Classic fights I've watched recently

[SaadOffTheDeck]

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.

Mike was never good enough to beat that Douglas.

[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.

Mike was never good enough to beat that Douglas.

I must be missing something then Saad.
Because what I seen was a good fighter put in a very good performance against a very poor/faded Tyson.
There's things I saw Buster get away with in that fight that he simply wouldn't have been allowed to do against a younger Tyson

[SaadOffTheDeck]

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.

Mike was never good enough to beat that Douglas.

I must be missing something then Saad.
Because what I seen was a good fighter put in a very good performance against a very poor/faded Tyson.
There's things I saw Buster get away with in that fight that he simply wouldn't have been allowed to do against a younger Tyson

I guess you are, Mike wasn't faded, he was getting his ass kicked. He looked similar to the Tillis fight. That's, frankly, an assinine assessment of the fight.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Carl Williams

Tyson stops Williams in 1, sweet knockdown, Tyson slipped a Williams jab then came over with a left hook which sent Williams on the seat of his pants, ref should've let Williams continue though, he made the count and his eyes looked clear, ref decided to stop it though, poor form

[Tony1244]

I recently watched Patterson-Bonavena.
God did that fight Suck !
Its good to watch an ol' time fight otherwise you glorify the past too much.
Bad fights just aren't in the present.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Henry Tillman

Tyson KOs Tillman in the 1st, Tillman of course had beaten Tyson twice in the amateur including the 1984 US Olympic trials, no such trouble for Tyson this time though, a cracker of an overhand right put Tillman through the ropes and flat on his back for the full count, easy nights work for Tyson in his first fight since the KO to Douglas

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Alex Stewart


Tyson puts Stewart down 3 times in another 1st round blowout, Tyson nailed him with a right hand seconds after the bell begun the fight and Stewart never recovered, his legs looked shaky, another cuffing right hand put him down again then it was a left hook from Tyson to finish Stewart off, wasn't the best left hook Tyson has landed but Stewart was still hurt from the previous KDs

[Syntax Error]

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

Agree with this analysis.

Very frustrating fight all round.

If Tyson had a proper inside game, he could have taken Smith down.

If Smith had a bit more belief, he might have decked Tyson (we all know once Tyson was downed, he lost heart & went on to lose), because the overhand Right he landed on Tyson in the last few seconds was a peach of a shot & it stunned Tyson to his boots, as he finished the fight on rubbery legs.

[Syntax Error]

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

Agree with this analysis.

Very frustrating fight all round.

If Tyson had a proper inside game, he could have taken Smith down.

If Smith had a bit more belief, he might have decked Tyson (we all know once Tyson was downed, he lost heart & went on to lose), because the overhand Right he landed on Tyson in the last few seconds was a peach of a shot & it stunned Tyson to his boots, as he finished the fight on rubbery legs.

To me Smith was the first clue that Tyson was more hype than substance Syntax. This guy was billed as a destructive killing machine, not a master boxer. As far as the hype went, it wasn't a case of IF he got to the guy, rather a question of WHEN. Personally I don't think Marciano would see a couple of rounds against Tyson, but you couldn't spoil Marciano. You either survived the onslaught or he battered you into submission. Smith simply spoiled Tyson, and he didn't have a clue what to do about it.

However the blame was put firmly on James, and the hype machine carried on rolling.

Yes, you've nailed it.

Tyson was exposed in that fight, but very people noticed or didn't want to notice.

A fighter of Tyson's height with short arms should be a master of in-fighting, but as the smith fight showed, he was practically useless at it & was just happy to clinch until the referee split them up.

