Clearing up a HUGE Tyson falsehood....

Something you seem to forget in the whole "Tyson was a sh**** amateur" argument is that 27 fights is NOTHING in the ams. 27 fights is still a complete rookie, at an international level. So, taken into consideration that he fought Olympic Trials with 20 to 25 fights, of course he's not gonna make the team. That's like letting a pro with 5 fights get a world title shot. Who's to say Tyson wouldn't have made the next Olympics if he'd stuck around? By that time he could have had the 200 fights Oscar DLH had when he won Olympic gold. BIG difference. Let me clarify one thing for people right now... .because this is one of boxing BIGGEST myths ever...saying that Tyson wasnt a good amateur, using him as an example of someone who wasnt a top amateur but went on to a goo pro career. Take him OFF that list because Mike Tyson was not only a TOP amateur but he also destroyed many OTHER top amateurs. This argument is a VERY CLEAR example of someone that takes something they HEAR and passing it off to others as fact....it has snowballed into something totally false. Tyson won the Ohio State Fair twice, won the National Junior Olympics twice and won both the National Golden Gloves and the U.S. Juniors one time each. He represented the USA successfull yin International competition and he was chosen as the "most noteworthy contender" in 1984 to Henry Tillman and that qualified him for the Olympic Box-Off where he lost to Tillman for the Olympic spot. Being the most noteworthy is a HUGE honor in amateur boxing and is reserved for the elite at the time, which tyson certainly was at 201 pounds in this country.

Comments (20)

beauty

Great thread.

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

It's because there is no official data base for keeping amateur records like they have in the pros.

18y ago

The_Troll

Tyson had more than that.... he boxed JO's in 1982 and 1983... then open class in 83' and 1984.... fought in numerous big tournaments, plus international meets. Plus all the local and regional ones he had to go through to even get to the nationals in the first place...no way he just had 20 something. As for me, I was officially 57-13 as amateur...not including a few exhibitions and JO fights. So why are those bouts not included in his record. The Junior Olympics and the rest of it. His losses to Tillman were to make the US Olympic team wern't they and I know they are included in his record.

18y ago

squealpiggy

Yeah hurry up and finish that book Ice, then send me a free copy because I know you through the internet, like!

18y ago

CoLd_WaVE

Tyson had more than that.... he boxed JO's in 1982 and 1983... then open class in 83' and 1984.... fought in numerous big tournaments, plus international meets. Plus all the local and regional ones he had to go through to even get to the nationals in the first place...no way he just had 20 something. As for me, I was officially 57-13 as amateur...not including a few exhibitions and JO fights. Iceman... you are the man... i hate it when some assholes come in on here and diss you... you have the experience in the sport they could just dream... goodluck to your book... :boxing:

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

18y ago

The_Troll

He only had what? 24 or 25 amateur bouts though. Accomplished, but not many bouts.

18y ago

McNulty

Well, I put it this way in regard to myself and my own experiences: I fought quite a few top rated national and world class amateurs when I was an amateur and I fought in so many tournaments on the national level...sometimes we fought 2 and 3 times in a night.... 5 times in a week.... 2 tournaments in a month, etc....If I had the same number of amateur fights but didnt have them on the national and international level...I not only don't think I would have went as far as I did when I fought pro but I don't think I would have even had the confidence to turn professional in the first place. Scully...I was just bustin your chops man...ya didnt have to go and change your routine.:tapedshut What was your am's record?

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

What years did you win the Ohio Fair? What years were you in the PAL? Do you remember a guy from Cleveland Golden Gloves named REGGIE REVERE??

18y ago

CASINOJOELITTLE

Let me clarify one thing for people right now... .because this is one of boxing BIGGEST myths ever...saying that Tyson wasnt a good amateur, using him as an example of someone who wasnt a top amateur but went on to a goo pro career. Take him OFF that list because Mike Tyson was not only a TOP amateur but he also destroyed many OTHER top amateurs. This argument is a VERY CLEAR example of someone that takes something they HEAR and passing it off to others as fact....it has snowballed into something totally false. Tyson won the Ohio State Fair twice, won the National Junior Olympics twice and won both the National Golden Gloves and the U.S. Juniors one time each. He represented the USA successfull yin International competition and he was chosen as the "most noteworthy contender" in 1984 to Henry Tillman and that qualified him for the Olympic Box-Off where he lost to Tillman for the Olympic spot. Being the most noteworthy is a HUGE honor in amateur boxing and is reserved for the elite at the time, which tyson certainly was at 201 pounds in this country. you good my man i used to box for east cleveland pal i won the ohio state fair twice that was my favorite tournament, the national pal was cool and dont forget the aau tourny too

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

Thanks, my man :) And yes I am almost done with my book on boxing.

