Mike Tysons smartest opponent

[Bronson66]

Mike Tyson says Larry Holmes was the smartest fighter he ever faced. How would the '78 to '82 versions of Holmes do against Tyson from the night they fought?

https://www.sportbible.com/boxing/bo...80867-20240612

Holmes by decision,with some scares along the way.

[max baer]

Remember what Tyson always said "Everyone has a plan until they get hit."

No fighter (Champion) thinks he's going to lose (save maybe Spinks) but then they have Tyson in their face. Everything changes after round one.

I suspect Smith was in survival mode, but not intential, as much as it being only human of him.

smith may have anticipated mike gassing out. we never really get to hear the tactics of the loser whose plan never worked out do we.
I was just saying that smith, at the time of that fight that i watched as a kid live, was taking mike the distance and if i remember right tyson was knocking most guys out of it in a few rounds.
don't forget that aura mike had back then if you are old enough to recall in the day which i think judging by the fact you are a teacher and very educated you sure will recall willie.
it is like wilder now. once they lose that aura goes and all boxers want to fight them a win. but at the time of that smith fight taking mike the distance and hoping he will tire was a wise tactic just that mike proved his stamina was there along with all his other skills.
but smith could have been a douglas a while later and got mike late on another night. he caught bruno in the last minutes so it may have been a plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkwheCZIwoc

[Bronson66]

Mike Tyson says Larry Holmes was the smartest fighter he ever faced. How would the '78 to '82 versions of Holmes do against Tyson from the night they fought?

https://www.sportbible.com/boxing/bo...80867-20240612

Bruce Seldon.lol

[QueensburyRules]

Holmes by decision,with some scares along the way.

- - Tubby Lar never beat a standing Champ having won his belt in the ring.

Y U noob net say what grade U got kicked out of this year???

Stooooopid???

[max baer]

- - Tubby Lar never beat a standing Champ having won his belt in the ring.

Y U noob net say what grade U got kicked out of this year???

Stooooopid???

what about danny williams?
he knew what to do,.what say you queeny?

[BKM-]

Both Douglas and Holyfield (juiced) were strong enough to push back on Tyson. I don't think even a prime Holmes had the strength to keep 1989 Tyson off him.

I also don't think Ali could have either. I feel one had to be strong, as well as a good boxer, to get by the early rounds with Tyson. I don't think you can 'dance' your way though it. Tyson, in those years was quick enough to chase anyone down, even Ali.

Even the two lesser fighters (lesser than Holmes and Ali, not lesser generally speaking) that went the distance with Tyson, Tucker and Smith were both large, strong men.

BTW We are of the same thinking, the triangular comparisons do not work. Ali easily out points both Tucker and Smith, as well as Douglas. But Tyson? I don't think Ali could keep him off, such as Frazier showed us.

Holyfield, like Norton could also prove trouble for Ali.

First you had to be able to match muscle with Tyson, then you could begin to take him apart. E.g. Lewis.

You're missing a lot there.

Ali was a very strong man, one of the physically strongest of his era and a very capable grappler.

Tyson on the other hand is one of the p4p weakest grapplers I have ever seen from a heavyweight champion. Ali would absolutely man handle him just like Evander did. All the while taunting and bullying him, pulling his head down and mocking the formerly bullied bully. Tyson would be wrecked mentally, probably step into the ring a beaten man already.

Holmes wouldn't beat him quite as bad but he too had all the goods to defeat him.

[max baer]

You're missing a lot there.

Ali was a very strong man, one of the physically strongest of his era and a very capable grappler.

Tyson on the other hand is one of the p4p weakest grapplers I have ever seen from a heavyweight champion. Ali would absolutely man handle him just like Evander did. All the while taunting and bullying him, pulling his head down and mocking the formerly bullied bully. Tyson would be wrecked mentally, probably step into the ring a beaten man already.

Holmes wouldn't beat him quite as bad but he too had all the goods to defeat him.

try tell marvus frazier that mike wasn't very strong!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc2phQYGq2g

[QueensburyRules]

You're missing a lot there.

Ali was a very strong man, one of the physically strongest of his era and a very capable grappler.

Tyson on the other hand is one of the p4p weakest grapplers I have ever seen from a heavyweight champion. Ali would absolutely man handle him just like Evander did. All the while taunting and bullying him, pulling his head down and mocking the formerly bullied bully. Tyson would be wrecked mentally, probably step into the ring a beaten man already.

Holmes wouldn't beat him quite as bad but he too had all the goods to defeat him.

- - U maybe the missing link.

20 yr Tyson whooped the tarballs out of WBC champ Berbick at the same age Young Cassius was man handling Cooper while out on his rump slumped against the ropes…

[BKM-]

try tell marvus frazier that mike wasn't very strong!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc2phQYGq2g

There is an incorrect understanding here by boxing fans when it comes to the word strong. It's not about punching power. I follow most forms of combat sports, to me strong means physical grappling strength. And in the sport of boxing this was a major factor with greco roman wrestling influence which has slowly regressed over time but has always still been there. The clinch in particular. Billeau2 will tell you.

Tyson was simply weak in the clinch. Punching power is a different thing. Tyson just didn't have any leverage in the standing grappling department, he always got pushed back and around. The men who beat him took advantage of this and it was a major part of their strategy. Now against other lower opponents he could bypass this by simply using his athleticsm to shoot combinations from odd angles, he was bound to land something.

Others like Bonecrusher smith, Green and Tillis went the distance without getting battered by simply outgrappling him. Smith in particular had almost no offense at all, he just easily smothered the physically weak Tyson.

[QueensburyRules]

what about danny williams?
he knew what to do,.what say you queeny?

- - Tubster Lar never fought Danny much less on on leg like Mike did.