Flump wrote:HomicideHenry wrote:Why the shocked expression?
Who did Tyson exactly beat that makes people think he was superior to Klitschko? When you put it altogether, the two men are evenly matched in terms of opposition. Biggs, Tubbs, Seldon, Mathis, McNeeley, Berbick, etc. do not exactly come to me as being any better than the likes of Mormeck, Wach, Peter, etc. Tyson failed against Holyfield and Douglas (a 42-1 underdog), which is comparable to Vladimir's losses to Sanders and Brewster. How can you argue 18 title defenses, against a man who beat mediocre bums to the top, and fought slightly better opponents as champion? Tyson never fought a man who had the combination of size, skill, ring generalship, power that Vladimir has. Vladimir on the other hand has fought men who were better skilled and/or faster than Tyson, fought men the same size as Tyson, etc. What made Tyson great wasn't the fact of who he beat, but how he beat them. This is true, but even at that, all the physical advantages falls on Vladimir and the skill and power levels are evenly matched. I didn't say it would come easy for Vladimir, I just raised the question of how would Tyson fair against such a man, when he had problems with Pinklon Thomas who was skilled and taller, etc.
I'm shocked that you would use Mormeck as an example of how Wlad could beat Tyson Hank, the guy hardly threw a punch, that's certainly one thing that you couldn't accuse Tyson of. Who do you think Wlad has beaten who was faster and more skilled than Tyson?
Mormeck had the same style as Tyson, and same size. In no way, shape or form, does Mormeck compare to Tyson in skill and ability even at his best (Mormeck's best) HOWEVER that is just a glimpse of what could be the strategy Vladimir would use on Tyson. Tactically it would be the method Vladimir would use on Tyson. As for faster than Tyson, simple: Chris Byrd. Harder puncher than Mike Tyson? One can argue Lamon Brewster. More skilled than Tyson? So far no one yet. Guys like Tyson come every thirty-forty years. Klitschko handled Mormeck easily, and maybe this is more due to Mormeck's age than anything, but possibly it is because of the tactics Vladimir employed on Mormeck. One must wonder of the latter, and whether that method would have been effective against Tyson. Vladimir 9/10 x's is jabbing and moving, following up with right crosses; then he clinches and leans. Its boxing that comes first with him. Could Tyson get passed that piston jab that has a force of a battering ram? Vladimir has a high work rate for such a big man; he softens, tenderizes his opponents, and then goes for the kill. Tyson of the Berbick-Spinks time was untouchable, but from Bruno onwards I think he was dropping the things that made him great, replying solely on head hunting and brute power. A man who fights like that would get murdered by a Klitschko. Tyson minus the head movement and combinations= the poor sap who got beat by Douglas. I think I would favor Tyson to beat Vladimir, but it is by far one of the hardest fights I could make a prediction on. Why? Because imho, Vladimir's career is a repeat of Lewis and Holmes; two dominant men who were never appreciated, did not have entertaining styles, were not characters, etc. Vladimir is by all accounts the undisputed champion of the world (RING, IBF, WBO, etc) and has 18 title defenses, and if no suitable man comes along he will tie Larry Holmes and presumably surpass Joe Louis. Knock him for the era, they did the same to Larry. Knock him for having lost in fights he shouldn't have lost, they did the same to Lewis. The man's improved by a quantum leap and there's no one in sight, save his brother Vitali who has a chance of beating him. This isn't the same guy of five years, or even ten years ago. If Vladimir could fight Sanders and Brewster, as he is now, on the days he lost he would defeat them. I would argue he could also of given Lennox Lewis one of his hardest fights. At the end of the day, this is all speculative. Jesus only knows who would win, and Jesus bless you all.
