Let's Review the Career of the Great Mike Tyson

[elmersalsa]

I have been watching his fights, and boy, what a phenom.

A friend of mine told me this: "You will never see these 3 Michaels again: Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson and Michael Gerard Tyson". And I think he is telling the truth.

Let's review his career from start to finish. Shall we? One of boxing's most fascinated and greatest pound per pound legends, and of course, one of all-time's greatest heavyweight champions.

[littlepug]

Incredibly exciting fighter but also frustrating to think about what his career could've been had he not lost his way, lack of wins over marquee opposition will always hurt his legacy but the way he dealt with fighters like spinks, Berbick. Biggs, Williams, Holmes and Bruno was a thing off beauty although his battles with Ruddock showed he could tough it out also

[Noxy]

Indeed, Tyson at his peak was a one-off, an amazing fighter. He pretty much turned the HW division into boxing's glamour division by himself. Still, his legacy is not what it might have been. I think, with hindsight, he maybe wasn't emotionally mature enough to handle the huge fame he found when he was 19-20, especially with the loss of D'Amato and Jacobs. I had the impression that the people who came along after were more interested in what they could get out of him than in Mike Tyson the person. Or, in other words, he probably would have benefited from better guidance.

Anyway, that aside I got into boxing around 1982 so just a bit before Tyson came along and I consider myself very fortunate in that respect.

[elmersalsa]

To beat him, you had to be as fast or be faster than he was. Boy, could he move his head and bob and weave and had that explosive left hook! And do not forget his uppercut. A thing of beauty.

[elmersalsa]

For the great Mike Tyson, after he dumped trainer Kevin Rooney, his career went downhill from thence.

[tiny_acres]

I have grown to like Tyson as a person. I was the oddball who always cheered for the other guy.
I respected him and enjoyed his superb skill but could not stand him.
As the years went by and Mike matured I grew to admire him and his career a ton more.

[Controversial]

One of my favourites. Very few fighters have an aura about them, he was menacing and made you want to watch him fight. I was gutted when Douglas beat him and he was never really the same again. As others have said I doubt we will see another Tyson and it would've been great to see how he done if he hadn't gone off the rails.

[Ezzard]

All 80s HWs pretty much went off the rails.

[Syntax Error]

Indeed, Tyson at his peak was a one-off, an amazing fighter. He pretty much turned the HW division into boxing's glamour division by himself. Still, his legacy is not what it might have been. I think, with hindsight, he maybe wasn't emotionally mature enough to handle the huge fame he found when he was 19-20, especially with the loss of D'Amato and Jacobs. I had the impression that the people who came along after were more interested in what they could get out of him than in Mike Tyson the person. Or, in other words, he probably would have benefited from better guidance.

Anyway, that aside I got into boxing around 1982 so just a bit before Tyson came along and I consider myself very fortunate in that respect.

The HW division was boxing's glamour division long before anyone had ever heard of Mike Tyson.

Muhammad Ali took the glamour of the division interstellar in the 70s & the baton was eventually passed to Tyson by way of Larry Holmes.

[Noxy]

Indeed, Tyson at his peak was a one-off, an amazing fighter. He pretty much turned the HW division into boxing's glamour division by himself. Still, his legacy is not what it might have been. I think, with hindsight, he maybe wasn't emotionally mature enough to handle the huge fame he found when he was 19-20, especially with the loss of D'Amato and Jacobs. I had the impression that the people who came along after were more interested in what they could get out of him than in Mike Tyson the person. Or, in other words, he probably would have benefited from better guidance.

Anyway, that aside I got into boxing around 1982 so just a bit before Tyson came along and I consider myself very fortunate in that respect.

The HW division was boxing's glamour division long before anyone had ever heard of Mike Tyson.

Muhammad Ali took the glamour of the division interstellar in the 70s & the baton was eventually passed to Tyson by way of Larry Holmes.

Sure, what I mean is Tyson increased the cross-over appeal of the HWs. People weren't as into it before he came along. When Tyson won the title people were more interested in HW title fights, potential challengers etc. You didn't even need to be a boxing fan, anyone would talk about him. I'm sure it was the same with Ali, although I don't remember that so well.

[Controversial]

Sure, what I mean is Tyson increased the cross-over appeal of the HWs. People weren't as into it before he came along. When Tyson won the title people were more interested in HW title fights, potential challengers etc. You didn't even need to be a boxing fan, anyone would talk about him. I'm sure it was the same with Ali, although I don't remember that so well.

I agree, even my mum knew who he was and people who weren't into boxing would talk about him and how menacing he was. I'm into boxing and I would struggle to name any of the heavyweights these days, Klitschko's and Brits aside.

[Syntax Error]

Indeed, Tyson at his peak was a one-off, an amazing fighter. He pretty much turned the HW division into boxing's glamour division by himself. Still, his legacy is not what it might have been. I think, with hindsight, he maybe wasn't emotionally mature enough to handle the huge fame he found when he was 19-20, especially with the loss of D'Amato and Jacobs. I had the impression that the people who came along after were more interested in what they could get out of him than in Mike Tyson the person. Or, in other words, he probably would have benefited from better guidance.

Anyway, that aside I got into boxing around 1982 so just a bit before Tyson came along and I consider myself very fortunate in that respect.

The HW division was boxing's glamour division long before anyone had ever heard of Mike Tyson.

Muhammad Ali took the glamour of the division interstellar in the 70s & the baton was eventually passed to Tyson by way of Larry Holmes.

Sure, what I mean is Tyson increased the cross-over appeal of the HWs. People weren't as into it before he came along. When Tyson won the title people were more interested in HW title fights, potential challengers etc. You didn't even need to be a boxing fan, anyone would talk about him. I'm sure it was the same with Ali, although I don't remember that so well.

