Tyson vs those he didn't fight

[oliverfennell]

Who is missing from Tyson's record, and what would have happened if they had fought? Disregarding anybody post-Lewis.

Late 80s-early 90s (peak Tyson)

Tim Witherspoon
Renaldo Snipes
George Foreman
Michael Dokes
Greg Page

Mid-late 90s (not peak Tyson, but still top class)

George Foreman (I know I had him already, but a different proposition by this stage)
Riddick Bowe
Tommy Morrison
Michael Moorer
Ray Mercer

Early 00s (fading Tyson)

Chris Byrd
David Tua
John Ruiz
Ike Ibeabuchi

Feel free to add any others

[jezzamundo]

Firstly, good topic.

Secondly:

Late 80s-early 90s (peak Tyson)

Mike Tyson KO1 Tim Witherspoon - certainly not every time, I just tend to think Mike takes Tim out early or not at all (and wins a decision)
Renaldo Snipes - haven't seen enough to make a call
Mike Tyson UD12 George Foreman
Mike Tyson KO6 Michael Dokes
Greg Page - haven't seen enough to make a call

Mid-late 90s (not peak Tyson, but still top class)

Mike Tyson SD12 George Foreman - both well below their best, Tyson's chin is (much) better than Moorer's and I think he lands more.
Mike Tyson TKO8 Riddick Bowe - Up to '95, Bowe stops Tyson, after '96 I think Tyson stops him.
Mike Tyson KO4 Tommy Morrison - just a matter of time.
Mike Tyson KO1 Michael Moorer - Moorer could never take Tyson's punch.
Mike Tyson SD12 Ray Mercer - Controversial decision and highly competitive fight.

Early 00s (fading Tyson)

Chris Byrd UD12 Mike Tyson - I'm really 50:50 on this one, but if it goes the distance, Chris wins.
Mike Tyson UD12 David Tua - Both staggered at times, highly competitive fight.
Mike Tyson TKO6 John Ruiz - An ugly fight while it lasts, Ruiz wins rounds with jab 'n' grab.
Ike Ibeabuchi UD12 Mike Tyson - A war that Ike wins with greater activity.

[gilgamesh]

Tyson W12 Foreman - 80's or 90's ( UD either decade)
Tyson KO 4 Michael Dokes

90's
Riddick Bowe W12 Mike Tyson ( Close fight)
Tyson KO 2 Tommy Morrison
Tyson KO 1 Moorer
Tyson W12 Mercer ( I agree with the earlier post, this would be a close SD fight )

2000's Late Tyson

Byrd W12 Tyson ( UD)
Tyson KO 4 Ruiz
David Tua W12 Tyson ( UD ) would've been a Fight of the Year

Ibeabuchi W12 Tyson ( UD )

[keithmoonhangover]

Late 80s-early 90s (peak Tyson)

Mike Tyson KO 2 Tim Witherspoon (I don't think Tim would be in the right frame of mind)
Mike Tyson KO 1 Renaldo Snipes (Snipes is past his best)
Mike Tyson TKO 6 George Foreman (Foreman hurts him early)
Mike Tyson KO 1 Michael Dokes (Hand speed, but not enough movement from Dokes)
Mike Tyson KO 3 Greg Page (Even a motivated Page, would not trouble Tyson)

I want to add
Evander Holyfield W 12 Mike Tyson (Pre Douglas, Holyfield is still perfect)

Mid-late 90s (not peak Tyson, but still top class)

George Foreman KO 6 Mike Tyson (Tyson's head movement is gone)
Mike Tyson TKO 5 Riddick Bowe (Tyson would be motivated for this one)
Mike Tyson KO 1 Tommy Morrison (Morrison is perfect for Tyson)
Mike Tyson KO 1 Michael Moorer (Moorer stands in front of Tyson and pays the Price)
Mike Tyson TKO 2 Ray Mercer (Mercer has no lateral movement)

I want to add
Mike Tyson KO2 Lennox Lewis (In 1995 The fight has a different result)

Early 00s (fading Tyson)

Tyson KO 10 Chris Byrd (Byrd is ahead on pointsa, but gets caught)
David Tua W 12 Mike Tyson (amazingly the fight goes the distance)
Mike Tyson KO 1 John Ruiz (Tua-Ruiz Part II)
Ike Ibeabuchi - Hopefully still in prison and doesn't get to fight - SCUMBAG!

