jab could frustrate Tyson. And neither Smith or Tucker had any lateral movement worth mentioning. The 60s Ali would have controlled Tyson's ferocious start and then punished him from the mid rounds on perhaps stopping Tyson late. Watch Ali's first fight with Liston - a man who had every bit the reputation of Tyson and better boxing skills to boot - and you get a sense of how Ali Tyson might have played out. NOt an easy fight for Ali by any means but one he would have won without any doubt in my mind.

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