BoxRec

Interesting matchup with a mirror of left hooks and style. Both compact and short. Both strong power punchers. Both have great chins. I believe Tua has the edge in the chin department while Tyson is obviously faster and quicker. Tyson has great headmovement where Tua really doesn't. Tua has the ability to scare Tyson if Tyson is unable to seriously hurt him similar to his fights with Holyfield. This would've been a great matchup had it happened around 1998.

Id have to put my money on David Tua for a TKO10. Tua had a hell of a good chin, great stamina, and a lot of heart to carry his way through the first few rounds which Tyson would win. But Tua's stamina and chin would win him the mid rounds up till a stoppage. Would have been so much fun to watch though good fight

tyson early stoppage.
Tua couldnt win the big one. Tyson in his prime got over the hump.He also gets there first against Tua.Accumulation of punches has Tua hangin on and the ref shuts it down.

I dont see even prime Tyson kayoing prime Tua. Tyson wins a decision, yes, but hes not gonna kayo 'The Terminator'.

Expug wrote:tyson early stoppage.
Tua couldnt win the big one. Tyson in his prime got over the hump.He also gets there first against Tua.Accumulation of punches has Tua hangin on and the ref shuts it down.

Agree completely. Tua never stepped up successfully in his life.

That would have been a good one - but then I thought that Golota-Tyson would be the fight of the century...

I don't think a 1998 Tyson stops Tua early. For all his shortcomings, Tua had a very good chin and lots of power. IF he gets stopped, it would be later on.

I think Tyson could've stopped Tua. Tua had faced some bombers but none of them had Tyson's handspeed. I see some Foreman-Lyle type shit going down here, because Tyson would hurt Tua like nobody else by virtue of his speed-power combo and Tua being right there to hit, while Tyson would be a fairly open target for the Tuaman as well. Both Lewis and Ibeabuchi managed to momentarily stun Tua, which is enough for me to believe that Tyson could've done the same only to greater effect by virtue of hitting him blindly.

This would've been the kind of fight where Mike managed to walk through the fire to come out with the win because I think overall he was still too sharp for Tua even by the late-90's or at least he would've been because he and his team would've genuinely viewed Tua as a legit threat to train for in order to avoid decapitation.

Overall I think Tyson would've slipped enough and landed enough on Tua to make a difference in accumulating more punishment on him for a late stoppage. I could see both men hitting the deck a couple of times, especially early on as both were so damn aggressive and powerful that any mere unsteadiness would result in one of them being dropped by the other's bombs, badly hurt or not.

Another important attribute here is that Tyson was really a much better inside fighter. He could absolutely demolish guys to the body and head with combinations whereas Tua was more or less always more of a mid-long range bomber/lunger. Tua wasn't as consistently good at shortening up his punches to translate that power into compact shots on the inside, although he did it on occasion (Michael Moorer for instance).

Anyone else suspect Tua may completely fold mentally facing such a name fighter, after he's hit with something really solid?

I wouldn't be shocked.

I'd say a Prime Tyson would win this fight by a pretty clear decision. 116-112 or something like that. If we're talking say Tyson circa 1996 vs Tua I'd say Tua gets the better of it, possibly by late knockout, possibly by close decision. One things for sure though, it would've been a barnburner.

I don't think it would've been a barn-burner.

Me either, Tyson would repeatedly beat Tua to the punch until it was over. David's left hook wasn't as short and compact as the thread starter indicates.

I don't think David would fold mentally, he won several fights pretty late that he was losing decisively. But I do think he gets stopped in the mid rounds of a dominant win for Tyson.

Tua is pretty overrated because of his chin and punch. And his punch is overstated, nothing Mike couldn't handle the rare times David would land.

It would be better than Tyson-Ruddock but the result would be the same. Tyson did get wary when hit hard (Tucker, Ruddock, etc) but he’s still more than likely going to just overwhelm Tua around about the 10th.

I enjoyed the ruddock fights, I don't think it would approach them. Razor was more dynamic and bigger than David. Tua/Ruddock would have been great.

Ikeabuchi is the only fighter more mythical than Tyson don’t forget…

I think Tua was better than Ruddock and also think he’s a live underdog against Tyson. Tua was one-dimensional in his attack but most heavyweights are.

Tua-Ruddock, has that thread been made? It should be. I’d go with Tua.

Ezzard wrote:Ikeabuchi is the only fighter more mythical than Tyson don’t forget…

I think Tua was better than Ruddock and also think he’s a live underdog against Tyson. Tua was one-dimensional in his attack but most heavyweights are.

Tua-Ruddock, has that thread been made? It should be. I’d go with Tua.

Tua being better than Ruddock is arguable, I definitely don't think he matches up better with Tyson.

For my money, Tua is more mythical than either of them. He was Rahman's playtoy.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Ezzard wrote:Ikeabuchi is the only fighter more mythical than Tyson don’t forget…

I think Tua was better than Ruddock and also think he’s a live underdog against Tyson. Tua was one-dimensional in his attack but most heavyweights are.

Tua-Ruddock, has that thread been made? It should be. I’d go with Tua.

Tua being better than Ruddock is arguable, I definitely don't think he matches up better with Tyson.

For my money, Tua is more mythical than either of them. He was Rahman's playtoy.

I like the idea of who is more mythical...

Yes, definitely one to debate. Tua-Ruddock is a pick 'em.

I do believe Ike looked formidable he just never proved it fully.

Some plausible arguments in favor of a Tyson win, but the big question is, what happens to Tyson mentally if he catches Tua with everything in say the first 5 rds, and Tua is still on his feet.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Ezzard wrote:Ikeabuchi is the only fighter more mythical than Tyson don’t forget…

I think Tua was better than Ruddock and also think he’s a live underdog against Tyson. Tua was one-dimensional in his attack but most heavyweights are.

Tua-Ruddock, has that thread been made? It should be. I’d go with Tua.

Tua being better than Ruddock is arguable, I definitely don't think he matches up better with Tyson.

For my money, Tua is more mythical than either of them. He was Rahman's playtoy.

...& Rahman flat-out sucked.

Had this fight happened in the late 90s, I think it would have been very interesting to watch and I might even have to give the edge to Tua.

Prime for prime is no contest - Tyson by mid rounds stoppage. Tua's chin was good, but an accumulation of Tyson power punches would have done the job IMO.

Tua's body was soft as hell. Lewis stopped him dead in his tracks with a bodyshot.

The young Tyson would've made Tua quit for certain.

Tua is one of the most overrated fighters on this site.
I would say Tyson wins in a one sided beat down.

Prime Vs Prime. Tyson wins By Early KO. Not competitive at all IMO

Tua does have a good chin, But he would be hit with some of the hardest shots he ever faced, And with his lack of Defence would be Stopped early.

I'm not sure people are being fair here.

Tua does get over-rated but he fought a great fight against Ike and went the distance with Lewis. Tyson has just as much of a rep as a quitter.

I don't think Tua would quit, I think the ref would stop it. He could go the distance, I just don't see how he can win. One punch and a chin just isn't enough to beat Mike imv.