[oliverfennell]

My own picks:

Late 80s-early 90s (peak Tyson)

Tim Witherspoon - Tyson KO 6 (Witherspoon goes the same way as Pinklon)
Renaldo Snipes - Tyson KO 7 or 8 (one-sided but Snipes hangs in there)
George Foreman - Tyson late TKO (controversial stoppage - Foreman on his feet)
Michael Dokes - Tyson KO 5 (Dokes offers speed early but gets broken down)
Greg Page - Tyson KO 2

Mid-late 90s (not peak Tyson, but still top class)

George Foreman - Tyson UD (again one-sided, but Tyson has lost just enough explosivity for George to see the bell)
Riddick Bowe - Tyson KO 8 (a case of which guy breaks whose heart - suspect at this stage Tyson still had more stomach for a hard fight)
Tommy Morrison - Tyson KO 1 or 2 (but Tommy may have his moment in a short but spectacular shootout)
Michael Moorer - Tyson KO 4 (goes a little longer than consensus opinion but agree Moorer will come undone by fighting the wrong fight)
Ray Mercer -Tyson UD (not as close as most envisage)

Early 00s (fading Tyson)

Chris Byrd - Tyson KO 5 or 6 (Byrd builds a handy lead but ultimately can't take the power)
David Tua - Tua late RTD (a hard, hard fight and Tyson doesn't like it - corner retirement)
John Ruiz - Tyson KO 5 (looks a bit like Tyson-Botha)
Ike Ibeabuchi - maybe same result as Tua-Tyson above

[jezzamundo]

Not on this post, but for the record, I think if their 1991 fight had come-off, Holyfield would have stopped Tyson late in similar fashion to their first fight, though closer on the scorecards.

I also think a '95 or '96 Tyson-Lewis fight is a mid to late rounds KO win for Lewis. I don't see anything but a prime Tyson beating a post-McCall Lewis, even then I favour Lewis, though just.

[Ezzard]

Witherspoon would have been Tyson’s hardest fight in the 1980s. If Tim turned up motivated and with the benefit of having seen how Smith and Tucker survived then I’d say it’s very close to call.

Tim was far better than Smith and Tucker. Of course he could easily turn up for a pay day but somehow I doubt he would. He wouldn’t have been intimidated and I suspect he’d have had some fine moments in the fight. My guess would be that Tyson would out-work him to take a decision.

Greg Page, again on form and prepared, would have been Tyson’s second hardest fight of the decade. I imagine that he too would take Tyson down the stretch.

I honestly believe Foreman was too slow at this time to crack Tyson. This is one fight where his ring intelligence wouldn’t help him. With the flush of youth he could take Mike but not at this age. He’d have been starched like Holmes.

In the 90s Tyson would have lost to Bowe and Mercer.

Ikeabuchi is a bit unknown but from what I’ve seen he’d have beaten Tyson in the 00s and Tua would have as well.

[Nile4000]

Page, at this time in his career, was not really in any shape to take Mike.The 81-85 form could have given him fits, possibly beaten him, but there was a 1-3 percent chance of him getting in shape.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Firstly, good topic.

Secondly:

Late 80s-early 90s (peak Tyson)

Mike Tyson KO1 Tim Witherspoon - certainly not every time, I just tend to think Mike takes Tim out early or not at all (and wins a decision)
Renaldo Snipes - haven't seen enough to make a call
Mike Tyson UD12 George Foreman
Mike Tyson KO6 Michael Dokes
Greg Page - haven't seen enough to make a call

Mid-late 90s (not peak Tyson, but still top class)

Mike Tyson SD12 George Foreman - both well below their best, Tyson's chin is (much) better than Moorer's and I think he lands more.
Mike Tyson TKO8 Riddick Bowe - Up to '95, Bowe stops Tyson, after '96 I think Tyson stops him.
Mike Tyson KO4 Tommy Morrison - just a matter of time.
Mike Tyson KO1 Michael Moorer - Moorer could never take Tyson's punch.
Mike Tyson SD12 Ray Mercer - Controversial decision and highly competitive fight.

