What If ?- Mike Tyson vrs Corrie "the Sniper" Sanders

[Caractacus]

What if Mike Tyson had fought Corrie Sanders instead of Peter McNeeley in August 1995 ?
How'd you think that would go ?
Sanders record was 26-1-0 in 1995.

[BoxBuzz]

I'll venture a guess. Mike levels him. 7/10 times.

I also think Sanders is always a pretty interesting wild card. Probably ALWAYS has a shot at winning against any but the most Iron Jawed or greatest defensive wizards.

Like the unabomber....he just needs to sneak in a stealth delivery.

[elmersalsa]

Even though the great Mike Tyson was not in complete prime by 1995, still, he was a dangerous proposition for anybody. I can't see someone like Corrie Sanders beating him. He was not in Iron Mike's class.

[Caractacus]

depends, How did Tyson do against South-paws (who were also speedsters and power-punchers) during his pro boxing career ?
(I do know George Foreman liked to avoid them if possible( ever since Ione Alexe back in the 1968 Olympics ).

[Caractacus]

Answer : Mike Tyson in his 58 fights over a span of 20 years (1985-2005) had fought ZERO southpaws.

[Kalan]

Would be another surprise like Tyson-Douglas... When has Mike faced a tall southpaw with quick hands who can hit??? ... He had trouble with Tony Tucker and that's the fight that convinced Douglas he had the beating of Tyson... When punches are going to come in at unfamiliar angles from your next opponent -- it's much harder to get great sparring for that ... Tyson used Greg Page who you would think was fairly close to Douglas in everything

The problem was, Page was big, tall, and fast... He tagged Mike up in camp so Greg couldn't really open up on Mike -- like a spar-mate normally would

[BoxBuzz]

Would be another surprise like Tyson-Douglas... When has Mike faced a tall southpaw with quick hands who can hit??? ... He had trouble with Tony Tucker and that's the fight that convinced Douglas he had the beating of Tyson... When punches are going to come in at unfamiliar angles from your next opponent -- it's much harder to get great sparring for that ... Tyson used Greg Page who you would think was fairly close to Douglas in everything

The problem was, Page was big, tall, and fast... He tagged Mike up in camp so Greg couldn't really open up on Mike -- like a spar-mate normally would

Was Tyson getting his typical training in? Was he processing the upcoming event in his typical routine? Ya think those dynamics are relevant at all?

[Kalan]

What relevant is each boxer being responsible for their own preparation and performance... because making excuses after the fact doesn't change the result

[elmersalsa]

In my view, Corrie Sanders is not on Iron Mike's class.

[Kalan]

Well yeah...but neither was Buster Douglas who had been knocked out 3 times already by less then outstanding Heavyweights.. Corrie Sanders wasn't in Wladimir Klitschko's class either, even before WK got with Manny Steward.. Very few boxing professionals saw him beating Klitschko.

So the question is about the match-up, not about whether Sanders was an ATG like Tyson...because he wasn't.

[BoxBuzz]

What relevant is each boxer being responsible for their own preparation and performance... because making excuses after the fact doesn't change the result

Good job of missing the point again.

If the Native Americans ever launch another full blown attack on the civilian population, you will be 100% safe.




Consider this.......Dynamics such as those I mentioned.... tilts the game when it comes to predicting the "most likely outcome".

[Jaywheel]

Well yeah...but neither was Buster Douglas who had been knocked out 3 times already by less then outstanding Heavyweights.. Corrie Sanders wasn't in Wladimir Klitschko's class either, even before WK got with Manny Steward.. Very few boxing professionals saw him beating Klitschko.

So the question is about the match-up, not about whether Sanders was an ATG like Tyson...because he wasn't.

Well yeah...but wasn't Sanders crushed by Nate Tubbs who was KOed by less than outstanding Clay Bey?

[Caractacus]

Well yeah...but neither was Buster Douglas who had been knocked out 3 times already by less then outstanding Heavyweights.. Corrie Sanders wasn't in Wladimir Klitschko's class either, even before WK got with Manny Steward.. Very few boxing professionals saw him beating Klitschko.

So the question is about the match-up, not about whether Sanders was an ATG like Tyson...because he wasn't.

Well yeah...but wasn't Sanders crushed by Nate Tubbs who was KOed by less than outstanding Clay Bey?

crushed ? Hardly,Nate Tubbs hit Sanders with what looked like afreak hocky check like type of punch when Sanders was against the robes just about to spin out from it.(in what looked almost like a "mini-ring")
I think Sanders may have been set-up for that loss.
who was winning up until that punch do you think ?

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

- Glad I'm not a fighter with some of you "experts" as my trainer as it appears the larger lot here are more apt to screw up their own birthday parties than to come up with any cogent plan of how Tyson can beat Sanders. He could never do it in the form that the OP asks.

3.0 version of post prison Tyson was 4 years removed from any legacy building and beginning his 4 round, clubfighter stage as the circus sideshow freak. Choosing Sanders to knock him out would be derelict of the Don King model since he had already gained control of Tyson's $100 mil trust fund and only wanted to milk his formidable name for as long as he could. Thus strode forth one Peter McNeely who had never beat a top 200 boxrec level fighter and in fact knocked out by a 300 level heavy. Advertised as undefeated, wink, wink, by the complicit mainstream press, he was the perfect white hope, and who else in boxing history but Tyson could command 1.5+ million PPVs for such dire gruel? Even so, Peter bulled a shocked Tyson into the ropes and pounded him before being leveled enough times for his corner to jump into the ring to stop the farce. Mills rightly ruled a DQ as a point in comparison when Uncle Roger stormed the ring when TUE was being given time to recover for a low blow, not to stop a fight, but to start a ring riot! Thank the suits for Richard Steele knowing who they had already penciled in to win that fight.