Smith also showed that Tyson could be hurt badly, because he was shaken up very badly, but the bell saved him & the fact that it was the end of the fight further disguised it.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Donovan Ruddock 1+2


Tyson puts Ruddock down twice en route to 7th round TKO in the 1st fight, referee Richard Steele jumping in too early, Steele had an absolute nightmare, Ruddock's glove touches the canvas in the 1st, ref ruled it a slip but I reckon Tyson landed a right hand, I could be wrong though as commentary never picked up on and there was no replays, 2nd round Tyson misses wildly with a shot and Ruddock trips over Mike's legs, ref rules it a KD, Tyson did put Ruddock down legit with a left hook in the 3rd, things quietened down for the next couple of rounds but Razor started to come into it a little and show a bit more belief, in the 7th, Tyson landed a cracking left/right/left combo which hurt Ruddock and the ref was in straight away as Razor fell into the ropes, premature stoppage IMO no doubt Ruddock was hurt but Richard Steele was hasty, Steele also has a horrible habit of pulling both fighters arms away in the clinches, very dangerous especially if one fighter gets nailed by a clean shot because a ref has pulled his arm away, either let them fight it out or call break, Steele was jumping about like an idiot constantly pulling both boxers hands

Tyson wins the rematch via UD, entertaining fight actually, it had everything, knockdowns, point deductions, great effort from Ruddock a lot better than the 1st fight he had his moments especially later in the fight, Tyson had him down with right hands in the 2nd and 4th, both guys were penalised for several infringements, low blows and hitting after the bell, Tyson worked the body well and showed a good chin as Ruddock landed some clean shots, commendable effort from Ruddock but Tyson the deserved winner

[Ambling Alp II]

In first fight, it doesn't look like Steele even looked at Ruddock before stopping the fight.

[handsofstone]

In first fight, it doesn't look like Steele even looked at Ruddock before stopping the fight.

Commentary even mention during the fight that Ruddock's camp didn't want Steele

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Tyson probably should have been dq'd in the rematch. The low blows were as relentless as golota.

[handsofstone]

Tyson probably should have been dq'd in the rematch. The low blows were as relentless as golota.

Yeah its not very often you see a fighter get 3 point deductions without being DQd

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Tyson probably should have been dq'd in the rematch. The low blows were as relentless as golota.

Yeah its not very often you see a fighter get 3 point deductions without being DQd

I was watching it live with about 20 friends, I had worked all night and then got hammered but I'll never forget when razor retaliated with his best shot to the balls, I've never gone so wild for a foul.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Peter McNeeley


Tyson KOs a game but outgunned McNeeley in the 1st round, obviously this was Tyson's first fight since being released from prison and McNeeley was up for it, too up for it infact, he came charging across the ring at the bell and Tyson decked him with a short right hand, McNeeley continued to swarm Tyson and it got a bit messy but Tyson hurt him again the put him down with a lovely right uppercut, McNeeley was on unsteady legs and his corner stormed the ring and it was actually a DQ win for Tyson

I suppose McNeeley may have been ok by the mandatory 8 count but I doubt he'd make to the end of the round

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Buster Mathis Jr

Tyson KOs Mathis Jr in the 3rd, give Mathis Jr his dues, he was out of shape but he took the fight right to Tyson, he even outhustled Mike to take the 1st IMO, like the McNeeley fight a lot of the work was up close and messy, Tyson as usual was totally ineffective, it wasn't until the 3rd that Tyson found an opening, backed up against the ropes he sidestepped quickly to the left and found 3 right hands to put Mathis Jr down for the count

[Ambling Alp II]

The fight was actually broadcast live on FOX in primetime, it was was already pretty rare for the networks to broadcast fights in primetime anymore. The announcer seemed surprised when the bell rang and Mathis had survived the first round!

