Mike Tyson? Why do fans always bring up POST PRISON Tyson

Conditioning is a huge part of boxing and your focus.Especially your defense. This is probably the biggest difference as well as speed in Tyson, This is a huge loss. Prime Tyson in the later rounds against Tony Tucker, he still had that quick bounce in his legs moving quickly in to attack, the focus was still their to dodge a punch and his speed was still there. Even in the 12th round he still had great energy. When your stamina is poor your defense gets lazy which results in getting hit and eventually hurt. Even his training...The 1987 clip of him doing road work. He's running at a fast pace and not just jogging. That's a man in peak shape who can run 5 miles at a fast pace. Not saying Evander can't win, but Mike aint gonna tire, and Mike is not going to lose focus with his defense because he was in better shape to fight at a quick pace without tiring.

Contrast his performance against Bruno in 89 with the one he did in 96. The 89 display was inept but in 96 he smashed Bruno. Maybe he wasn't wholly the same fighter but when he trained properly he wasn't that diminished. And if you want to see a guy come back from a four year lay off check out Vitali. A true credit and example to the sport.

Why are people still arguing about this!

Cus' death wounded Mike, Robin castrated him, Buster finished the job. wow...this is sig worthy!!! :fing02:

youre forgetting that evander was also past his best when he fought tyson. any version of tyson gets bullied by holyfield. holyfield was just too mentally tough for mike maybe....but i can't say i'm too impressed given Evander (despite being very very good....an ATG for sure) was still roiding to the gills in the 90's and early 2000's.

Evander Holyfield did not fight prime Mike Tyson. A lot of boxing fans as well as writers always say as soon as someone stood up to Tyson look what happen. That's a bunch of BS. How many fighters lay off close to 4 years and their skills are the same? Ali. Nope...Ray Leonard Nope. Ray just didn't take on young fighters who would have exposed that long layoff and the conditioning issue Ray had in the Hagler fight. A younger fighter and now Ray can't pace himself because they would have jumped all over him. His speed is exactly the same in the Terry Norris fight and look what happen. Can't pace himself against a young fighter who can fight every second of the round. You can't layoff multiple years in boxing. Even before the Evander fight you could see Tyson was not the same. To me he looked slow in Bruce Selson and Frank Bruno fights in 1996. A lot of ppl always talk about his power, but what made Mike so special was his speed. 1986-1988 Tyson had speed like a 160 pounder with the ability to punch in combination, counterpunch with speed, and his defensive reflexes were at the top of it's game because he was hungry and training on a regular basis. Another thing is stamina was not a issue for 1986-1988 Tyson. He could actually fight at a fast pace and sustain in for 10 to 12 rounds unlike POST PRISON. No fighter can lay off 4 years and be the same. Had Evander fought 80s Tyson this would be the difference. Mike would be harder to hit...Mike would have the ability to counterpunch off Evanders mistakes because Tyson was SHARP....Mike could punch in combination with speed....Mike did not tire as fast.....Back then you couldnt say well let Mike wear himself out after 4 rounds then go to work on him....Thats the Tyson after prison Couldn't agree more. The focus with Cus and Rooney was never power.....never. It was always timing, speed and defense first. The power is delivered by these things. The other part in bold is also bull****. Plenty of fighters before Douglas (that were better than Douglas) stood up to Tyson, they were just blown away or lost 12 zip. I even saw some guy post yesterday saying Douglas was "feather fisted" I don't think they understand just how large a man Douglas is. He used to lose his fights because of ill discipline and stamina issues. I wonder how many people have actually watched the fight recently or more than a few times. It's one of the best performances by a contender you will ever see. The uppercut Douglas closed the show with would have dropped an elephant, let alone a man he had just beaten on for 10 rds....and that's what it was.....it was a beating. Tyson came in underprepared mentally and physically and that's a big difference when you consider his fighting style. Even after Douglas, Ruddock stood up to Tyson in two fights and he got two beatings which really were the start of the end for him. You think about what Vitali just said about Lewis a few weeks ago regarding his strength and power and consider the fact that Lewis by his own admission was "shocked and amazed" at some of the punches Tyson took. He is talking about a shot FULL decade out of prime Tyson. Tyson was a monster full stop. Most pro boxers always say the same thing. Have you heard how RJJ and FMJ talk about Tyson....it's nothing but respect....an overrated bum doesn't get that. True boxing fans know for a time there Mike was the real deal.

