Mike Tyson vs Oleksandr Usyk

[EdwardRevolver1993]

Now, I don't know whether this one was brought up here before. But this fantasy bout crossed my mind today. And I found it interesting because, to me, it has variables.

There are a lot of wrong narratives, misperceptions and exaggerations regarding Mike Tyson. A lot of them are brought up in mythical fights that involve Iron Mike. From "Prime Mike couldn't have been beaten" to "Mike wasn't really a good boxer" and etc. But I'm sure that folks over here are knowledgeable enough to break this fight down competently.

So, Usyk of today against a) Mike Tyson from 1986-1990; b) Mike Tyson of 1991 (Stewart and Ruddock fights); c) 1995-1996 (this Tyson, who disposed of Bruno and fought Holyfield in the 1st fight was, IMO, somewhat underrated, because "he wasn't in his prime")

Thoughts?

[The Docker]

Iron Mike by brutal first round KO. Personally feel Usyk is savagely overated at Heavy.

[Les Norton]

Tyson annihilates him in the first or second

[oogiebe]

Can't see Usyk being strong enough or fast enough to keep young prime Mike off of him.

Tyson in 3

[elmersalsa]

To beat the great "Iron" Mike Tyson, you got to be first, not to be intimidated. Once you're afraid of him, the fight is as over as you can read this.

Second, you gotta hurt him. You gotta give him something to think about. When Tyson used to get hit a lot, his confidence was going down each round. He used to get frustrated.

Third, if you held him a lot, it was like if he didn't know what to do in the trenches in close. Like if he liked to be inside without throwing a punch.

Most of Tyson's wins were about 70% intimidation. Maybe 80% or 90. The point was, if he knew that you were scared of him. The fight was pretty much close to over.

[DrDuke]

Usyk is vulnerable early, so it's possiblle to see him being stopped by Tyson. If he managed to survive, he had the toolbox to outpoint Tyson. However, would he have the tougness to use this toolbox. Up to the date Tyson seems to be more preferrable.

Tyson by TKO inside 5.

[Cojimar 1946]

Why not a prime Usyk? He's past prime currently.

[EdwardRevolver1993]

Why not a prime Usyk? He's past prime currently.

Well, he still operates at more or less the same level and didn't show signs of decline in his game. But strictly speaking - Usyk's prime years were, perhaps, at cruiserweight.

Which versions of Tyson and Usyk would you match against each other to make it a more balanced mythical match-up?

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

You had to jab and hold tyson in his prime. Usyk isnt that kind of fighter

[margaret thatcher]

suprised at how early some people are going. of course mike had his share of blast outs, but in the time period specified, tillis, green, ribalta, smith, tucker, ty biggy biggs, and douglas all went past halfway. a few others like sitting duck bruno to 5 and 6. if we go to 91, ruddock went 12 and into 7- tyson the only guy to beat ruddock without knocking him out

i dont think it's a 1-2 round job, usyk has the movement and craftiness to avoid that. also never been kd or seriously hurt, and seen no evidence of him being intimidated or mentally thrown off by an opponent.

with a fighter as offensively gifted as mike, there's always a chance for a quick end, but i think more likely it goes some rounds. mike's firepower and speed would allow him to put usyk on defensive throughout and get him out eventually, more like 8th round than 1st.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Correct, usyk knows how to survive. Plus hes a decent sized hw for tysons era

Usyk has the same size as prime foreman/holmes.

Id take mike by decision

[DrDuke]

suprised at how early some people are going. of course mike had his share of blast outs, but in the time period specified, tillis, green, ribalta, smith, tucker, ty biggy biggs, and douglas all went past halfway. a few others like sitting duck bruno to 5 and 6. if we go to 91, ruddock went 12 and into 7- tyson the only guy to beat ruddock without knocking him out

i dont think it's a 1-2 round job, usyk has the movement and craftiness to avoid that. also never been kd or seriously hurt, and seen no evidence of him being intimidated or mentally thrown off by an opponent.

with a fighter as offensively gifted as mike, there's always a chance for a quick end, but i think more likely it goes some rounds. mike's firepower and speed would allow him to put usyk on defensive throughout and get him out eventually, more like 8th round than 1st.

