May I suggest we simplify your thread to: the best version of each? For Holyfield the best version at heavy... Just a suggestion but I think it goes to the real question you are posing. That is unless you really want specifically the version of Tyson but as Pep said this would not be his best version.
No im talking about the 91 version because that's when they were gonna fight.
Holyfield at his very best, well coached, in great shape, etc versus Tyson at his very best... A very tough fight to predict. Holy did a lot of things very well and was well rounded, He seemed to have more will because fighters like Tyson, Liston and Foreman tend to "crack" at a point when pressured. Not that this is such a weakness... We are talking about a lot of pressure!
Thing is, Tyson was also well rounded. And he had devistating power, fast feet, and could apply terrible physical pressure.
Here is the big difference: The version of Tyson Holyfield fought had slowed down enough that when Holy pushed forward he could triangulate Tyson enough to push him off balance by coming forwards, I do not think he could do that to the version of Tyson that had fast feet... at least not as succesfully. From a metaphysical perspective it would be a question of who cracks first: Does Holy crack under Tyson's immense physical pressure? Or does Tyson crack under Holy's immense psychological pressure?
People forget how explosive Tyson was at his best. Like FRazier and Marciano he used his shortness to his advantage, and adopted Dempsey's principles using pivots and head movements to get inside.
I think Tyson is too much for Holy. Tyson was more well rounded than people often think. He could box well enough to match up and destroy really good punchers. Holy had some power and might have been able to threaten Tyson occasionally but IMO not enough. If Holy cannot back Tyson up he does not unbalance Tyson. I could well e wrong and it is possible that just as he did in their fights, Holy could have moved Mike by really coming in hard to take his center.
But... Even if you watch the first fight? Tyson catches Holy occasionally.
- - Foreman never cracked. Holy heavy record 26-10-2 is hardly one of excellence though he did fight most of the top heavies. Mainly he hung on so long that he stunk out his historical rating.
- - Foreman never cracked. Holy heavy record 26-10-2 is hardly one of excellence though he did fight most of the top heavies. Mainly he hung on so long that he stunk out his historical rating.
There is some truth to that. One has to look at his losses carefully as his wins... Still think he did a great job but I also do feel he looked quite spent later down the road at heavy.
Evander simply had Tyson's number ever since the pool table incident.
That's a pretty amazing story.
It might sound crazy to some, but there is another story about Tyson showing so much fear about a fighter. And that's the infamous story of him yelling at Don King refusing to fight George Foreman. I cannot consider these things coincidences, because they both involve two fighters who had less fear of Tyson than any other boxers. And that's when Tyson crumbles.
I can only think of 1 fight where he is really set on intimidating his opponent and that's the rematch against Tyson. He looks mean as hell and Tyson looks shook. I have never seen that look in Tyson's face before or since and I can only describe it as fear and helplessness. The hunter became the hunted. ZsxkVX.gif
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