Absolutely; I get what you're saying.

Tyson's crossover appeal was huge, much like Ali's was, two decades earlier.

In fact, at one point their careers, they were arguably the most famous men on the planet.

[bigcheese]

Other than holy, spoon, page and dokes he cleaned out the hw division in the 80s. Would have loved to see these fights but the latter 3 would have to have brought their absolute best to have stood a chance.

[evrenb]

Tyson was a phenomenon. Such desire to win, such focus, well schooled, fit, fast, dangerous, intimidating. When he lost the focus a lot of the rest fell by the wayside. So exciting to watch... Honestly who else had a knockout highlight reel like him?? Sensational.. .

[Tuan_Jim]

He was amazing entertainment, but in many ways inadvertently ruined boxing.

The same way Muhammad Ali's comic self-promotion unfortunately birthed many generations of bastard Alis who made trash talking, stare outs and scuffles common place, Tyson's undefeated record, highlight reel KOs and multi million dollar entry into the HBO tourney seemed to mark the beginning of 'TV records', glossy records with inflated knockout numbers built on the bodies of hapless journeymen - the chief aim being to bag a big money fight, rather than develop a sustainable world level talent. That's always been my impression, what do you esteemed gentlemen think?

Berger's 'Blood Season' goes into great detail about the Tyson promotional machine. Cayton and Jacobs were showbiz geniuses, but of course they couldn't have done it without Iron Mike living up to all the hype.

[drunkenpiper36]

Tyson's undefeated record, highlight reel KOs and multi million dollar entry into the HBO tourney seemed to mark the beginning of 'TV records', glossy records with inflated knockout numbers built on the bodies of hapless journeymen - the chief aim being to bag a big money fight, rather than develop a sustainable world level talent.

I think Tommy Morrison is an example of the type of " carbon copy Tyson " you're talking about. Not sure I agree that Tyson's career inadvertently ruined boxing as I feel there are numerous factors which led to the sports decline. But the rest I concur with and certainly find it interesting.

[elmersalsa]

He, the great Mike Tyson, changed the game of boxing in a lot of ways. He was identified by the casual fan that did not know nothing about boxing. He fought the way people actually fight, really, but he had that head movement that was a beauty. He was very hard to hit before the Frank Bruno fight. I don't think that he really reached to his full potential or peak. If Kevin Rooney would have still be his trainer and no Don King around talking to his ears, and FOCUSED, we would have been talking about him as a top 3 or top 5 greatest heavyweight ever, or maybe as the best heavyweight BOXER that ever lived.

Tyson was incredible. We will not see nothing like him.

[elmersalsa]

I just saw his fight with Terrell Biggs. Biggs was doing good with the jab, but Tyson was like a train. A buzzaw. He was unstoppable. He whupped Biggs ass

[Syntax Error]

I just saw his fight with Terrell Biggs. Biggs was doing good with the jab, but Tyson was like a train. A buzzaw. He was unstoppable. He whupped Biggs ass

He could have finished Biggs sooner than he did too.

He seemed to despise Biggs & I don't know why.

[elmersalsa]

I just saw his fight with Terrell Biggs. Biggs was doing good with the jab, but Tyson was like a train. A buzzaw. He was unstoppable. He whupped Biggs ass

He could have finished Biggs sooner than he did too.

He seemed to despise Biggs & I don't know why.

Maybe it was because Biggs and Henry Tillmann won gold medals in '84. Tillmann beat Tyson in the Olympic trials. Both decisions were controversial. Tyson took revenge of both of them. He felt that he should have been in the Olympics and not Tillmann

[Broomhall]

I just saw his fight with Terrell Biggs. Biggs was doing good with the jab, but Tyson was like a train. A buzzaw. He was unstoppable. He whupped Biggs ass

He could have finished Biggs sooner than he did too.

He seemed to despise Biggs & I don't know why.

Maybe it was because Biggs and Henry Tillmann won gold medals in '84. Tillmann beat Tyson in the Olympic trials. Both decisions were controversial. Tyson took revenge of both of them. He felt that he should have been in the Olympics and not Tillmann

I tell you what Elmer. I have been in this game for over 40 years and I have never seen a more destructive fighting machine than the 21 year old Mike Tyson.

The way men crumbled psychologically-and often normally good, brave, fighting men-was frightening.

[elmersalsa]

Yes broomhall. I just wish that the great Mike Tyson had never fired his trainer Kevin Rooney. They were the perfect combination.

[SenorPipino]

This guy still never beat a great heavy in his prime, so why all the talk of him being a sure-fire all-time great.

Tyson was fast and could punch, but his prime was all of 3 years, and when he finally faced a truly outstanding heavyweight in Holyfield, he demonstrated little substance and imploded.

I'd be surprised if Tyson could beat many of the ATG heavies. He just didn't have the huevos or the mental toughness to dig down when things got uncomfortable.

[montrealsuper]

The most explosive and exciting HWT we ever saw. Even before his physical and mental prime he dominated the sport. His prime should have been at 30.

At his very best Mike might have been the greatest of all time. Arguable either way. But it's hard to pick against the '86-88 version of Iron Mike Tyson.

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[elmersalsa]

You don't necessarily have to beat a great fighter in order to be considered great. Sometimes the performances that you give inside the ring is just enough to put you in the great status. The great Mike Tyson did just that. He put people in the stadiums to see him fight, win, lose or draw. He cleaned up the heavyweight division in the late 80s, and beat the great Michael Spinks in only 93 seconds! That is greatness.

Sometimes greatness come in degrees