Classic fights I've watched recently

[Bodyshot3]

Mike Tyson vs James "Bonecrusher" Smith

Tyson wins a tediously dull shutout in a unification fight against Smith who's sole aim was to last the distance, he should never had lasted to the end really, he should've been DQ'd for persisting holding, he was deducted 2 points for holding, 1st one was in the 2nd and he kept doing it, everytime Tyson got in close Smith was all over him like an octopus and it took Mills Lane another 6 rounds to finally take another point off, Smith cleaned up his act a little but still offered zero offensively instead choosing to go walkabout while Tyson stalked him, as the rounds went on Tyson looked more and more uninterested just trying to land a big shot and looking crude himself

Worst thing about Smith is that he wobbled Tyson with a right hand in the last round but there was only about 5 seconds to go and the bell helped Tyson, its a pity Bonecrusher waited so long to throw a meaningful shot, awful fight

Well done with sticking with that one mate ....bloody awful/tedious bout

Considering that Smith was a properly big, strong and seasoned heavyweight who could bang more than a bit - and did not look like the type to scare easily - he properly diappointed that night. Only he knows why he did not give it a whirl.

Actually, a real pity because Smith-Tyson throwing bombs from the first bell would have been fun.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Tyson was too willing to be held because he had no inside game. His glaring weakness.

[Tomasino]

Tyson was too willing to be held because he had no inside game. His glaring weakness.

He initiated a lot of the holding and just lay in there.

[handsofstone]

Tyson was too willing to be held because he had no inside game. His glaring weakness.

Yeah I was still surprised Tyson never tried to work the uppercut through the middle when Smith was trying to hold

[Flump]

Mike Tyson vs James "Bonecrusher" Smith

Tyson wins a tediously dull shutout in a unification fight against Smith who's sole aim was to last the distance, he should never had lasted to the end really, he should've been DQ'd for persisting holding, he was deducted 2 points for holding, 1st one was in the 2nd and he kept doing it, everytime Tyson got in close Smith was all over him like an octopus and it took Mills Lane another 6 rounds to finally take another point off, Smith cleaned up his act a little but still offered zero offensively instead choosing to go walkabout while Tyson stalked him, as the rounds went on Tyson looked more and more uninterested just trying to land a big shot and looking crude himself

Worst thing about Smith is that he wobbled Tyson with a right hand in the last round but there was only about 5 seconds to go and the bell helped Tyson, its a pity Bonecrusher waited so long to throw a meaningful shot, awful fight

Well done with sticking with that one mate ....bloody awful/tedious bout

Considering that Smith was a properly big, strong and seasoned heavyweight who could bang more than a bit - and did not look like the type to scare easily - he properly diappointed that night. Only he knows why he did not give it a whirl.

Actually, a real pity because Smith-Tyson throwing bombs from the first bell would have been fun.

Probably the most disappointing fight I can think of at Heavyweight in my time watching boxing. I thought we would get a Heavyweight shootout ala Hagler-Hearns, but Smith just shat it.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Tyson was too willing to be held because he had no inside game. His glaring weakness.

Yeah I was still surprised Tyson never tried to work the uppercut through the middle when Smith was trying to hold

He didn't know how to think in the ring.

[Tony1244]

I don't think I'll ever watch Tyson-Smith a 2nd time.

It would be about as entertaining as talking to my 90-something parents but I feel an obligation to do that.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Pinklon Thomas


Tyson KOs Thomas in 6, great start from Tyson he came out guns blazing and hurt Thomas right away and it looked like he might not make it out of the 1st round but as soon as the 2nd round began it turned into the Smith fight all over, Thomas holding and Tyson looking clueless to find a plan B, Tyson mustve landed 3 meaningful shots in the next 3 rounds although it was 3 more than Thomas landed, the finish from Tyson was quality though, he nailed Thomas with a right uppercut and followed it up with a left/right and a final left which put Thomas down for the count

Not a vintage performance from Tyson but a quality KO

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Tony Tucker


Tyson wins a comfortable UD in his toughest fight to date, great effort from Tucker he never held as much as Smith or Thomas and had some success but he just wasn't busy enough and spent long spells just dancing out of range, Tyson wasn't at his best either, allowed himself to be held and couldn't really get free to get his shots off, he looked off the pace, never landed any combinations instead relying on single shots, still a wide winner but not a great fight to watch

