Why haven't we seen another Mike Tyson?

[Spray_resistant]

I think if that was the case then we'd be back dominating the Cruiser/Heavyweight divisions again instead of having the Klits bros reign supreme.

The better athletes are from America, especially in the HW category. But all too often...their brought in to play basketball or football for the instant fame associated with it.

Take the Eagles backup left tackle Winston Justice...he's a scrub in the NFL level. He got exposed...growing up and while in college, he boxed. Loves the sport. Scouts saw him as a physical specimen and they talked him into football. He went to USC, was a really decent lineman and considered the best in football at the time. He was just physically superior to everyone. He didn't translate well to the NFL, but he changed his sport from the one he loved due to the money. He sits the bench and will be a nobody in the NFL; but makes way more money than all boxers that aren't elite.

If money was the reason for America's lack of dominance in HW boxing in recent years, then this would carry over in all other professions and everyone would be in the line of work they are in entirely for the money, but this isn't the case now and it wasn't then. People do what makes them happy when the choice and opportunities are available, not always what is financially lucrative.....I can not say why American's do not dominate HW boxing anymore, maybe it has something to do with a recent decline in America as a nation as a whole.

[catskills23]

The decline of boxing?

Heavyweights to scared to mix it up?

I want answers!

Tyson was a very rare breed of boxer . He had amazing speed, athleticism with huge punching power and to top it off he had near perfect technique . While roy jones and ali might have more athlectisim . They could only dream of having Tysons boxing technique . To illustrate my point the top boxing trainer Buddy Mcgirt saw Tyson sparring and he said that Tyson's style was the most difficult in boxing to pull off bar none . He said that Tyson had extraordinary footwork and timing . He was never off balance and was always in a position to punch and get maximum leverage on every punch he threw and throw each punch with perfect form . Not to mention the speed and power of his six punch combinations and his ability to slip punches for a smaller man and get inside an opponents defense so quickly which has never been seen in boxing before and will probably be never seen again and to top it all off we never even got to see the best of Tyson . He completely abandoned his peek a boo style once he left Rooney . Buddy Mcgirt said the way Tyson executed the peek a boo style to near boxing perfection was genius and that to execute the peek a boo style you needed super human stamina . Anyone who has ever used the peek a boo style in boxing will tell you that is the most difficult and energy consuming boxing style to execute nevermind executeing it to virtual perfection.

[hweightblogger]

Feminism destroyed American men.

As long as America is a matriarchy, there won't be another Tyson.

[hweightblogger]

there are about 100 mike tysons right now, the only problem, they're playing in the NFL.

Yeah, 100 Tysons, all 5'10'', play in the NFL right now.

And in case you didn't notice: Boxing is a global sport, gridiron is a local sport. That some guys play football now is no reason why there shouldn't be Tysons somewhere else. Especially since NFL was around in Tyson's times, too.

[paulf]

Because young kids, 12 and 13 years old, who have highly developed muscular frames are prepped for the NBA and NFL in the same way Tyson was prepped for Boxing.

For big, strong athletes, Boxing just isn't the sport of choice anymore. Look how out of shape or lacking athletically the Heavyweight contenders from America these days are; Arreola? Austin? Chambers? Meanwhile, guys playing in the NBA and NFL are bigger and stronger than ever.

The things is; Boxing isn't popular in America anymore. Look at the guys in the amateurs doing it; two time national champion Lenroy Thompson got into boxing when he was 19 to lose weight. Tor Hamer and a certain HW prospect who's name I can't recall are both private school rich kids who boxed as a hobby. American kids are not inspired by boxing anymore, and thus, never get into boxing in the first place.

I mean, virtually every heavyweight champion of the past century was American. That's not a coincidence. There's been a huge sea-change in American athletics and Boxing is considered a novelty sport now. There will still be great American boxers and there will still be American champions, but the days of America grabbing up the gold medals at the Olympics and having complete ownership of the lineal HW title are long over.

As I've said in many other threads; I went to a poor, all-black high school; traditionally the breeding grounds for American boxers. I didn't know a single kid who boxed. Things have changed in America.

[jurob]

Boxing gyms are gone. Most with athletic talent play sports in school and boxing is typically not one of the offered sports in America.

Tyson was taken off the streets at a young age before he could end up in prison for the rest of his life.

[-DSG-]

tyson was one dimensional both klits beat him easy

[Spit Venom]

Tyson gets underrated by people who say they do know boxing.

purists hate him cuz hes not that typical overachiever, rank Tyson at 50 in that best 50 fighters of all time. why at the very end, cuz hes somewhat a name, to get him there u know. why, I dunno.

but in fact he was, in every victory.

[Mojita]

America is spoiled. Everyone is soft and just doesn't want to work hard anymore. Most trainers don't even know how to train fighters nowadays. Boxing isn't shown in local channels anymore. People prefer the easy big money in NFL NBA and Baseball. Come on draft players sign an easy 7 million dollr contract. In boxing you have to build a name to get that. Its all change and how american is just spoiled.