BoxRec

On November 8, 1991, we have probably missed the most anticipated fight of all time. Even though they fought in 1996 and 1997, the year of 1991 was the real year that the whole world wanted to see this fight. But because of the Tyson's rape charges and "allegedly bruise hip", the fight did not happened.

Who do you think at the time would have won this CLASSIC???

Mike Tyson wins over Evander Holyfield in 1991.

Holyfield dominates him in similar fashion.

I think Tyson in 91' would have KO'd Holyfield in the later rounds of the fight.

Really...they should have fought in 1990...if Tyson could have gotten past Buster, I believe there was a signed contract for Tyson to defend against Holyfield...I also believe, if memory serves, that some of the sports writers and 'experts' at the time felt that Holyfield was one guy who had somewhat of a chance to beat Iron Mike...

I think Holyfield wins in '90 or '91. He did win in '96...

It's really a shame (in a way) that Buster was the first to beat Tyson...

Buster didn't have the world's greatest work ethic in training (except for the Tyson fight when he claimed to be motivated by the recent death of his beloved mother)...

The first guy to beat Tyson should have been Holyfield, a much more appropriate champion, not just a 'one fight wonder'...if Tyson would had his head on straight before losing the title to Douglass, I believe that's exactly what would have happened...Holyfield would have beaten Tyson in the fall of 1990...while they were both in their '20's...I wonder what the rematch would have been like...ear biting...or a return to the throne by a younger, better prepared, more experienced Tyson?

Instead he fought Razor Ruddock twice, and only had to look half decent against a one dimensional former boxer who discovered he had a punch. Yep, huge fight of the century missed opportunity there. But Tyson would have put on a much better showing against Holyfield, and I thought he looked impressive against Razor.

In '91 Tyson would not have gone down against Holyfield and Holyfield would not have gone down against Tyson. But that Tyson beats Evander over the distance in the most amazing 12 rd slugfest at HW ever.

The rematch? Holyfield. Mike would have been on his way out in '92, regardless of the rape sentence.

I just re-watched Tyson-Ruddock. Razor looks so one-dimensional he makes Corrie Sanders look like Ray Robinson. Holyfield would've whupped Tyson BADLY. I saw nothing in that fight that suggested Tyson was ANY better in 91 then he was in 1996. If anything, in 96 he had better trainers and carried a bit more muscle.

TYSON WINS,HARD TO SAY HOW AS HOLYFIELD ALWAYS WAS GOOD AGAINST THE SMALLER HEAVYWEIGHTS.I WOULD SAY K.O MIDDLE ROUNDS,BUT IT WOULDNT BE A FORGONE CONCLUSION.HOLYFIELD WOULD ALWAYS HAVE BEEN TYSONS TOUGHEST FIGHT IN THAT ERA.

It wouldn't have mattered when they fought the result would have been the same, the fact is that Holyfield was the first person to stand up to Tyson and Tyson just couldn't handle the fact that Holyfield wasn't scared of him. Obviously this is just my opinion but I think Holyfield always had Tyson's number, too much heart.

J-C wrote:It wouldn't have mattered when they fought the result would have been the same, the fact is that Holyfield was the first person to stand up to Tyson and Tyson just couldn't handle the fact that Holyfield wasn't scared of him. Obviously this is just my opinion but I think Holyfield always had Tyson's number, too much heart.

I couldn't agree more.Holyfield was ready for Iron Mike. But in that time, I do think that Holyfield had much faster hands and feet than people people had given him credit for. He was not scared of Tyson, and Tyson knew it. I think Tyson used the "broken hip" as an exuse. I don't think there ever was one.

Holyfield by decision or a late round TKO in a WAR!!! Why??? because of Holy's greater determination and I think he had better chin. Tyson did not had a better corner than Evander's. Tha was another plus for the "Real Deal".

In 91 Tyson was a sucker for a straight right from Douglas all night long...why would it have been any different if it were Evander throwing them? OK, fine, he'd have taken the fight and his training more seriously. But that doesn't change the fact that he was surrounded by a bunch of incompetents who were incapable of giving him even simple instructions in the corner on how to deal with Douglas--who didn't exactly have the world's most complex fight plan to figure out. Holyfield by late stoppage or lop-sided UD.

um...you know I really meant in '90, right?

I think Holyfield would have KO'd him even sooner than Buster Douglas did...or even sooner than Holyfield of '96 did...maybe the sixth or the eighth round. Tyson is coming one way...that's forward...Holyfield is waiting, he aint moving backwards, with sharp, accurate three punch combinations and a wicked uppercut that he can land with either hand.

Foreman couldn't knock Holyfield out, after landing everything in his arsenal, and Tyson wouldn't knock him out either. And we all know that Tyson could be knocked out by '90.

Holyfield is much better mentally than Tyson and he always has been...and Holyfield was better skilled, overall(<-everybody skips around that one). Holyfield by sixth round KO.

This dude tackles the riddle and, though he disagrees with me, I include the link FYI:

Tyson's Place in boxing history

by Tom Donelson
http://www.boxinginsider.net/columns/st ... 085853.php

A highlight I appreciated, which some forget:

"Tyson was the perfect fighter for Cus D’ Amato's peek a boo system. The Peek-a-boo consisted of a fighter advancing in a low crouch with hands up. The fighter played both defense and offense simultaneously as he penetrated the opponent own defenses and this style required a sturdy chin and quick hands to go along with head movement. Floyd Patterson perfected this style but his chin and slight frame doomed him when he fought bigger fighters such as Ali and Liston. Tyson had the chin and hand speed to make it work and for his early part of his career, Tyson could equally use both hands and he could jab in his way while devastating his opponent with powerful, lightening fast hands, once on the inside. His combinations were blurs and usually his opponents were left helpless in its wake."

I was a bigger "fan" of Holyfield back then, but like most, was inexplicably drawn to the car wreck that was a Tyson fight and - sadly -Tyson's life.