Mike Tyson's Amateur Career

[Sportssummary]

Does anyone know what Mike Tyson's amateur record was or know any of his results. Perhaps if his amateur passbook is in some boxing HOF somewhere? Especially interested in how his first few fights went. Any help is appreciated.

[Athorn4941]

http://www.boxing-scoop.com/show_boxer. ... er_ID=3854

I dont know if I got all his bouts listed but I know he didn't have many bouts as an amateur.

[locoxelbox]

That 14-4 record was pretty far from accurate. And Mike didn´t lose to Tillman at the 1984 Summer Olympics, it was at the US Trials and Box-Offs trying to qualify for the Olympics. And I highly question that he lost to Tyrell Biggs as an amateur. Never heard that before. It was never mentioned when they fought as professionals.

Here is a more accurate amateur record of Tyson. It lists 41 (35-6) of his bouts and mentions his record bieng 48 wins with 6 losses.
www.geocities.ws/pedrinet/tyson.html

[boxmel]

Perhaps if his amateur passbook is in some boxing HOF somewhere?

Just FYI - passbooks didn't go into effect until 1987.

[gladiatorcoach]

he got the gold in the 1981 and 82 201lb national jo and the gold in the 1983 and 84 under 19 201+ tournament. impressive!

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Mike Tyson, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, had a highly decorated and spectacular amateur career!!!

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

I wrote this about Tyson a while back...

Mike Tyson
"Iron" Mike Tyson, then just sixteen years old and known to fans at the Holyoke Boys Club as "The Tank," won the heavyweight title at our local Golden Gloves tournament, the Western Massachusetts Golden Gloves, back in February of 1983 with a first round stoppage in the finals over Jimmy Johnson of Springfield.

The Springfield Morning-Union, February 14, 1983:

"The Western Mass. heavyweight representative next week is Mike Tyson, a nationally ranked amateur from Albany who kayoed Jimmy Johnson of the Springfield YMCA at 2:35 of the third round.

The game Johnson, clearly less ringwise than his veteran opponent, took a hard shot to the head just before the fighters were about to fall into a clinch. He crumpled to the floor and referee Matt Mullaney, seeing Johnson was in big trouble, halted the bout."

Mike's victory over Johnson qualified him to advance to the New England Golden Gloves tournament of Champions in Lowell where he scored a semi-final stoppage win over Lowell's James Bisson.

"One guy who should turn pro tomorrow is Mike Tyson, a super heavyweight who at just 16 years of age has National Championship potential. He is an absolute monster in the ring as Lowell's Jimmy Bisson found out last night when the Holyoke fighter staggered him early in the round with short uppercuts then kept after him until the referee stopped the bout 42 seconds into the first round. His fight with James Rayburn should be worth the price of admission tonight. Rayburn, who puts the super in super heavyweight had his face painted with his own blood by Eugene Williams of Southern New England before turning into a tiger in the third round, chasing and pounding Williams all over the ring as the crowd went crazy. He became a cult figure in six minutes. Rayburn brought back memories of Harold "Mountain Man" Rice to some although one fan likened him to the Humphrey character in the old Joe Palooka comic strip. Either way, though, he'll have his hands full with Tyson tonight." - Lowell Sun, February, 1983

Mike wasn't able to take part in what would have easily been the most anticipated match of the tournament when he won the NEGG title by walkover after Rayburn was forced to pull out of the fight due to an injury received in his own semi-final match the night before.

The Lowell Sun carried this recap the following day:

"Tyson won by default over Jim Rayburn of Vermont and that was probably a good thing for Rayburn because Tyson is a buzzsaw who, although he has only had twelve amateur bouts (according to his trainers), looks like a legitimate national championship contender this year."

Mike subsequently was disqualified from the New England team before they went to the nationals, however, because as a resident of Catskill, N.Y. he was not able to represent Lowell and New England in a national tournament (just as Rochester, New York resident Charles "The Natural" Murray would be disqualified in 1986 for the same reason after he captured the N.E. 139 pound title with decision victories over Mike Culbert and Pat Ireland).

Tyson did capture a National Golden Gloves title the following year, though, while representing New York State (Syracuse) on his way to the 201 pound crown. And, for what it is worth, I have often read people say that "Mike Tyson didn't excel as an amateur because he had too much of a pro style" and they point to his two losses at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials to Henry Tillman as some kind of proof of this. They say that "amateur scoring didn't suit him," etc., but what people need to realize is that not only was Tyson a highly accomplished amateur boxer but it is also likely a thing where the average person doesn't truly have any idea at all what Tyson had to go through just to even get to that Olympic team deciding fight with Tillman in 1984??

