Where does Mike Tyson rank on all-time best HW's list?

[Roy Jones Jnr]

Whilst i agree that resume should be one of the most important things to use when ranking a fighter, IMO Tyson was so extraordinary that even though his resume is nowhere near as good as it could/should have been, Tyson will always be ranked by me as one of the very best HW's of all time, most certainly in the top 15-20 IMO.

Head to Head, Prime for Prime, Tyson will always be right at the very top. He had a short prime but one of the most dominant primes ever.

[Optimistic]

Top 15 imo.

[Panamaniac]

Originally Posted by konfirm

Everybody talks of him as being one of the greatest but I think he was/is overrated. His best win was, what, Spinks? who wasn't a true HW to begin with and was at the end of his career. He beat Holmes, but Holmes was way past his prime. Sure he looked good KOing 2nd rate or past their prime fighters, but every time he fought 1st rate opponents he lost(Holyfield, Lewis) and even Douglas exposed him.

He was a controversial figure and a product of the Don King hype machine but i don't think he would make top 15 or even 20 on my list.

We obviously and vehemently disagree...

1. Louis
2. Ali
3. Tyson
4. Holmes
5. Marciano
6. Johnson
7. Foreman
8. Frazier
9. Liston
10. Dempsey

BTW, this topic is better located in/at the Boxing History forum

[ironmike2012]

Could have been the greatest, but he never he a great career defining win (could be Don King's fault). The Mike Tyson all the way up to Spinks could have beat any heavyweight. After he fired his trainer and went to prison, he was never able to get back to his Catskill form.
Top 5 skill, chin and heart for sure, but once he lost his bob and weave defense and became a head hunter, instead of hurting opponents to the body to set up the KO, he relied on his power punches too much (he missed a lot because of not using his jab and bob and weave to set up the shots).

Ali
Holmes
Marciano
Louis
Foreman
Too many to name have better resume than Tyson, but Tyson (86-88) would have probably KO'd most champs prime for prime, too bad we'll never know.
He was the most exciting heavyweight in the last 30 years, maybe of all-time.

[croz]

Originally Posted by 12TRIBEsRiSe

funny thing is i just hit my co worker with the question of "who is mike tysons best win" and he thought about it and said "damn thats a goos question"

then i get on here n see this! he was great but...

I know, I Tyson thread on a boxing forum. The rarest of things.

[The Weebler II]

Originally Posted by hugh grant

Ability wise, he is candidate for the greatest, but if you are going to downgrade him for his actual resume he should be bordering top 10.

How he beat who he beat must be taken into account and the reputation he had when he was prime. Didnt Douglas have a long count, and i dont think Tysons head was in the right place when he fought Douglas? He destroyed Frank Bruno 2 times and once when coming out of incarceration. Yes the same Bruno who nearly ko'ed Lennox Lewis. He beat Tyrell Biggs and tyrell said Tyson was just about the best he fought. And who did Tyrell fight again, yes that man Lennox Lewis.
Tyson destroyed everyone, and that must count for something, and it does.

Tyson was hurt against Bruno in their first fight, big right hand at the end of the 3rd or 4th. Bruno didn't follow up but that was a prime Tyson ready to go.

[hugh grant]

Originally Posted by The Weebler II

Tyson was hurt against Bruno in their first fight, big right hand at the end of the 3rd or 4th. Bruno didn't follow up but that was a prime Tyson ready to go.

Yes who can forget that moment? But it was a very small window of opportunity in 5 rounds of boxing for Bruno which he couldnt capitalize on.

Tyson is very knowledgeable on the history of boxing, i wonder has anyone asked Tyson where he places himself....he seems more humble now. If you asked him when he was at his peak he would probably say no one can touch me?

[House of Stone]

tyson is an interesting case because although he lacked the longevity of other greats, on his best night spinks/holmes etc I wouldn't be surprised if he beat almost all of them.

[FightScorer]

Originally Posted by Panamaniac

We obviously and vehemently disagree...

1. Louis
2. Ali
3. Tyson
4. Holmes
5. Marciano
6. Johnson
7. Foreman
8. Frazier
9. Liston
10. Dempsey

BTW, this topic is better located in/at the Boxing History forum

That is one of the worst, if not the worst list I ever seen.
Jesus CHrist your list sucks.

[House of Stone]

Originally Posted by The Weebler II

Tyson was hurt against Bruno in their first fight, big right hand at the end of the 3rd or 4th. Bruno didn't follow up but that was a prime Tyson ready to go.

tbh this was no longer prime tyson, even though he was still extremly young etc etc he was not the same fighter anymore. Once he left rooney and went thru all the **** etc etc he lost the supreme brilliance. If you watch a couple of his earlier fights in quick succession and then go straight to the bruno fight you will see this - if you don't see it lol