stujones wrote:Yeah, Tyson is obviously not the physical fighter he was - but if he had his old will/desire he'd possibly be champion still. Tyson is a different type of shot.
The likes of Gatti, Dunne, Ayers looked like they had trouble walking, more physically shot - Tyson was done Mentally.
Seriously, ...Tysons been physically shot since the Holifield fights and mentally shot since the Douglas fight....
I still think its his mentally shot has affected his physically shot (such as in the training). He didn't look too bad against Golota, Saverese and Etteine.
Hell, even in his sparring session with Correy Sanders - the handspeed was there, the footwork was there and amazingly the head movement was back. ... Could he pulled it off in a big fight? Absolutely not, cause his head isn't in it anymore - not because his body couldn't do it. He looked fantastic for 2 rounds vs Danny - then the mental demons took over (and a lack of traning).
Merely my take.... Yes, even physically he aint as good as the Tyson of 20 years back - no one can say he is... But its a massive difference between Tyson vs McBride and Michael Ayers vs Jon Honney.
Ooooo yes Stu, I remember being at the Ayers fight, and it was really sad to see just how much he had deteriorated during that time. He had absolutely nothing to offer.
With Tyson, I think part of it is he simply doesn't really want to beat people up for a living any more. His heart hasn't been in it for a long long time now, and when the going gets rough, it gives him the opportunity to quit, as he did against McBride.
stujones wrote:Yeah, Tyson is obviously not the physical fighter he was - but if he had his old will/desire he'd possibly be champion still. Tyson is a different type of shot.
The likes of Gatti, Dunne, Ayers looked like they had trouble walking, more physically shot - Tyson was done Mentally.
Seriously, ...Tysons been physically shot since the Holifield fights and mentally shot since the Douglas fight....
I still think its his mentally shot has affected his physically shot (such as in the training). He didn't look too bad against Golota, Saverese and Etteine.
Hell, even in his sparring session with Correy Sanders - the handspeed was there, the footwork was there and amazingly the head movement was back. ... Could he pulled it off in a big fight? Absolutely not, cause his head isn't in it anymore - not because his body couldn't do it. He looked fantastic for 2 rounds vs Danny - then the mental demons took over (and a lack of traning).
Merely my take.... Yes, even physically he aint as good as the Tyson of 20 years back - no one can say he is... But its a massive difference between Tyson vs McBride and Michael Ayers vs Jon Honney.
The difference between Tyson v Williams and Tyson v McBride was that, allowing for Tyson's career stage, when he lost to Williams, the best man won. Against McBride, the worse man won, because the better man had just lost all will to compete.
stujones wrote:Yeah, Tyson is obviously not the physical fighter he was - but if he had his old will/desire he'd possibly be champion still. Tyson is a different type of shot.
The likes of Gatti, Dunne, Ayers looked like they had trouble walking, more physically shot - Tyson was done Mentally.
Seriously, ...Tysons been physically shot since the Holifield fights and mentally shot since the Douglas fight....
I still think its his mentally shot has affected his physically shot (such as in the training). He didn't look too bad against Golota, Saverese and Etteine.
Hell, even in his sparring session with Correy Sanders - the handspeed was there, the footwork was there and amazingly the head movement was back. ... Could he pulled it off in a big fight? Absolutely not, cause his head isn't in it anymore - not because his body couldn't do it. He looked fantastic for 2 rounds vs Danny - then the mental demons took over (and a lack of traning).
Merely my take.... Yes, even physically he aint as good as the Tyson of 20 years back - no one can say he is... But its a massive difference between Tyson vs McBride and Michael Ayers vs Jon Honney.
I agree in some respects but Tyson is well physically shot now, he's taken bad beatings from Douglas, Holifield, and Lewis, and I've noticed that his speech has changed a lot in the last few years, becoming much more raspy and unclear...
MightyWarrior wrote:Ex champ Johnny Bumphus, who they threw in with Honeyghan. He looked shocking, like a ghost, walking on his heels on the way to the ring.
Yes, he was certainly slow off his stool that night, Rob.
Wasnt Johnny an Olympic gold or silver in 76, with about 350 wins from 365 fights or something like that?
Not sure John, think he may have been one of the US hotshots who missed the Olympics due to the boycot. But yes think you're right, he was an amazing amateur boxer. And one of the hotest prospects in US pro boxing. Won a world title but suddenly got old overnight it seemed.
did he have the drug problem when he faced Honeyghan?
I know he lost everything after his boxing career ended, but good to see him back training boxers now. Wasn't he back over here with a boxer recently?
NorthEastBoxingFan wrote:
It would be very interesting to see if all these soothsayers saying Khan's gonna get sparked are wagering much on Earl at 11-2......the way they're going on you'd think they'd be backing him with every last penny.
I think a few of them know the score to be honest so they won't be putting ny money where their mouth is.
Khan in the first 4 rounds - might be as early as the first 2.