[Bodyshot3]

Mike Tyson vs Tony Tucker


Tyson wins a comfortable UD in his toughest fight to date, great effort from Tucker he never held as much as Smith or Thomas and had some success but he just wasn't busy enough and spent long spells just dancing out of range, Tyson wasn't at his best either, allowed himself to be held and couldn't really get free to get his shots off, he looked off the pace, never landed any combinations instead relying on single shots, still a wide winner but not a great fight to watch

Hasn't the Tucker fight been cited in the past as the unofficial 'blueprint' for what Buster did later?
Bigger man, staying out of range because he's got enough mobility and using the jab to grab points and not letting Tyson steam-in and unleash.
Tucker kinda had the right idea but it was the unfancied Douglas who was prepared to throw more often and fire back when he got the chance.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Tyrell Biggs


Tyson KOs Biggs in 7, putting him down twice with left hooks, Tyson nailed Biggs with leaping left hooks all night and it was that shot alone which wore Biggs down come the end, Biggs had a decent 1st, showed good foot movement and landing some nice flashy jabs and skills that won him an Olympic Gold in 1984 but he still had an amateur style, too upright for a guy with Tyson's stature and he held his hands too low whilst moving out of range and it allowed Tyson to nail him time and again and by the 7th Biggs was cut and weary, Tyson put him through the ropes with the 1st KD and Biggs was still hurt, another hook put him down and the ref stopped it

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Tony Tubbs


Tyson KOs Tubbs in the 2nd with a terrific left hook which made Tubbs legs do a funny dance before he collapsed in the corner where his trainer immediately jumped in to stop the fight which I thought was a bit hasty, it did take Tubbs a while to eventually get up but I'm not sure if that was due to the trainer/doctors insistence he lay down, it might have been the right call who knows? but his trainer was in the ring within 2 seconds of the KD and it was just a single shot which put Tubbs down so it wasn't as if he was taking a pasting beforehand

Infact I'd say Tubbs put more effort to hurt Tyson in those 2 rounds than anyone Mike had fought so far, certainly in his title reign, he chose to slug with Tyson on the inside and got home some nice body shots, he never looked to hold which was great to see, Tubbs did look in poor shape but nothing wrong with his effort

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks


Tysons KOs a petrified looking Spinks in the 1st, ive seen this fight plenty of times but watching it again I reckon ive had the knockdown shots wrong, i'd always believed the first KD was a result of a bodyshot and although a bodyshot was the last shot Tyson landed before putting Spinks down, it looked to me as if it was the left uppercut that hurt Spinks although in all fairness it was probably both punches which done the trick

I'd also always thought the punch that finished Spinks was a right hand but it was a left hook right before it that sent Spinks down although Tyson landed a right for good measure when Spinks was already heading down, either way that was a demolition job from Tyson and probably the best win of his career

[davie]

HoS, you inspired me to have a little Tyson marathon this morning.

Just watched Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Biggs, Tubbs and Douglas.

I don't care what people say about Buster Douglas's masterplan, he beat a shadow of the fighter that demolished those other 4.
Mike in Tokyo entered the ring without his usual intensity he didn't have that look in his eye,
his movement was lethargic, his combination punching wasn't there, he wasn't able to apply the pressure he often could and Douglas survived a 13 or 14 second count.

The stock response here will be "Mike looked poor because Douglas didn't let him fight his usual fight/wasn't afraid of him" etc
People don't like excuses but Mike had a fair few ahead of that fight and he wasn't the same fighter on that night.
Douglas was good but he was able to look so impressive because Tyson let him. 86-88 Tyson finishes that guy inside 6.

[davie]

Added Ruddock 1, and the first round KO's of Stewart and Spinks just for good measure

[Bodyshot3]

HoS, you inspired me to have a little Tyson marathon this morning.

Just watched Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Biggs, Tubbs and Douglas.

I don't care what people say about Buster Douglas's masterplan, he beat a shadow of the fighter that demolished those other 4.
Mike in Tokyo entered the ring without his usual intensity he didn't have that look in his eye,
his movement was lethargic, his combination punching wasn't there, he wasn't able to apply the pressure he often could and Douglas survived a 13 or 14 second count.

