If Mike didn't go to jail in 1992 what changes in his career?

[thebrownbomber_]

How did Tyson duck Holyfield when he signed to fight him twice? First in 1990 when Holyfield was promised the winner of the Tyson-Douglas fight, but since Douglas beat Tyson, Holyfield fought Tyson for the undisputed title instead, then Tyson signed to fight Holyfield again in 1991 after the Ruddock rematch, but was postponed because of Tyson's **** trial. There was even promotional posters made of the potential 1991 fight. So it's not like both guys didn't want the fight to happen.

'rib injury'

[Anthony342]

'rib injury'

So you're saying Tyson claimed he had a rib injury and it wasn't legit?

[BKM-]

How did Tyson duck Holyfield when he signed to fight him twice? First in 1990 when Holyfield was promised the winner of the Tyson-Douglas fight, but since Douglas beat Tyson, Holyfield fought Tyson for the undisputed title instead, then Tyson signed to fight Holyfield again in 1991 after the Ruddock rematch, but was postponed because of Tyson's **** trial. There was even promotional posters made of the potential 1991 fight. So it's not like both guys didn't want the fight to happen.

Not a bad point, but as brownholebomber just pointed out above, the original fight between them was postponed due to Tyson claiming a rib injury.

And then he ****d a beauty queen just to get out of the fight. That's a joke, but you can see that prison wasn't a valid excuse.

Tyson did the same thing he did with Lennox Lewis and George Foreman. He kept postponing and delaying the inevitable: Facing his beatings. With Big George he never even said 1 word about that fight he was so terrified.

He knew he couldn't beat those guys. Tyson played dumb, I mean he was obviously a very dumb individual who couldn't even read as an adult, but he played dumb like those guys weren't around in his prime.

He knew exactly who these guys were. He sparred young Lennox back in the Cus days. He had many run ins with Evander in the olympics. He knew that these 2 men were different than the terrified no hopes he was facing.

Evander was a big star at the same time as Tyson and went heavyweight in 88, don't you don't think he couldn't have done a superfight with Holyfield way before it was being seriously discussed?

Instead he was fighting Williams, Bruno, Douglas, Tillman, Stewart and Ruddock in those 3 years before prison.

I always say the same: Tyson was terrified of facing punchers with good chins. He was even more terrified of facing fighters not terrified of him.

[Anthony342]

Not a bad point, but as brownholebomber just pointed out above, the original fight between them was postponed due to Tyson claiming a rib injury.

And then he ****d a beauty queen just to get out of the fight. That's a joke, but you can see that prison wasn't a valid excuse.

Tyson did the same thing he did with Lennox Lewis and George Foreman. He kept postponing and delaying the inevitable: Facing his beatings. With Big George he never even said 1 word about that fight he was so terrified.

He knew he couldn't beat those guys. Tyson played dumb, I mean he was obviously a very dumb individual who couldn't even read as an adult, but he played dumb like those guys weren't around in his prime.

He knew exactly who these guys were. He sparred young Lennox back in the Cus days. He had many run ins with Evander in the olympics. He knew that these 2 men were different than the terrified no hopes he was facing.

Evander was a big star at the same time as Tyson and went heavyweight in 88, don't you don't think he couldn't have done a superfight with Holyfield way before it was being seriously discussed?

Instead he was fighting Williams, Bruno, Douglas, Tillman, Stewart and Ruddock in those 3 years before prison.

I always say the same: Tyson was terrified of facing punchers with good chins. He was even more terrified of facing fighters not terrified of him.

Yes, but was Holyfield a top contender before then? And are you saying that rib injury wasn't legit? How do you know that? Is there any proof? Holyfield had to get a few wins as a heavyweight before he could earn a shot at the title. That's how it's supposed to be. If Tyson had beaten Douglas, they would've fought in 1990. Now yeah in 1996, I can agree Tyson thought Holyfield was easy pickins, like a lot of the public did, but before then, he signed to fight Holyfield and without losing to Douglas, a rib injury or prison, it would've happened sooner.

[Anthony342]

Mike fights Holyfield sooner, that's what changes. Even if he wanted to, Mike couldn't avoid that fight. Especially if he wanted to win the title back. He'd either have to win it back from Evander or beat him to get a shot at Bowe.

