BoxRec

Tyson quit against McBride and Williams, but that's it. He didn't quit against Holyfield and he did not bite Holyfield to get out of the bout, hell he was landing some good punches before the bite occured and like I said, there have been many instances throughout history where one fighter bites the hell out of the other...he wasn't looking for a way out, he just lost he mind like he so many times had done before; just like he did against Savarese, just like he did against Frans Botha and just like he has in other bouts where he broke the rules and went wacko. The only time he has been a quitter has been during the last two bouts, which he quit because he was more tired and unable to go on rather than quitting from being hit, or hurt, but when looking back at his career, those fights mean very, very little, to nothing as Tyson was so far past his prime then that it wasn't even funny. I see most people judging Tyson's career on his second go around after getting out of prison, which considering that he missed three, or four years of his younger years he done very well considering, but he was a completely different fighter after losing four years to inactivity and the Tyson who fought Holyfield was most certainly no where near the man who dominated the division earlier, plus he was never worried about old Foreman...Tyson would have feasted on his slow, old ass and as tough as Foreman was his second time around, he would not have been able to withstand Tyson's speed and power. The young Foreman would have a chance if he nailed Tyson early, but if not then Tyson would have certainly nailed him!

Barry

I agree about Foreman. I don't see anything in that at all. George was a slow easy target and I cringed every time somebody mentioned the possibility of that fight. The 2 in their prime would have been an exciting don't blink ior its over affair but Tyson would have beat George at any time during Old George's comeback IMO.

As for the bite, there is no other rational conclusion to be drawn other than it was a way out of the fight for Tyson. Saying that "he just lost his mind" is saying nothing to me, in fact it seems like a vague attempt at finding an excuse. There is a psychological process at work in every single decision we make and you cannot deny this. Tyson found a way out that allowed his mystique to continue.

Tyson is a bully, who when he saw that he was up against a man who was not afraid of him and would beat him again, bit his way out of the fight

that sounds a little bit like liston and foreman to me. liston never proved he had heart throughout his career. foreman never had stamina in his prime. tyson had both stamina and heart in his prime.


amazing how u like to judge tyson when he was well well past his prime. u might as well judge holmes for his spinx losses.

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:

Tyson is a bully, who when he saw that he was up against a man who was not afraid of him and would beat him again, bit his way out of the fight

that sounds a little bit like liston and foreman to me.

I don't recall George ever biting an opponent. In fact, can you name any fight where George didn't give his all? I know you're too young to have seen the Foreman-Lyle fight live, but Tyson never could have endured the pressure and pounding that George endured from Lyle. And how about his fight with Stewart during his second career? Do you really think Tyson EVER had enough to survive the pressure and pounding that George took in either of these fights? On what fight(s) during his career do you base this opinion of Foreman? BB, you usually make sense, but you are WAY off base on this one.

Tyson never had Foreman's heart, determination or ability to take a punch. Tony Tucker made a prime Tyson respect his power with one punch in the first round of there title bout in 87. Ron Lyle knocked George flat on his face, and still got KO'd by him. Tyson definitely would have the advantage in handspeed, but Foreman knew how to time his punches, and had way better ring smarts.

RazorKO wrote:Mike was really the complete package.

I can't agree with this statement I am afraid.

Tyson was without doubt a dangerous and highly intimidating fighter who whilst during his all too short prime years had devestating power in either hand, very fast hands, impressive upper body movement. He also had good stamina and a solid chin to add to his all ready impressive arsenal.

However even in and around his prime he had flaws, such as the total inability to fight on the back foot. Sometimes allowed himself to be held in clinches for too long and too often. Seemed to run out of ideas if his opponent was still standing after about 7 rounds.

He also over the years showed many well documented mental flaws and the mental side of Boxing must never be ignored.

Also when past his primed he failed to train properly and adapt his style to compensate for the onset of age.

Tyson was a formidable and dangerius fighter, no doubt about that but, was in NO WAY the COMPLETE PACKAGE.

I don't think I have ever seen a fighter who was, althought some have come very close for various lengths of time during there career such as Ray Robinson.

barry wrote:Tyson quit against McBride and Williams, but that's it. He didn't quit against Holyfield and he did not bite Holyfield to get out of the bout, hell he was landing some good punches before the bite occured and like I said, there have been many instances throughout history where one fighter bites the hell out of the other...he wasn't looking for a way out, he just lost he mind like he so many times had done before; just like he did against Savarese, just like he did against Frans Botha and just like he has in other bouts where he broke the rules and went wacko. The only time he has been a quitter has been during the last two bouts, which he quit because he was more tired and unable to go on rather than quitting from being hit, or hurt, but when looking back at his career, those fights mean very, very little, to nothing as Tyson was so far past his prime then that it wasn't even funny. I see most people judging Tyson's career on his second go around after getting out of prison, which considering that he missed three, or four years of his younger years he done very well considering, but he was a completely different fighter after losing four years to inactivity and the Tyson who fought Holyfield was most certainly no where near the man who dominated the division earlier, plus he was never worried about old Foreman...Tyson would have feasted on his slow, old ass and as tough as Foreman was his second time around, he would not have been able to withstand Tyson's speed and power. The young Foreman would have a chance if he nailed Tyson early, but if not then Tyson would have certainly nailed him!