The stock response here will be "Mike looked poor because Douglas didn't let him fight his usual fight/wasn't afraid of him" etc
People don't like excuses but Mike had a fair few ahead of that fight and he wasn't the same fighter on that night.
Douglas was good but he was able to look so impressive because Tyson let him. 86-88 Tyson finishes that guy inside 6.

Probably fair to say that all the stars hasd to align for Buster that night.....he got himself supremely fit, cleared his head, had a decent plan and boxed to the very best of his ability when it mattered most. And he got himself a long count.

Meanwhile Tyson is distracted by fame, King's unlovely/demeaning circus and made the fatal mistake of thinking that Douglas could be felled by one meaningful combination....just like most of the rest of the old guard had been taken out.

On balance I still think it is fair to conclude that Douglas turned-up and showed plenty of hitherto unseen heart, dedication and tactical nous but it still required Tyson to hate being in Tokyo, hate being around the King's and no longer living the monastic gym life he once did.

[SenorPipino]

Ali vs Zora Foley. March 1967. The last bout before Ali's 3 1/2 year banishment from the sport.

It was certainly a different era. Ali had just fought 6 weeks earlier in a much hyped unification bout against Ernie Terrell in Houston.

Now he was taking on contender Foley at MSG. I recall seeing the fight on live home television, probably on the syndicated Hughes Sports Network.

The bout itself was little more than a sparring session. A very subdued Ali looked bored, distracted. Probably his mind was more on his draft troubles than on Foley.

Ali did little for 3 rounds. Foley pressed, albeit cautiously. Occasionally he would catch the champion with lead rights as Ali pulled back. The punches Foley did land did no damage.

In the fourth, Ali started to show a little fire and began pumping his jab, which appeared to control Foley. Suddenly Ali shot out a right, and Foley collapsed face first, seemingly dead to the world.

But at the count of 4, the challenger quickly sprang to his feet and resumed fighting, suddenly becoming aggressive and backing up Ali.

The champ started dancing in rounds 5 and 6, befuddling Foley with his jab and movement.

It was clear by now that Ali was simply too fast and mobile for Foley.

Midway through the 7th, Ali unleashed another right hand which against sent Foley face down on the canvas. The groggy challenger against rose, but this time stumbled sideways into the ropes where the referee waved off the fight.

After the bout, Ali talked about fighting Oscar Bonavena in Japan within 2 months.

No mention was made by Ali or the announcer (Don Dunphy) about Ali's April showdown with the draft board.

The Bonavena fight would actually take place at Madison Square Garden, albeit a newer version.

But of course, now famous circumstances ensured that it wouldn't take place for nearly another 4 years.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Frank Bruno 1+2


1st time ive seen these fights in a while, Tyson stops Bruno in the 5th round of their first fight, he put Bruno down with a right hand seconds into the opener then Frank was deducted a point in the same round for holding, Bruno continued to hold throughout and should've been penalised again, he did try to fight with Tyson when he wasn't holding and obviously there was the moment he wobbled Tyson slightly in that 1st but Tyson was always the one taking the fight, he opened Bruno up in the 5th with combinations and the ref stepped in with Bruno getting his head teed off on

The rematch was a similar fight, this time Bruno stopped in the 3rd, he had a point taking off for holding again in the 2nd and he constantly held everytime Tyson got in close, Tyson found his opening in the 3rd though, ripping in hooks to the body, uppercuts and lefts and rights leaving Bruno helpless on the ropes where the ref stepped in

Bruno's holding was frustrating especially as he did nail Tyson in both fights but Tyson was too relentless for Bruno to cope with

[Tomasino]

HoS, you inspired me to have a little Tyson marathon this morning.

Just watched Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Biggs, Tubbs and Douglas.

I don't care what people say about Buster Douglas's masterplan, he beat a shadow of the fighter that demolished those other 4.
Mike in Tokyo entered the ring without his usual intensity he didn't have that look in his eye,
his movement was lethargic, his combination punching wasn't there, he wasn't able to apply the pressure he often could and Douglas survived a 13 or 14 second count.

The stock response here will be "Mike looked poor because Douglas didn't let him fight his usual fight/wasn't afraid of him" etc
People don't like excuses but Mike had a fair few ahead of that fight and he wasn't the same fighter on that night.
Douglas was good but he was able to look so impressive because Tyson let him. 86-88 Tyson finishes that guy inside 6.