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Bruce Seldon


Tyson stops Seldon in the 1st, I hate accusing fighters of diving but Seldon took a way out IMO, put down from a Tyson right hand which just seemed to glance the top of his head, the ref initially ruled it a slip but then started counting, straight away Seldon was down again this time from a left hook and that was it, neither punch looked worthy of knockdowns but Seldon's legs "buckled" as the ref finished the count so he was right to stop it, Seldon quit

[Bodyshot3]

Mike Tyson vs Bruce Seldon


Tyson stops Seldon in the 1st, I hate accusing fighters of diving but Seldon took a way out IMO, put down from a Tyson right hand which just seemed to glance the top of his head, the ref initially ruled it a slip but then started counting, straight away Seldon was down again this time from a left hook and that was it, neither punch looked worthy of knockdowns but Seldon's legs "buckled" as the ref finished the count so he was right to stop it, Seldon quit

The nice way to put it is that Seldon was not the first man to just get completely spooked/freaked by Tyson....it happened.
The harsher viewpoint was that he was a professional, had some ability, was not over-the-hill but still opted to bail out.

Peter McNeeley at least gave it a whirl, Seldon who had far more to offer than Peter did not.

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Bruce Seldon


Tyson stops Seldon in the 1st, I hate accusing fighters of diving but Seldon took a way out IMO, put down from a Tyson right hand which just seemed to glance the top of his head, the ref initially ruled it a slip but then started counting, straight away Seldon was down again this time from a left hook and that was it, neither punch looked worthy of knockdowns but Seldon's legs "buckled" as the ref finished the count so he was right to stop it, Seldon quit

The nice way to put it is that Seldon was not the first man to just get completely spooked/freaked by Tyson....it happened.
The harsher viewpoint was that he was a professional, had some ability, was not over-the-hill but still opted to bail out.

Peter McNeeley at least gave it a whirl, Seldon who had far more to offer than Peter did not.

Thats true although considering Seldon was champ going into this fight makes it a bit disappointing, what a feeble way to give up your title

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Frans Botha


Tyson KOs Botha in the 5th with a cracking straight right which was one of his best KOs IMO, caught Botha right down the pipe, Tyson's 1st fight since the Holyfield 2 Bite Fight ban and it showed, he was crude, never jabbed spent a lot of time holding and the KO came out of nowhere, Botha was winning the fight he was doing plenty of holding himself but he was boxing when not in a clinch where as Tyson was just looking for power, Tyson was deducted a point in the 2nd for pushing his glove into Botha's face which I thought was harsh

Botha grew in confidence as the fight was progressing and was dropping his hands inviting Tyson to lunge at him and finally in the 5th Tyson found his opening, the right hand crashing into the face of Botha, he just about made the count but his legs were like jelly and he crashed right back into the ropes when ref stopped it

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Orlin Norris

Fight ends up NC after 1 round in a total non event really, Tyson put Norris down after the bell with a short left hook in a clinch as the round finished, Norris lands on his knee and cant come out for the 2nd, it was a strange one, the ref initially took 2 points from Tyson before Norris's corner revealed he couldn't continue, Tyson was winning the 1st round and the shot that put Norris down didn't look particularly heavy but he did land awkwardly on his knee and his corner retired him, probably in the hope that Tyson got DQ'd

Waste of time for everyone

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Julius Francis


Tyson demolishes Francis in 2 rounds, Francis down twice in the 1st and 3 times in the 2nd, the fight being stopped after the last KD, left and right uppercuts responsible for a few of the KDs, body shots wilting Francis as well, Francis tried his best and tried to fight fire with fire but he just didn't have the ability or resistence to cope with Tyson and it was a rout TBH

Remember watching this fight live

[handsofstone]

Mike Tyson vs Lou Savarese


Another 1st round blowout for Tyson, I remember this fight clearly as it happened at Hampden Park in Scotland and it was a big deal up here, the fight was a farce though, Tyson decked Savarese with the 1st shot he threw seconds into the fight, a lunging left hook catching Savarese high on the head, he made the count but Tyson waded into him, another left hook jolting Savarese's head back and the ref jumped in before Tyson threw him out out the way and decking before continuing to set in about Savarese before the ref finally stopped it

Couldve been a DQ for Tyson he knew exactly what he was doing, he claimed he never knew the ref was stopping it initially but that was BS, the ref ballsed up though by trying to drag Savarese away rather than Tyson off him