1954 Ezzard Charles v Mike Tyson?

[Ivich]

What's the outcome?

[them_apples]

What's the outcome?

For those that think that the Spinks fight is any indication of how this fight will play out, they would be dead wrong. Spinks was inactive for a year and set to retire. He wasn’t training and was brought back for one last payday, took the body shot and his cheque and hung em up, just as King wanted.

Charles fights like James Toney, only he’s in shape and a bigger man.

this fight could play out in a variety of ways, one of course being he gets timed early by Mike who starts fast and overpowers him. Or he weathers the storm is the likely cause and as the rounds go on figures Mike out and frustrates him like Holyfield did. Charles is very adapt at riding and slipping shots, and surviving. If he is at his peak as well.

it’s important to realize Mike wasn’t faced with game opponents in his prime. He has a few names on his resume but the main point is the position they were in when he fought them. Holmes was off for 2 years and had little time to prepare. This is a HUGE factor not a small one. the Holmes Holyfield faced years later was a much more difficult opponent. The same can be said of Spinks, and considering the backdrop there is even a chance he deliberately didn’t get up. For this was the fight that overrated Mike and set the stage for the coming years. Only it didn’t last long, Buster Douglas got him at the age of 24.

he has his chance to redeem himself in his comeback, but fails every test given to him - even when offered rematches. He’s only 27 years old - most men peak around 29 even 30.

if you want to talk about overrated and unproven - Mike Tyson is at the top of this category.

when Marciano faced Ezzard Charles - Charles was an active and winning fighter. There is a reason he beat Louis the way he did (Louis was not prime, but he was still game) and that’s because Ezzard was a master boxer.

the weight will be the only thing that you will consider but it means very little compared to the other probabilities.

when you view this fight, view it as both fighters actually want to win. Not collect a paycheque and dip.

I think Charles will weather the storm early, even if dropped and comeback later and win a UD - possibly hurting Mike later with shots he doesn’t see. There is a big skill and experience gap that nobody could offer Mike in his day.

there is still a possibility his power and speed gets to Charles early before he can get Mikes timing down, but I actually highly doubt this ends the fight.

[them_apples]

Charles, though a "decent" puncher, doesn't have enough to keep Tyson at bay. Charles had a whole game, very whole, he was pretty damned good at everything boxing. That was special, and still is. His lone specialty seems to have been everything about boxing.

But just because I think Ezzard has been traditionally underrated is no reason to overrate him so people might get the point.

Walcott stretched Ezzard for a 40 count with a single punch. What do you think Tyson is going to do?

Walcott also had 4 fights with him. Marquez startched Pacman with one shot as well, Marquez also almost got blown out in round one of the first fight. Walcott had 37 rounds to figure out how to land that perfect shot. Tyson will have 12, and it’s not even Tysons style to pull of a clever move like that. This is one of the only fights I would give Patterson another peekaboo fighter a better shot than Mike at pulling off - the sole fact that he is a bit quicker at leaping in and catching Charles before he gets the timing down.

Walcott had the timing and the power to pull something like that off. Charles fought many punchers and was incredible and nullifying or avoiding damage.

if this is the Charles that fought Louis, he has a very good chance of surviving the early round Tyson assault. And sure he is an oldschool smaller heavy, like Spinks - but remember Louis was heavier than Mike the night they fought. (Not that this matters, this is more for Ivich)