Davie, if anyone had an ‘excuse’ it was buster. Tyson shagging whores and taking drugs is a choice he made not an excuse. Just sayin man

[davie]

HoS, you inspired me to have a little Tyson marathon this morning.

Just watched Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Biggs, Tubbs and Douglas.

I don't care what people say about Buster Douglas's masterplan, he beat a shadow of the fighter that demolished those other 4.
Mike in Tokyo entered the ring without his usual intensity he didn't have that look in his eye,
his movement was lethargic, his combination punching wasn't there, he wasn't able to apply the pressure he often could and Douglas survived a 13 or 14 second count.

The stock response here will be "Mike looked poor because Douglas didn't let him fight his usual fight/wasn't afraid of him" etc
People don't like excuses but Mike had a fair few ahead of that fight and he wasn't the same fighter on that night.
Douglas was good but he was able to look so impressive because Tyson let him. 86-88 Tyson finishes that guy inside 6.

Davie, if anyone had an ‘excuse’ it was buster. Tyson shagging whores and taking drugs is a choice he made not an excuse. Just sayin man

Not making excuses for him.
Nobody fucked up Tysons career but Tyson (and i suppose the hangers on and leaches around him)

I'm just saying, had he not chosen to tread that path and went in there the fighter he was 2 years earlier, he'd have wasted Buster Douglas.
He certainly wouldn't have fought the fight he did,which made Douglas look like some kind of giant slayer.

I've read so much about Busters performance of late,I think some need to go back and watch it (along with some of Mikes best performances a year or 2 earlier) and re-assess.

[littlepug]

Buster really did look great that night, his footwork, sense of distance, effective jab and great variety of combos to head and body was inspiring to watch, could he have done as well against a fully prepared Tyson ? I would like to think Buster had mind, spirit and body on point that night and would of beaten anyone put in front of him but I guess we will never know, oh also without getting into the long count thing how Buster got up after that brutal uppercut is beyond me.

[Tomasino]

HoS, you inspired me to have a little Tyson marathon this morning.

Just watched Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Biggs, Tubbs and Douglas.

I don't care what people say about Buster Douglas's masterplan, he beat a shadow of the fighter that demolished those other 4.
Mike in Tokyo entered the ring without his usual intensity he didn't have that look in his eye,
his movement was lethargic, his combination punching wasn't there, he wasn't able to apply the pressure he often could and Douglas survived a 13 or 14 second count.

The stock response here will be "Mike looked poor because Douglas didn't let him fight his usual fight/wasn't afraid of him" etc
People don't like excuses but Mike had a fair few ahead of that fight and he wasn't the same fighter on that night.
Douglas was good but he was able to look so impressive because Tyson let him. 86-88 Tyson finishes that guy inside 6.

Davie, if anyone had an ‘excuse’ it was buster. Tyson shagging whores and taking drugs is a choice he made not an excuse. Just sayin man

Not making excuses for him.
Nobody fucked up Tysons career but Tyson (and i suppose the hangers on and leaches around him)

I'm just saying, had he not chosen to tread that path and went in there the fighter he was 2 years earlier, he'd have wasted Buster Douglas.
He certainly wouldn't have fought the fight he did,which made Douglas look like some kind of giant slayer.

I've read so much about Busters performance of late,I think some need to go back and watch it (along with some of Mikes best performances a year or 2 earlier) and re-assess.

I remember watching Tyson on his way up and then winning the title and defending it when I was a young boy. I thought he was the best fighter ever. Then when I was about 19 I bought some DVDs of his whole career and was underwhelmed. When it got around to Buster, I was ready to see him beaten as he’d been feasting on over the hills, fatties and intimidated fighters.

Yes he was superb on form and vs the right opponent but he had several bad habbits that got worse as his career progressed. Fast and powerful, he nonetheless couldn’t fight on the inside unless his opponent was fucked, liked to hold and ran out of ideas after 5-6 rounds. He was a front runner. Still one of the greats but at no time unbeatable.

[davie]

Davie, if anyone had an ‘excuse’ it was buster. Tyson shagging whores and taking drugs is a choice he made not an excuse. Just sayin man

Not making excuses for him.
Nobody fucked up Tysons career but Tyson (and i suppose the hangers on and leaches around him)

I'm just saying, had he not chosen to tread that path and went in there the fighter he was 2 years earlier, he'd have wasted Buster Douglas.
He certainly wouldn't have fought the fight he did,which made Douglas look like some kind of giant slayer.

