Smokin' Joe Frazier vs Iron Mike Tyson in their respective primes

[oogiebe]

After much debating on another thread and having not seen a poll of this sort, I put it to the forum.

Who wins between Prime Joe Frazier vs Prime Mike Tyson? Why?

[Onetimeonly]

Frazier by late stoppage. One way traffic after a few rounds. Too tough and too good inside. Mild punchers chance for Mike.

[chrisjs1985]

Gotta go with Frazier. Just too tough for Tyson. Id would be beautiful to watch though as Frazier rips in his left hooks and Tyson tries to take Frazier out with uppercuts.

[oogiebe]

Gotta go with Frazier. Just too tough for Tyson. Id would be beautiful to watch though as Frazier rips in his left hooks and Tyson tries to take Frazier out with uppercuts.

Tyson's ability to slip punches would play a part here, as would his ability to change angles and stances while still punching. I guess if I were pushed to the edge, I'd say Tyson would need a KO within 5/6 rounds (Joe was a notoriously slow starter) because if it becomes a battle of attrition, then Frazier would probably eventually win. I just think Tyson would take him out early.

[BoxBuzz]

Tyson would need to spark Joe in the first four, or it's a bad night for Tyson.

Tyson would not have the inner fortitude to dance all night with Joe.

And if Joe is allowed to keep getting up and continuing, Tyson is going to fold from the inside at some point.

If Joe is not unconscious, and the ref allows Joe to fall a few times without interceding, I like Joe's chances overall.

[Tony1244]

Frazier by late stoppage. One way traffic after a few rounds. Too tough and too good inside. Mild punchers chance for Mike.

I think this sounds about right.

[oogiebe]

Frazier by late stoppage. One way traffic after a few rounds. Too tough and too good inside. Mild punchers chance for Mike.

I think this sounds about right.

Still early in the poll, but it's looking like I'm the odd man out. Oh well! Won't be the first time and won't be the last time.

[DrDuke]

Frazier by late stoppage. One way traffic after a few rounds. Too tough and too good inside. Mild punchers chance for Mike.

Yeah, the most possible scenario.

[cfang]

Tough one this. Mike early or Joe late seems the most likely. Mike was bigger and more powerful but Joe better stamina and more resolute.

[elmersalsa]

Smokin' Joe! Too much resiliency! I have never seen Iron Mike digging deep in a fight, ever. As the fight progresses, Joe Frazier's heart, will and determination will prevail. Mike Tyson's confidence goes down by each passing round. In the two fights that Tyson had to dig really deep, he lost, big time (Buster Douglas and Evander Holyfield).

[Steveh583]

As discussed on the fantasy fight thread. Joe bully's the bully.

[Cojimar 1946]

I think Tyson takes this pretty comfortably horrible matchup for Frazier.

[oogiebe]

I think Tyson takes this pretty comfortably horrible matchup for Frazier.

Yay, I'm not alone!

[Onetimeonly]

I think Tyson takes this pretty comfortably horrible matchup for Frazier.

Yay, I'm not alone!

Yeah, I'd rather be alone than have that troll agree with me. He'd take Tony Thompson over Joe too.

[oogiebe]

I think Tyson takes this pretty comfortably horrible matchup for Frazier.

Yay, I'm not alone!

Yeah, I'd rather be alone than have that troll agree with me. He'd take Tony Thompson over Joe too.

I'll take what I can get on this one OTO!

[Cojimar 1946]

Don't see how picking Tyson over Frazier has any relevance to a matchup with Thompson.

Tyson seems to hold the advantages here, better power, faster hands, better chin, etc.

[Cojimar 1946]

I wouldn't bank on Frazier's toughness to see him through, it didn't help him one bit against Foreman.

[Ambling Alp II]

Frazier was tougher, and had the better chin. Tyson's right was more powerful, Frazier had the better left hook. Tyson did have better handspeed. Frazier was better inside; too often Tyson did nothing on the inside.
I would go with Frazier to win more often than not.

[DrDuke]

Frazier was tougher, and had the better chin. Tyson's right was more powerful, Frazier had the better left hook. Tyson did have better handspeed. Frazier was better inside; too often Tyson did nothing on the inside.
I would go with razier to win more often than not.

People will argue on this, but I actually can say something in addition to your statement. Frazier's chin is getting underrated. Frazier got dropped only by slugger Bonavena and extremely hard-hitting Foreman. And Smokin' Joe was never out. While Tyson was hurt worse by Douglas and Lewis.

[Jacopodb]

After much debating on another thread and having not seen a poll of this sort, I put it to the forum.

Who wins between Prime Joe Frazier vs Prime Mike Tyson? Why?

Tyson, even by TKO, in my opinion, due to superior speed, mainly, but also deadly accuracy.

Frazier had a solid chin and punching power, but I doubt he could handle Tyson's speed and vicious powerpunching too: Tyson knew both how to punch, and where to land. And when, too: his accuracy and timing were no-less than his speed; he could also hit hard enough for Frazier, and had a solid chin, so just tell me how "Smoking Joe" could have caught Tyson and his crafty footwork, or penetrated Tyson's tight defense easily enough to even avoid being TKO'd...

It's pretty much an incontrovertible axiom that any heavyweight world champion in history would've tasted defeat vs a prime Tyson, even if, regarding his overall career span, Iron Mike ended up underachieving: that's why he's usually rated lower than more "long-lived" boxers, such as Lennox Lewis, for example, in most respectable top-ever lists.

Tyson, in his prime, was the closest thing to a perfect in-fighter I've ever seen, and you perhaps don't even need me to tell you why: relentless, (still) focused, fast & furious, fearless, plus all the above-stated reasons... The rest is history, so prime Tyson by stoppage.

[gilgamesh]

Frazier by late stoppage. One way traffic after a few rounds. Too tough and too good inside. Mild punchers chance for Mike.

I think this sounds about right.

Agreed

[Seamus]

Tyson inside of 4. Too much speed, power and accuracy for Frazier to survive long.

[paddy chavez]

Foreman vs Frazier all over again

[Onetimeonly]

Lol

[APerno]

A cop out answer:

Inside of four rounds it's Tyson in a beat down - too fast, too strong for Frazier. (Plus as stated above Fraizer started too slow: Tyson would take advantage.) - If Fraizer is somehow still there come the fifth and it becomes a war of attrition then Fraizer's stamina and more importantly his character will carry the day.

Tyson early; Frazier late; either way by stoppage. Definitely a lay-off fight only the compulsive gambler bets on this one. - But trade your first born if it will get you a ringside seat.

Dont know what it was but Tyson even at his very best, if extended (Tucker/Smith) would slip into a malaise around the sixth or seventh round and the explosive fire would dissipate. That always made me think (even before the Douglas fight) that Ali would have figured out a way to beat him. (And I am not an Ali fan.)