First of all, Tyson was a two-time National Junior Olympic Champion, a National Golden Gloves Champion (1984) and an Ohio State Fair champion (in 1983) who on the way to these and other titles defeated stand out amateur boxers such as Jonathon Littles (twice by stoppage), Jerry Goff, Kilbert "Junior" Pierce, Derek Isaman, Warren Thompson, Avery Rawls, Olian Alexander, Henry Milligan, and Winston Bent (He stopped Littles, Goff and Milligan). Add in the fact that Mike also scored a decision over top European (and world rated) Hakan Brock and you have quite the impressive resume.

Those accomplishments and victories certainly signify a stellar amateur career (that he put together in an era when national competition was particularly fierce) and the revealing of such should put to rest any notion that Tyson somehow "wasn't a good amateur fighter."

[boxmel]

the revealing of such should put to rest any notion that Tyson somehow "wasn't a good amateur fighter

I think what has been said, by people I've talked to, was that Tyson wasn't that good a technical boxer. The times he lost in amateur competition was when he was outboxed. He could hit like a mule, however. D

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

YEA...BUT I have seen him in fights against TOP amateurs and he was doing some great things in there...stepping over, double jabbing , etc...you know what I HONESTLY think? Mnay people who say that never even saw Mike fight as an amateur, they just go by what they hear...and sometimes they just dont think a guy who isnt on his toes jabbing pretty is a good amateur...his record speaks for itself in my opinion...

[boxmel]

Mnay people who say that never even saw Mike fight as an amateur, they just go by what they hear...and sometimes they just dont think a guy who isnt on his toes jabbing pretty is a good amateur...his record speaks for itself in my opinion...

The people I've talked to knew and watched Tyson as an amateur. I'm not discrediting his record at all - just stating that he was known more for his power than his boxing skills.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

O yea, definitely was known more for his power, no disputing that...but tits just to say that its a myth for them to imply he wasnt a good amateur with good boxing skills...Tyson IMO had very good skills...

[boxmel]

its a myth for them to imply he wasnt a good amateur with good boxing skills...Tyson IMO had very good skills...

Every one is entitled to their own opinion. On a side note - are you going to PAL next month?

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Cant make it...actually havent been to the PAL in a good while...HEY, U WOULD KNOW...do they have results and bout sheets etc anywhere previous PAL tourneys...specifically the 1986 and 1987 ones? (When I fought in it)...

[boxmel]

HEY, U WOULD KNOW...do they have results and bout sheets etc anywhere previous PAL tourneys...specifically the 1986 and 1987 ones? (When I fought in it)...

National PAL might have a record somewhere - but that would probably be the only resource. You can email them through their website - www.nationalpal.org. Let me know if they can help you.

[dawudbryant]

Hi guys, this is an old post but I have just read Tysons autobiography which is a great read. He mentions I think 5 losses but he seems of have forgotten his DQ loss to Kimmuel Odom.

He does however say that his losses to Ernie Bennet, Craig Payne and the 2 vs Henry Tillman were controversial. He also says how he lost by tko to Al Evans. He was dominating until he walked into a big shot in the final round (round 3) and went down.He got up and tried to go at the guy but was still dazed abit and got dropped again, he then got up and went back out aggressive but slipped over and the ref counted it as a knockdown so with a 3 knockdown rule he was tko'd lol. Kind of like what the late reg gutteridge used to say about the 3 knockdown rule, we dont want two knockdowns and a submission lol i.e 2 knockdowns and a 3rd not legit.

[Bob]

If you want to send me an email address I can send you what I have on Mike's amateur career...it's more complete than what you have seen here.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

I have quite a bit of knowledge of Mikes amateur career.

Email me if u like and I will send I what I have.

[email protected]

[dawudbryant]

If you want to send me an email address I can send you what I have on Mike's amateur career...it's more complete than what you have seen here.

Hi Bob,

do you know why Mike got dq'd vs Kimmuel Odom?

Thanks

Dawud

[Mike Rodgers]

I was in attendance at both the 1983 and 1984 National Golden Gloves tournaments. I remember watching Mike Tyson win the National Golden Gloves in 1984 in St. Louis, MO. I'm almost positive I saw him compete the year before at the National Golden Gloves in 1983 held in Albuquerque, NM.

[Nile4000]

Would have liked to see Mike fight a couple of the Cubans, to see if he could deal internationally.