I've read so much about Busters performance of late,I think some need to go back and watch it (along with some of Mikes best performances a year or 2 earlier) and re-assess.

I remember watching Tyson on his way up and then winning the title and defending it when I was a young boy. I thought he was the best fighter ever. Then when I was about 19 I bought some DVDs of his whole career and was underwhelmed. When it got around to Buster, I was ready to see him beaten as he’d been feasting on over the hills, fatties and intimidated fighters.

Yes he was superb on form and vs the right opponent but he had several bad habbits that got worse as his career progressed. Fast and powerful, he nonetheless couldn’t fight on the inside unless his opponent was fucked, liked to hold and ran out of ideas after 5-6 rounds. He was a front runner. Still one of the greats but at no time unbeatable.

All true.

But do you think Buster beats an 87 Mike Tyson,who still moves his head constantly, fights at a tempo, throws in combinations, rips shots to the body and vicious uppercuts on the inside (he could fight on the inside, he just stupidly chose not too at times)
Tyson was a different animal, he was hard to nail down with the jab Buster had so much success with, he hurt you if you stood your ground with him and he hunted tou down if you went on your bike.
He was not unbeatable but he was better than Buster.

Put it another way. Do you think Buster beats a 90 Mike if he stayed with Rooney (or Cus was still by his side), didn't have the break up with Givens, if he wasn't shagging whores and taking drugs, mixing with gangsters and having his career ran by crooks.
Again not making excuses, these were Mikes life choices, he's the first to admit the mistakes he made and how it ruined his career.
But they are the reasons he lost that fight and pissed away his career.

[Tomasino]

Not making excuses for him.
Nobody fucked up Tysons career but Tyson (and i suppose the hangers on and leaches around him)

I'm just saying, had he not chosen to tread that path and went in there the fighter he was 2 years earlier, he'd have wasted Buster Douglas.
He certainly wouldn't have fought the fight he did,which made Douglas look like some kind of giant slayer.

I've read so much about Busters performance of late,I think some need to go back and watch it (along with some of Mikes best performances a year or 2 earlier) and re-assess.

I remember watching Tyson on his way up and then winning the title and defending it when I was a young boy. I thought he was the best fighter ever. Then when I was about 19 I bought some DVDs of his whole career and was underwhelmed. When it got around to Buster, I was ready to see him beaten as he’d been feasting on over the hills, fatties and intimidated fighters.

Yes he was superb on form and vs the right opponent but he had several bad habbits that got worse as his career progressed. Fast and powerful, he nonetheless couldn’t fight on the inside unless his opponent was fucked, liked to hold and ran out of ideas after 5-6 rounds. He was a front runner. Still one of the greats but at no time unbeatable.

All true.

But do you think Buster beats an 87 Mike Tyson,who still moves his head constantly, fights at a tempo, throws in combinations, rips shots to the body and vicious uppercuts on the inside (he could fight on the inside, he just stupidly chose not too at times)
Tyson was a different animal, he was hard to nail down with the jab Buster had so much success with, he hurt you if you stood your ground with him and he hunted tou down if you went on your bike.
He was not unbeatable but he was better than Buster.

Put it another way. Do you think Buster beats a 90 Mike if he stayed with Rooney (or Cus was still by his side), didn't have the break up with Givens, if he wasn't shagging whores and taking drugs, mixing with gangsters and having his career ran by crooks.
Again not making excuses, these were Mikes life choices, he's the first to admit the mistakes he made and how it ruined his career.
But they are the reasons he lost that fight and pissed away his career.

I don’t know because he was always on drugs and with the wrong crowd shagging whores. Always. It’s like saying would I support Trump if he wasn’t a spoiled rich kid arsehole with a penchant for saying bizarre things. That’s who is is and was. I’d give the Buster who beat up Mike a chance with any heavyweight. He was on fire that night. I’m going to watch it again on my lunch break see if I can answer this better

[davie]

Watch Mike vs Berbick, Thomas or Briggs first

Then compare the movement, the activity level and the pressure applied in the Buster fight.

It's night and day.