Early 00s (fading Tyson)

Chris Byrd UD12 Mike Tyson - I'm really 50:50 on this one, but if it goes the distance, Chris wins.
Mike Tyson UD12 David Tua - Both staggered at times, highly competitive fight.
Mike Tyson TKO6 John Ruiz - An ugly fight while it lasts, Ruiz wins rounds with jab 'n' grab.
Ike Ibeabuchi UD12 Mike Tyson - A war that Ike wins with greater activity.

There is no, "after-1996" for Bowe...excepting his comebacks, which happened after Tyson's retirement.

[Seamus]

vs Tim Witherspoon. At his rare absolute best, I think it's Spoon by a UD. More often than not though it would be Tyson via stoppage inside of 5.

vs Renaldo Snipes. Snipes is game, but Tyson would brutalize him and after about 3 rds and a couple knockdowns it would be over.

vs George Foreman. It would be interesting while it lasted because Foreman would come to fight. Most likely scenario I see is Tyson's head movement and handspeed being the difference. He'd soften up George with bodyshots and then take him out with an all out barrage of punches in about the 5th.

Michael Dokes. Iron Mike annihilates him in the 1st.

Greg Page. Another guy who would be game while it lasted, but he'd get thoroughly battered and probably stopped on his feet after about 7 rds.

Mid late 90's

George Foreman. I might sound crazy, but this time I like Foreman. I think he'd take the "Lookin for one big punch Tyson" and push him around, smother him, hit him with uppercuts and lead rights, and then TKO him when he's thoroughly frustrated around the 6th.

Riddick Bowe. Peak Bowe frustrates Tyson with his jab and size and his ability to withstand whatever get's through. I think this would be a great fight won by the man with the greater will. Bowe by TKO 9

Tommy Morrison. It's over the first time, Tyson lands clean. I'll give Morrison the benefit of the doubt and say he makes it into the 2nd round.

Michael Moorer. Moorer's southpaw style makes Tyson look bad early, but he'd land big, sooner or later. In this case I think it would be sooner. Tyson by KO in 5.

Ray Mercer. Mercer would withstand some monster shots early and would even have some big late rds, but he'd come up short in the end. Tyson WUD 12.

Early OO's

Chris Byrd. Tyson way behind lands the Sunday punch around the 9th rd.

David Tua. A similar result to the Danny Williams fight.

John Ruiz. All his ringsmarts don't save Ruiz in this one. Tyson scores a brutal KO in the 3rd.

Ike Ibeabuchi. Tyson would be in with a younger, bigger, stronger, and crazier opponent. Tyson would be broken mentally when he realises he's not KO'ing Ike after a few rds, and then finished off a few rds later. Ibeabuchi by TKO in 7.

[Jaybird]

Tyson NEVEr beat a hall of famer in the heavyweight division...end of discussion

[jezzamundo]

Firstly, good topic.

Secondly:

Late 80s-early 90s (peak Tyson)

Mike Tyson KO1 Tim Witherspoon - certainly not every time, I just tend to think Mike takes Tim out early or not at all (and wins a decision)
Renaldo Snipes - haven't seen enough to make a call
Mike Tyson UD12 George Foreman
Mike Tyson KO6 Michael Dokes
Greg Page - haven't seen enough to make a call

Mid-late 90s (not peak Tyson, but still top class)

Mike Tyson SD12 George Foreman - both well below their best, Tyson's chin is (much) better than Moorer's and I think he lands more.
Mike Tyson TKO8 Riddick Bowe - Up to '95, Bowe stops Tyson, after '96 I think Tyson stops him.
Mike Tyson KO4 Tommy Morrison - just a matter of time.
Mike Tyson KO1 Michael Moorer - Moorer could never take Tyson's punch.
Mike Tyson SD12 Ray Mercer - Controversial decision and highly competitive fight.

