Mike Tyson: When did his prime end?

[Toney616]

I put it at the point where he went to prison: His reflexes looked fine to me in the two Ruddock fights.....and clearly had slid in his post prison fights.

Poet

What did you think of his performance in the Bruno I fight?

[Sugarj]

Hi GJC,

I too wouldn't subscribe to the theory that had Bruno followed up......he might have won either. Tyson was still too good for 95% of all the heavyweights out there in 1989.

As for his performance against Bruno, yea he was clipped hard, his head movement wasn't quite as sharp. But he was still super fast, powerful and accurate. The combinations that finished Bruno off in round five were viscious!

[Uturn]

As soon as he departed with Rooney it went downhill from there. Tyson had a very short lived prime due to activitys outside boxing. Lewis Vs Tyson should have never happened either.. Lewis wanted no part of young Mike but was very eager to fight the has been Mike Tyson.

[Toney616]

As soon as he departed with Rooney it went downhill from there. Tyson had a very short lived prime due to activitys outside boxing. Lewis Vs Tyson should have never happened either.. Lewis wanted no part of young Mike but was very eager to fight the has been Mike Tyson.

People seem to think that him becoming the youngest hw champion in the world was a good thing. I personally think it helped speed up his downfall. All the people close to him during the early 80 must of known that he wasnt ready for that kind of life.

Cus wanted him rushed to the top so he could see him become champ before he died.

Jacobs and Cayton supported this as well, so they could start getting a return for all the money they invested in him.

On top of all of this both cus and Jacobs died leaving him with no real friends to trust

[StarshipTrooper]

What did you think of his performance in the Bruno I fight?

He didn't look great, but he wasn't poor either: He did, afterall, get the 5th round KO. It isn't realistic to expect any fighter, no matter how good they are, to look sensational every time out. I would point out Tyson didn't look great against Bonecrusher either, or Pinklon Thomas for that matter.

Poet

[StarshipTrooper]

People seem to think that him becoming the youngest hw champion in the world was a good thing. I personally think it helped speed up his downfall. All the people close to him during the early 80 must of known that he wasnt ready for that kind of life.

Cus wanted him rushed to the top so he could see him become champ before he died.

Jacobs and Cayton supported this as well, so they could start getting a return for all the money they invested in him.

On top of all of this both cus and Jacobs died living with no real friends to trust

Agreed. The used to call it "Doc Gooden Syndrome": Awesome success at an early age that ruined the athlete long-term.

Poet

[Toney616]

He didn't look great, but he wasn't poor either: He did, afterall, get the 5th round KO.

His timing was off and he wasn't moving his head. He got the ko when he remembered to start body punching again. Which is interesting because he would try body punching late in his fights with Douglas and Holyfiled. It was almost as if he realised that the things he no longer wanted to do were what brought him success in the ring

It isn't realistic to expect any fighter, no matter how good they are, to look sensational every time out.Poet

True
Nunn and Toney had some dodgy performances during their prime years

I would point out Tyson didn't look great against Bonecrusher either, or Pinklon Thomas for that matter.
Poet

I would argue that was due to his lack of maturity as a fighter/person, things arent going my way so ill just go through the motions. If I remember correctly he won rounds 1-2 big in the Thomas fight, then took the next 3.5 rounds off, before getting the ko.

I think it was performances like that that made boxing analysts suspect that he wasnt as good as the general public thought he was at the time.

[Toney616]

Agreed. The used to call it "Doc Gooden Syndrome": Awesome success at an early age that ruined the athlete long-term.
Poet

Good point, he just didnt have the tools to cope with life, Teddy Atlas's book is very revealing in that aspect. Cus wanted a fighter, not a well balanced person at the end of the day

[StarshipTrooper]

If I remember correctly he won rounds 1-2 big in the Thomas fight, then took the next 3.5 rounds off, before getting the ko.

The Thomas fight was even on the cards at the stoppage if I remember right, though right now I can't be arsed to check BoxRec to be certain. I DO know that Larry Merchant actually had Thomas well ahead at the stoppage......I believe Merchant gave Thomas the first 4 rounds.

Poet

[StarshipTrooper]

His timing was off and he wasn't moving his head. He got the ko when he remembered to start body punching again.

I suspect though that it had more to do with Bruno (and Ruddock for that matter!) being a decent fighter who was actually trying to win and not mearly survive. It makes a difference in how a fighter performs!

Poet