80s Tyson is landing more shots on Evanders chin because Mike was sharper. Would Evander take it? Who knows. But younger Mike is gonna test Evanders chin multiple times and keep coming with energy. I do know this. If 1996 Tyson could go back in time and fight himself he would get dominated inside 3 rounds by the 86-88 version. youre forgetting that evander was also past his best when he fought tyson. any version of tyson gets bullied by holyfield. holyfield was just too mentally tough for mike

Ali was 6-3 and had a different style. Tyson is 5-11 shorter, shorter reach so he needs his speed and reflexes. It wasnt just about power. Also had Sugar Ray Leonard after that long layoff decided to face young fighters in 1987 he would have gotten knocked out. Look what the layoff did to Ray. He was no where as quick in 1987 as 1982 and got tired fast. There was a reason Ray avoided young fighters because Quincy Taylor knocked him out in sparring a week before the Hagler fight. He knew he could get away with the layoff against older slower fighters. Evander beat the breaks off a much slower version of Tyson, Evander was ACTIVE during the years Mike was INACTIVE... The layoff affected SRL and he did the same to Tyson as well He lost to Buster Douglas before prison

List of why tyson sucked after prison 1. He was mentally finished after that prison sentence 2. DON KING 3. He smoke, drank, parties, women, didn't take training seriously 4. DON KING 5. He was just fighting to get paid P.S I'm sure robin givens or whatever her name is took sum outta him I mean she was a b*tch and had to stress him out even tho that was pre prison.

Ali was 6-3 and had a different style. Tyson is 5-11 shorter, shorter reach so he needs his speed and reflexes. It wasnt just about power. Also had Sugar Ray Leonard after that long layoff decided to face young fighters in 1987 he would have gotten knocked out. Look what the layoff did to Ray. He was no where as quick in 1987 as 1982 and got tired fast. There was a reason Ray avoided young fighters because Quincy Taylor knocked him out in sparring a week before the Hagler fight. He knew he could get away with the layoff against older slower fighters. Evander beat the breaks off a much slower version of Tyson, Evander was ACTIVE during the years Mike was INACTIVE... The layoff affected SRL and he did the same to Tyson as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRs5budNvxg The Tyson Evander fought is no where as fast as this version. Its not even close. Its like comparing Roy Jones speed against to the Roy Jones that fought James Toney in 1993 The more speed, the more shots Tyson is gonna land. In 1996 he was predictable because it was 1 bomb at a time and Evander could see the punches coming.

And the 80s version of Holyfield, well the one that stepped up into HW had good speed, power, reflexes, chin, stamina, and no heart issues. He still takes Tyson into deep waters before tkoing his ass. 80s version of Holyfield was no Spinks, Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, etc. 80s Tyson is landing more shots on Evanders chin because Mike was sharper. Would Evander take it? Who knows. But younger Mike is gonna test Evanders chin multiple times and keep coming with energy. I do know this. If 1996 Tyson could go back in time and fight himself he would get dominated inside 3 rounds by the 86-88 version.

Cus' death wounded Mike, Robin castrated him, Buster finished the job.

Had Evander fought 80s Tyson this would be the difference. Mike would be harder to hit...Mike would have the ability to counterpunch off Evanders mistakes because Tyson was SHARP....Mike could punch in combination with speed....Mike did not tire as fast.....Back then you couldnt say well let Mike wear himself out after 4 rounds then go to work on him....Thats the Tyson after prison It ain't the prison. Look how BHop and Ron Lyle turned out. Man, I was watching Teddy Atlas recently on FNF and he said that they should have NEVER taken away boxing program in prison. This gives inmates another economic roadway out of their conditions. Now back to Tyson. He lost it when he lost the discipline that was instilled in him by Cus DAmato. Cus didn't take sh*t from anyone and certainly not from him. Once Tyson lost the discipline and hence his foot speed. It was all over.

I'm not 100% confident, but it seems to me that prime Holyfield would've beaten Tyson before the prison. Tyson was already slipping.

He lost to Buster Douglas before prison

Tyson is a small heavyweight and needs his speed. He was never a i take your shot, and you take mine type fighter. He was quick and used head movement, slipping your shots coming in to counter. A bigger heavyweight who is 6-5 250 can layoff and maybe have success because he's bigger and can take more punishment. 1996 Tyson is no where as quick as 80s Tyson

people say it because it's true...tyson wasn't the same after prison

going to prison doesn't matter. look how great kirkland is........... yeah, if kirkland can do it why not tyson?

going to prison doesn't matter. look how great kirkland is...........