[BKM-]

Yes, but was Holyfield a top contender before then? And are you saying that rib injury wasn't legit? How do you know that? Is there any proof? Holyfield had to get a few wins as a heavyweight before he could earn a shot at the title. That's how it's supposed to be. If Tyson had beaten Douglas, they would've fought in 1990. Now yeah in 1996, I can agree Tyson thought Holyfield was easy pickins, like a lot of the public did, but before then, he signed to fight Holyfield and without losing to Douglas, a rib injury or prison, it would've happened sooner.

Evander Holyfield had established himself as the greatest Cruiserweight of all time and he had a history with Tyson. Superfights between champions of different weightclasses can supersede the traditional "earning title shots by rankings".

This was a big, big fight. Tyson showed no interest in it. He fought twice more in the same year he lost the title to Douglas(And Evander beat Douglas the same year) against 2 journeymen and then he fights Ruddock twice instead of trying to fight the champ Evander, which he could have easily gotten with his name and ranking.

Do I think the rib injury wasn't legit? I doubt it was that severe. I suspect it wasn't severe, just that even the slightest doubt in top physical fitness made Tyson reluctant to face Evander who he knew would beat him.

I don't give Tyson the benefit of the doubt, not with his history.

[Anthony342]

Evander Holyfield had established himself as the greatest Cruiserweight of all time and he had a history with Tyson. Superfights between champions of different weightclasses can supersede the traditional "earning title shots by rankings".

This was a big, big fight. Tyson showed no interest in it. He fought twice more in the same year he lost the title to Douglas(And Evander beat Douglas the same year) against 2 journeymen and then he fights Ruddock twice instead of trying to fight the champ Evander, which he could have easily gotten with his name and ranking.

Do I think the rib injury wasn't legit? I doubt it was that severe. I suspect it wasn't severe, just that even the slightest doubt in top physical fitness made Tyson reluctant to face Evander who he knew would beat him.

I don't give Tyson the benefit of the doubt, not with his history.

I see, said the blind man. But then Tyson probably didn't want to fight Evander if he wasn't 100%. It seems like they would've made this fight happen sooner without the prison sentence, even if Mike didn't want it to. There would've been nobody else left and it's the only way Tyson has a shot of winning back the title. So his hand would have been forced. The road to the title in the early 90s would have went through Holyfield.

[QueensburyRules]

Not a bad point, but as brownholebomber just pointed out above, the original fight between them was postponed due to Tyson claiming a rib injury.

And then he ****d a beauty queen just to get out of the fight. That's a joke, but you can see that prison wasn't a valid excuse.

Tyson did the same thing he did with Lennox Lewis and George Foreman. He kept postponing and delaying the inevitable: Facing his beatings. With Big George he never even said 1 word about that fight he was so terrified.

He knew he couldn't beat those guys. Tyson played dumb, I mean he was obviously a very dumb individual who couldn't even read as an adult, but he played dumb like those guys weren't around in his prime.

He knew exactly who these guys were. He sparred young Lennox back in the Cus days. He had many run ins with Evander in the olympics. He knew that these 2 men were different than the terrified no hopes he was facing.

Evander was a big star at the same time as Tyson and went heavyweight in 88, don't you don't think he couldn't have done a superfight with Holyfield way before it was being seriously discussed?

Instead he was fighting Williams, Bruno, Douglas, Tillman, Stewart and Ruddock in those 3 years before prison.

I always say the same: Tyson was terrified of facing punchers with good chins. He was even more terrified of facing fighters not terrified of him.

- -Evan and Lewis so terrified of Mike they in different divisions and leagues.

[thebrownbomber_]

Yes, but was Holyfield a top contender before then? And are you saying that rib injury wasn't legit? How do you know that? Is there any proof? Holyfield had to get a few wins as a heavyweight before he could earn a shot at the title. That's how it's supposed to be. If Tyson had beaten Douglas, they would've fought in 1990. Now yeah in 1996, I can agree Tyson thought Holyfield was easy pickins, like a lot of the public did, but before then, he signed to fight Holyfield and without losing to Douglas, a rib injury or prison, it would've happened sooner.

So you mean to tell me that Tyson had time to fight both Bruno and Carl Williams, but not Holyfield? I mean, the rib injury was legit, but him chosing to get into trouble partying and not training for Holyfield is simply inexcusible. The fight should have happened in 1989. Both were prime, both were healthy, no excuses. Why did he even fight Douglas in the first place? Holyfield was number one when Tyson fought Douglas.

[thebrownbomber_]

- -Evan and Lewis so terrified of Mike they in different divisions and leagues.

Lewis and Tyson had mutual respect for eachother. So did Tyson and Holyfield. They always used to root for eachother in the amatuers.