18y ago

GattiFan

You're still one of the only authorities around on here Scully. Keep up the good work.

18y ago

squealpiggy

FROM MY BOOK: "Tyson was a two-time National Junior Olympic Champion, a National Golden Gloves Champion (1984) and a two-time Ohio State Fair champion (in 1982 and 1983) and on the way to these and other titles he defeated stand out, ranked amateur boxers such as Jonathon Littles (twice by stoppage), Jerry Goff, Kilbert Pierce, Derek Isaman, Orbit Pough, Warren Thompson, Avery Rawls, Olian Alexander, Henry Milligan, and Winston Bent (He stopped Littles, Pough, Goff and Milligan)." You have a book? ;)

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

His amateur reord is pretty unclear (my list of some of his titles won is factual, though, trust me) BUT I can account for 5 losses I think. I will let u know tomorrow when I have time to post more, etc

18y ago

PunchDrunk

Let me clarify one thing for people right now... .because this is one of boxing BIGGEST myths ever...saying that Tyson wasnt a good amateur, using him as an example of someone who wasnt a top amateur but went on to a goo pro career. Take him OFF that list because Mike Tyson was not only a TOP amateur but he also destroyed many OTHER top amateurs. This argument is a VERY CLEAR example of someone that takes something they HEAR and passing it off to others as fact....it has snowballed into something totally false. Tyson won the Ohio State Fair twice, won the National Junior Olympics twice and won both the National Golden Gloves and the U.S. Juniors one time each. He represented the USA successfull yin International competition and he was chosen as the "most noteworthy contender" in 1984 to Henry Tillman and that qualified him for the Olympic Box-Off where he lost to Tillman for the Olympic spot. Being the most noteworthy is a HUGE honor in amateur boxing and is reserved for the elite at the time, which tyson certainly was at 201 pounds in this country. I just want to point out, that I was making the same argument you are... Anyway, I just went with the 24-3 record for Tyson because that is what was said earlier in that thread. If that is wrong, what was his actual am record?

18y ago

ICEMAN_JOHN_SCULLY

LOL But yeah it is fascinating. But the question really is Iceman, is the gap between the amateur and professional competition level that large? It seems that most solid pros have also enjoyed thorough, successful amateur careers, with only a few exceptions.QUOTE] Well, I put it this way in regard to myself and my own experiences: I fought quite a few top rated national and world class amateurs when I was an amateur and I fought in so many tournaments on the national level...sometimes we fought 2 and 3 times in a night.... 5 times in a week.... 2 tournaments in a month, etc....If I had the same number of amateur fights but didnt have them on the national and international level...I not only don't think I would have went as far as I did when I fought pro but I don't think I would have even had the confidence to turn professional in the first place.

18y ago

demirturk

and i fucking tought i knew boxing , i cant compete with the americans

18y ago

squealpiggy

The Eastern Europeans were forbidden from being professional athletes under communism, where all sport was considered to be an amateur endeavour. Now that the shackles are off they are making their presence felt in the pro ranks.

18y ago

DarkSpyder

Aye...equally stunning as Scullys use of caps a bold font. Stunning to my eyes... LOL But yeah it is fascinating. But the question really is Iceman, is the gap between the amateur and professional competition level that large? It seems that most solid pros have also enjoyed thorough, successful amateur careers, with only a few exceptions. Case in point- I have heard on numerous occasions (i.e. from Lennox Lewis) that the reason that the Eastern Europeans have taken over the Heavyweight division is because of their extensive amateur careers, when the experience has translated successfully to the pros. Clearly in Mexico (and possibly most of Latin America) they fight professionally from a young age anyway and are able to because of the predominantly diminutive size of the fighters, but this seems to be a one-off. Thoughts?

18y ago