The guys like Biggs, Smith, Green fought to survive.

Usyk does the other thing, he calculates opponents and boxes, but he eats shots early, when he doesn't learn his opponent fully. So, the early stoppage by Tyson is real.

Tyson stopped some really good opponents early: Holmes, Spinks, Tubbs, Berbick, Carl Williams.

[owenthomas]

Usyk by ko in 8th

[Noxy]

Tyson had speed. To me he had too much offense for Usyk to handle. Tyson within 5 rounds.

[NazNaci1]

Mike had too much of everything for Usyk, imo.

His aggression, speed and his combinations, in his prime, would be too much. If Usyk lasted more than 4 or 5 rounds, I'd be surprised. Usyk, is still a great fighter, but just can't see him holding Tyson off, for long.

[Tony1244]

I think boxing is notorious for if A beats B and B beats C does not mean A beats C.

I'd pick Tyson by KOover Usyk. But I think Foreman would KO Tyson and Usyk would beat Foreman.

Tyson was powerful and fast so he's catch Usyk.

Foreman would stop Tyson like he did Frazier.

Foreman would have trouble with Usyk and lose to him similar to him using to Jimmy Young.

[elmersalsa]

I think boxing is notorious for if A beats B and B beats C does not mean A beats C.

I'd pick Tyson by KOover Usyk. But I think Foreman would KO Tyson and Usyk would beat Foreman.

Tyson was powerful and fast so he's catch Usyk.

Foreman would stop Tyson like he did Frazier.

Foreman would have trouble with Usyk and lose to him similar to him using to Jimmy Young.

I could see the "Styles Make Fights" theory here. It's very interesting.

[Seamus]

Tyson if it ends inside 4, after that it'd be Usyk.

[Cent0089]

Tyson is everything bad for Usyk. On the other hand, i would favor Usyk over Ali and Ali over Tyson. Styles make fights

[scorpio83]

In their prime, Tyson would stop Usyk in 5 rounds. Usyk would have his moments outboxing Tyson through the first 3 rounds behind his southpaw jabs and combinations, but Tyson figure it out during the third and taking over in the fourth by slipping through Usyk's punches with good body shots along with uppercuts and hooks on the inside. In the fifth, Tyson punished Usyk off the corner or ropes with powerful punches on the body and head, then nailing him with left hooks and right hands to force the referee to save Usyk from further punishment.

[Cojimar 1946]

Usyk by late stoppage

[Ambling Alp II]

Tyson within 4. Usyk can't hurt him, and he won't be able to avoid damage for long. In real life, sometimes the bad guy is much better. This is one of them.

[The Docker]

Tyson within 4. Usyk can't hurt him, and he won't be able to avoid damage for long. In real life, sometimes the bad guy is much better. This is one of them.

Agreed, but earlier than round 4 if we're talking the earlier iteration of Mike. Way too much forward firepower for Usyk to handle. Usyk would do OK versus other heavy handed boxers who fought the more technical approach with their work. Early Mike threw that textbook out the window and for me, would destroy Usyk.

[Cojimar 1946]

Tyrell Biggs made it 7 and Tucker went the full 12 but Usyk cant make it four. People must have a low view of Usyk

[1727381]

Speed kills and Tyson had fast hands. Usyk has a problem because he has an iron jaw but a glass body. Plus, Fury was repeatedly landing uppercuts that would have put Usyk to sleep if they came from Tyson. I think Usyk would get dropped early BUT if he could get up and survive past 6, he could win by late TKO because Tyson would fade late. Just not sure if Usyk could survive the early onslaught. Would be an interesting fight.