Early 00s (fading Tyson)

Chris Byrd UD12 Mike Tyson - I'm really 50:50 on this one, but if it goes the distance, Chris wins.
Mike Tyson UD12 David Tua - Both staggered at times, highly competitive fight.
Mike Tyson TKO6 John Ruiz - An ugly fight while it lasts, Ruiz wins rounds with jab 'n' grab.
Ike Ibeabuchi UD12 Mike Tyson - A war that Ike wins with greater activity.

There is no, "after-1996" for Bowe...excepting his comebacks, which happened after Tyson's retirement.

Seeing as the OP specified "mid to late 90s", I chose the Bowe who fought Golota, who I think would have lost by KO to Tyson in 1996. Seeing as Tyson only came back in '95, I thought this the most realistic date to match them up.

[keithmoonhangover]

Tyson NEVEr beat a hall of famer in the heavyweight division...end of discussion

You're wrong. Ever heard of a guy called Michael Spinks. He beat Larry Holmes twice, got in the ring with Tyson and91 seconds later was retired.

[Jaywheel]

Tyson NEVEr beat a hall of famer in the heavyweight division...end of discussion

You're wrong. Ever heard of a guy called Michael Spinks. He beat Larry Holmes twice, got in the ring with Tyson and91 seconds later was retired.

Since when is Michael Spinks a HW Hall of Famer?

Tyson did beat Holmes who is though.

[oliverfennell]

Tyson NEVEr beat a hall of famer in the heavyweight division...end of discussion

You're wrong. Ever heard of a guy called Michael Spinks. He beat Larry Holmes twice, got in the ring with Tyson and91 seconds later was retired.

Since when is Michael Spinks a HW Hall of Famer?

Tyson did beat Holmes who is though.

Since when is the HOF separated by divisions?

[Goodnight, Irene]

^^^Granted, to be fair. Surely, you see his point though, Oliver.

[keithmoonhangover]

^^^Granted, to be fair. Surely, you see his point though, Oliver.

Larry Holmes is a Hall of Famer.

Michael Spinks beat Larry Holmes twice - so, to me, that makes him a Hall of Famer at Heavyweight.

[Syntax Error]

I think Ibeabuchi would have starched Tyson in the early 00s.

Ibeabuchi was tough as hell & Tyson had neither the stamina nor the heart to go 12 rounds with such a fighter, especially in the 00s.

[keithmoonhangover]

I think Ibeabuchi would have starched Tyson in the early 00s.

Ibeabuchi was tough as hell & Tyson had neither the stamina nor the heart to go 12 rounds with such a fighter, especially in the 00s.

Ibeabuchi s urely used up all his stamina beating up lap dancers.

[Syntax Error]

I think Ibeabuchi would have starched Tyson in the early 00s.

Ibeabuchi was tough as hell & Tyson had neither the stamina nor the heart to go 12 rounds with such a fighter, especially in the 00s.

Ibeabuchi s urely used up all his stamina beating up lap dancers.

You're probably right.

[Goodnight, Irene]

^^^Granted, to be fair. Surely, you see his point though, Oliver.

Larry Holmes is a Hall of Famer.

Michael Spinks beat Larry Holmes twice - so, to me, that makes him a Hall of Famer at Heavyweight.

I'll just bet it does. LOL.

[keithmoonhangover]

^^^Granted, to be fair. Surely, you see his point though, Oliver.

Larry Holmes is a Hall of Famer.

Michael Spinks beat Larry Holmes twice - so, to me, that makes him a Hall of Famer at Heavyweight.

I'll just bet it does. LOL.

Alright then...... Gene Tunney, Heavyweight Hall of Famer?

[Brute]

Spinks is in the World Boxing Hall of fame as well as being in the Canastota Hall since 1994.

Spinks and Holmes both came out of retirement to fight Tyson, Holmes was 39 and had not fought in nearly 2 years.

[Darling]

Spinks is in the World Boxing Hall of fame as well as being in the Canastota Hall since 1994.

Spinks and Holmes both came out of retirement to fight Tyson, Holmes was 39 and had not fought in nearly 2 years.

You sure Michael Spinks came out of retirement to fight Tyson?