Tyson quit against Evander imo... he got himself disqualified because he didn't want to be beaten up again... simple as that. I disagree that the Tyson of that time was that far removed from the Tyson of '88.... much od the speed and power was still there... Holyfield was even further removed from his prime, he was battle scarred and fading when he met Tyson but still had far too much for him. Even old Foreman could have pushed Tyson backwards, I would think that Tyson should still have been able to beat a 40+ Foreman, but the fact that Mike turned down the chance of a big money match with Foreman more than once leads me to believe he wasn't confident of beating George, ...why else would he turn down what would have been such a big money fight?...

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:

Tyson is a bully, who when he saw that he was up against a man who was not afraid of him and would beat him again, bit his way out of the fight

that sounds a little bit like liston and foreman to me. liston never proved he had heart throughout his career. foreman never had stamina in his prime. tyson had both stamina and heart in his prime.


amazing how u like to judge tyson when he was well well past his prime. u might as well judge holmes for his spinx losses.

Liston and forman were both twice the fighter Tyson ever was....

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:

Tyson is a bully, who when he saw that he was up against a man who was not afraid of him and would beat him again, bit his way out of the fight

that sounds a little bit like liston and foreman to me. liston never proved he had heart throughout his career. foreman never had stamina in his prime. tyson had both stamina and heart in his prime.


amazing how u like to judge tyson when he was well well past his prime. u might as well judge holmes for his spinx losses.

Prime?.... Tyson was only about 29 when he fought Holyfeild!... Holmes was 36 when he fought Spinks!... and he never bit his ears off!. Evander was older and far more battle scarred than Tyson... Tyson may have been past his 'best' but a lot of that had to do with him having had his flaws exposed rather than going into physical decline because of age or ring wars... while Evander was certainly already well into physical decline but still had far too much balls for Mikey...

Well we all know that mike tyson accomplished a lot in a short time period but that me saying that let hear some anti tysons

Decagon wrote:

BrocktonBlockbuster49 wrote:

Tyson is a bully, who when he saw that he was up against a man who was not afraid of him and would beat him again, bit his way out of the fight

that sounds a little bit like liston and foreman to me. liston never proved he had heart throughout his career. foreman never had stamina in his prime. tyson had both stamina and heart in his prime.


amazing how u like to judge tyson when he was well well past his prime. u might as well judge holmes for his spinx losses.

Liston and Foreman never bit anyone in a boxing ring. Moreover, both of them faced several fighters who weren't afraid of them, and they came out on top. Both Liston and Foreman were able to climb off the canvas to win a fight, while Tyson never did.

I agree with Decagon. I also remember Liston taking some heavy punishment (might be one of the Williams fights). I think that essentially both these men quit against Ali and Tyson did against Holyfield.

KOJOE90 wrote:

RazorKO wrote:Mike was really the complete package.

I can't agree with this statement I am afraid.

Tyson was without doubt a dangerous and highly intimidating fighter who whilst during his all too short prime years had devestating power in either hand, very fast hands, impressive upper body movement. He also had good stamina and a solid chin to add to his all ready impressive arsenal.

However even in and around his prime he had flaws, such as the total inability to fight on the back foot. Sometimes allowed himself to be held in clinches for too long and too often. Seemed to run out of ideas if his opponent was still standing after about 7 rounds.

He also over the years showed many well documented mental flaws and the mental side of Boxing must never be ignored.

Also when past his primed he failed to train properly and adapt his style to compensate for the onset of age.

Tyson was a formidable and dangerius fighter, no doubt about that but, was in NO WAY the COMPLETE PACKAGE.

I don't think I have ever seen a fighter who was, althought some have come very close for various lengths of time during there career such as Ray Robinson.

True, all fighters do have negative aspects of them as you said about Tyson being held in clinches too long or the inability to fight on the back foot - But Tyson's style isnt meant to go backwards, it was meant to come forward and attack and the clinching e.g the Bonecrusher fight was just Smith trying to survive and holding every second Tyson got close, Smith should of been DQ'ed for exessive clinching like Henry Akiwande or Larry Holmes when he fought Bobick in the olympic trials.

Tyson had hands maybe a little slower than Pattersons but had 1 punch knockout power in either hand and I cant think of a heavyweight fighter who had those talents. Tyson could also take a punch and he had endurance in him. The only flaw of Tyson was not his physical arrtributes but his mentality and was easily frustrated.

There was no secret, Holyfield just out-bullied Tyson! He was not the least bit intimidated and beat Tyson at his own game, while landing some very good combinations in nearly every round, which after eleven had Tyson a beat and broken man. That was how he beat Tyson; like no else had done before. You should do a little better research before trying to comment on any boxing…just reading one book does not a genius make you!

Decagon wrote:It's rare for a fighter to get disqualified for clinching if he throws bodypunches in the clinch. That was the secret to beating Mike Tyson. Holyfield clinched the hell out of Tyson, and he didn't get disqualified.

Clinched the hell out of him?... I think he hit him a few times as well!. Anyway is clintching as bad as biting a fellows ear off?... I wonder what would have happened had Holyfield bit Tysons ear off?.... my guess is he would have been banned and not allowed to fight again....