BoxRec

I was a huge Tyson (still am) when I was a kid & started watching his
comeback trail after the Douglas loss. He looked impressive with ko'ing
Tillman, Stewart, & the two wars with Ruddock. Ruddock who was HIGHLY
regarded at the time.

I'll never forget. I woke up at 3:00am-4:00am in the morning to them
showing Tyson & Holyfield with suits on with Don King raising their hands
promoting their fight. I was like "YES! Mike Is Going To Reclaim His
Throne!" Then a few weeks later the rape trail came up & squashed all
the plans.

I respect Holyfield alot for his heart, but at that time I think he was too
green to slug it out with Tyson. That Tyson had declined a tad bit but was
still extremely dangerous & had that killer instinct & was fighting on a
regular basis. Holyfield's chin wasn't that good around those days
either.

There are 2 tysons the tyson with Kevin Rooney using the super style created by Cus d Amato between 86-88 then we have a tyson much more weaker in therms of power and speed with less combinations and a weaker defense,so i don t know if in 1991 he would be capable of win against holyfield or lewis coz he lost so much you know.

Holyfield would have pulverised Tyson in 1991.

Watch the 2 Ruddock fights; Tyson was no longer throwing combos or moving his head. If Razor wasn't so stupid & boxed more, he could have beaten Tyson.

Holyfield was in his prime in 1991 & would have had way too much for Tyson.

damien590 wrote:I was a huge Tyson (still am) when I was a kid & started watching his
comeback trail after the Douglas loss. He looked impressive with ko'ing
Tillman, Stewart, & the two wars with Ruddock. Ruddock who was HIGHLY
regarded at the time.

I'll never forget. I woke up at 3:00am-4:00am in the morning to them
showing Tyson & Holyfield with suits on with Don King raising their hands
promoting their fight. I was like "YES! Mike Is Going To Reclaim His
Throne!" Then a few weeks later the rape trail came up & squashed all
the plans.

I respect Holyfield alot for his heart, but at that time I think he was too
green to slug it out with Tyson. That Tyson had declined a tad bit but was
still extremely dangerous & had that killer instinct & was fighting on a
regular basis. Holyfield's chin wasn't that good around those days
either.

This is just my thoughts,BUT I think that in their primes,both were excellent fighters,HOWEVER,Tyson in his prime,was a thing to be feared.The power,and speed and savagery that he attacked his opponents with was a sight to behold.Go back and look at his fights,BEFORE Robin Givens,& Buster Dougals,he fought the best and biggest around,and the most they could do,was at best clinch their ways to unanimous decision losses.If they didn't do that,they were K.O.ed.Watch Berbick,Thomas,Tucker,Bonecrusher,these were Big Strong heavyweights,who were known for taking as well as giving a punch.Poor little Evander would most definitely go out on his shield,but that's about it.There is no way Holyfield could have survived,let alone beat a prime Tyson.,
zuru

Tyson was made to order for Holyfield - Always was...Always will be -

Don King knew this and avoided Holyfield for as long as he could (then Tyson went to Jail) - But remember Tyson "came up" with an injury which knocked there fight in 91 back a few months....then he went to jail -

Holyfield TKO's Tyson between 8 and 11 rounds in 91 - Much the same way he did in 96 -

Holyfield fought the Tyson that came off a 4yr layoff. 4yrs from the sport
has got to affect any man & only had 3 fight tuneup. Actually Holyfield was
supposed to win in 96'.

I'm not sure about the Tyson before prison. He was fighting every 3-4
months and had that killer instinct like I was saying earlier. Yes, he did
come down notches when leaving Rooney, but he was still young &
fearless!

Tyson having a injury means nothing. If you all remember the same thing
happened leading up to his fight against Alex Stewart. The fight was on
hold because of a Tyson injury. Then when the fight happened he blowed
Alex out of the water. It's very difficult to knock out Ruddock twice in a
row in those days because that's when Razor was at his best & those Tyson
bouts took alot out of him. After Tyson finished with him he was washed
up.

I have a serious question for everyone. If Tyson wasn't this great heavy
& not even in the top heavies of alltimes.

WHY IS HIS LOST TO DOUGLAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE BIGGEST
UPSET IN BOXING HISTORY?????

Answer that question from the heart & no sugarcoating.

Can never imagine Tyson beating Holyfield. This in in hindsight of course, after seeing what happened when Tyson was stood up to and couldn't intimidate and bully an opponent

Holyfield's mental capacities at his best get him over the line against Tyson 9 out of 10

It's all bein done allready .. all the wars and scars inflicted circeling around Tyson as one of the best heavyweights ever. I beleave he was the best once in his prime lightyears away ... but sadly it lasted some 4 years only. The hollyfield I was a jocke.. that was not Tyson there but just a small schoolboy wineing his ass of with every obstacle Evander threw at him. I though that he was better in there second fight and really seemed gettin the upperhand in the beginning of the third round and the rest was history.

In the 91 Tyson was still skillwise but I doubt he would have beaten fast and durable Evander. In his prime? ofcourse.

I think he belongs in the top then though. 85 to 88 was just amazing..

damien590 wrote:Holyfield fought the Tyson that came off a 4yr layoff. 4yrs from the sport
has got to affect any man & only had 3 fight tuneup. Actually Holyfield was
supposed to win in 96'.

Holy was NOT suppose to win in 96 - Or tell that to Vegas and all the "books" who took one of the biggest baths in history!

I got Holy at 24-1 Odds!! - Made myself a nice mint on that fight -

Tyson would have been sliced and diced by Holyfield no matter when they fought - That is why Tyson avoided Holyfield prior to 91 (and why he took the Douglas fight instead of Holyfield....and why he postponed their signed fight in 91 prior to going to jail).

And why Tyson postponed their rematch in early 97 - Before getting beat a second time -

Styles make fights...and Holyfield owns Tyson.

Holyfield ripped Tyson's heart out and would have done it at any time. I too thought Tyson was invincible for a while but I knew that I couldn't be certain until he'd been in a give and take fight and won. He lost every single one fo these except for maybe Ruddock I.

To all the people who go on and on about Tyson being the best ever in his prime years and about how mcuh of a shock it was when Douglas beat him, remeber that Liston looked invincible, as did Foreman, but at least they lost to a true great.

Holyfied was more ring worn than Tyson. he wasn't scared of him and he was essentially a superior fighter.

People seem to forget that in '96 Holyfield was not just supposed to be a sure loser, but was going to get killed. He was coming off a poor performance against Bobby Czyz and was not long past his heart scare. I recall Glenn McCrory saying in the build up that he expected a 1 round blow out and feared for Holyfield

Tyson on the other hand was coming of a series of quick wins against decent ( in most cases ) names.

Also, in 91 people just seem to be concentrating on Tyson and how fearsome he was. But, throughout his career, he always had trouble with fit active opponents ( as opposed to those who had been inactive for months like Bruno and Holmes ) and Holyfield was certainly that.

The Holyfield of 91 was supremely confident and extraordinarily talented. He was also a smart fighter with a smart back up team.

PLUS the one thing people should always remember about Holyfield is that he was not scared of anybody and certainly not Tyson

it would have been a tougher fight in '96, but I have no doubt that Holyfield would have taken Tyson to the late rounds and stopped him as he did in '96

Slapsie