This is the same version of Tyson who only 7 rounds later who lost to Mr. Field twice. Field was supposed to be at McNeely level by then, but had found a new doc and trainer with new vitamins and the rest history. Go to any psych ward and see blank and listless they are on their psychotropic drugs, the version of Tyson that Field beat that the more regrettable of you crow about.

Corrie rightfully deserves some criticism for how his career went, but by natural attributes, Corrie was at the top of the heap, the 99.999%. His problem was being too physically blessed, thus a 3 sport star in rugby and golf to supplement a problematic career in boxing as the excoriated white South African Heavyweight as if he had anything to do with the SA apartheid politics. He was actually quite popular fighting in the black provinces before he moved to bigger game that never came until the Klitschkos came a-calling as he was turning 40. And yeah, he was the only one who made Vitali back up and it was a sight to see from one corner to the next with Corrie chasing. He also may have knocked down Vitali, but the ref ruled a slip and they wouldn't show their footwork to know for sure, but Corrie definitely threw and landed a punch though Vitali was unfazed from that encounter.

Later on Tyson was equally poor in his other post prison performance against Botha who never beat a top 50 level heavy, but at least had fought a few. In short, 95 Sanders knocks out 95 McNeely version of Tyson within 2 rounds. If he gets in an unintentional headbutt followed by his sniper left as he did Wlad, even Ollie McCall is going down. You won't read about it in Valhalla though. They only match prime to prime fighters that most of you won't ever see...snicker...

[gregor]

- Glad I'm not a fighter with some of you "experts" as my trainer as it appears the larger lot here are more apt to screw up their own birthday parties than to come up with any cogent plan of how Tyson can beat Sanders.

You have some good points, but the issue is that I cannot see any plan how Sanders can beat Tyson either. As Roach said, Sanders could punch with anyone for the first three rounds, but three rounds were never enough fot Tyson, even for much worse version of Tyson (Lewis-Tyson). Whatever you may say about 95' Tyson, to beat him you needed at least 10 rounds and a gameplan executed without any mistake, and that is why I doubt Sanders could win. IMHO leading on points after 2/3 rounds would be possible, but winning whole fight unlikely.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

No chance for Sanders. You have to steadily beat the confidence out of Tyson, Corrie would be exhausted long before that could happen.

[ElJefe]

- Glad I'm not a fighter with some of you "experts" as my trainer as it appears the larger lot here are more apt to screw up their own birthday parties than to come up with any cogent plan of how Tyson can beat Sanders. He could never do it in the form that the OP asks.

3.0 version of post prison Tyson was 4 years removed from any legacy building and beginning his 4 round, clubfighter stage as the circus sideshow freak. Choosing Sanders to knock him out would be derelict of the Don King model since he had already gained control of Tyson's $100 mil trust fund and only wanted to milk his formidable name for as long as he could. Thus strode forth one Peter McNeely who had never beat a top 200 boxrec level fighter and in fact knocked out by a 300 level heavy. Advertised as undefeated, wink, wink, by the complicit mainstream press, he was the perfect white hope, and who else in boxing history but Tyson could command 1.5+ million PPVs for such dire gruel? Even so, Peter bulled a shocked Tyson into the ropes and pounded him before being leveled enough times for his corner to jump into the ring to stop the farce. Mills rightly ruled a DQ as a point in comparison when Uncle Roger stormed the ring when TUE was being given time to recover for a low blow, not to stop a fight, but to start a ring riot! Thank the suits for Richard Steele knowing who they had already penciled in to win that fight.

This is the same version of Tyson who only 7 rounds later who lost to Mr. Field twice. Field was supposed to be at McNeely level by then, but had found a new doc and trainer with new vitamins and the rest history. Go to any psych ward and see blank and listless they are on their psychotropic drugs, the version of Tyson that Field beat that the more regrettable of you crow about.

Corrie rightfully deserves some criticism for how his career went, but by natural attributes, Corrie was at the top of the heap, the 99.999%. His problem was being too physically blessed, thus a 3 sport star in rugby and golf to supplement a problematic career in boxing as the excoriated white South African Heavyweight as if he had anything to do with the SA apartheid politics. He was actually quite popular fighting in the black provinces before he moved to bigger game that never came until the Klitschkos came a-calling as he was turning 40. And yeah, he was the only one who made Vitali back up and it was a sight to see from one corner to the next with Corrie chasing. He also may have knocked down Vitali, but the ref ruled a slip and they wouldn't show their footwork to know for sure, but Corrie definitely threw and landed a punch though Vitali was unfazed from that encounter.

Later on Tyson was equally poor in his other post prison performance against Botha who never beat a top 50 level heavy, but at least had fought a few. In short, 95 Sanders knocks out 95 McNeely version of Tyson within 2 rounds. If he gets in an unintentional headbutt followed by his sniper left as he did Wlad, even Ollie McCall is going down. You won't read about it in Valhalla though. They only match prime to prime fighters that most of you won't ever see...snicker...

So it takes Holyfield 11 rounds to stop him in '96 and he sees the 8th with Lennox in 2002, but Sanders needs less than 6 minutes? I'm not having that.