Tyson was never the same after he got out of jail

[Benny Leonard]

A lot of crap gets said about Tyson. Some people chip in with comments like "Tyson was finished after the Berbick fight".

LOL.

I'll try to give a Berbick reason.

Tyson's promised Cus he would become the youngest HW Champion in history; he did that with Berbick. After that, they pushed him to unify the titles; after that; there wasn't more. Tyson only got into boxing to get out of the prison he was in. It wasn't about money, not fame, just getting out.

Eh, not sure what else to fill in. What have you heard...kind of interested.

[larryx]

I know this is obvious to everybody, but it is very clear from the way he fought after he was released that he was so much worse as a fighter.

He became so flat footed, and lost ALL his head movement. He was just a sitting target, very very flat on his feet, much slower, and less agile. All he did was just stand face to face with his opponents, and trade punches. No footwork whatsoever. He didn't bop and weave either, didn't duck under hooks , and come on top with a left hook of his own, or slip punches like he used to.


I wonder what sort of longevity he would have had, if hadn't gone to jail.
86-89 were his prime years, could he have prolonged that past 1995 perhaps?or would he have been on downslide after that.

When you compare footage of him before and after jail, it does become very apparent to the eye that he was just a shadow of his former self.

he lost the head movement and his fundemental skills long before he went to jail..

[Dynamite Kid]

Douglas hammered Mike before he went to prison

also do you think Tyson going to jail took more out of him than the many wars Holy was involved in not to mention him being 34 when he beat Tyson

Qawi 1+2,Stewart,Bowe 1+2+3,Cooper,Dokes,Mercer,Moorer,Foreman

compared to a 34 year old Holy,Tyson was a fresh as a daisy

[Benny Leonard]

Douglas hammered Mike before he went to prison

also do you think Tyson going to jail took more out of him than the many wars Holy was involved in not to mention him being 34 when he beat Tyson

Qawi 1+2,Stewart,Bowe 1+2+3,Cooper,Dokes,Mercer,Moorer,Foreman

compared to a 34 year old Holy,Tyson was a fresh as a daisy

He did take a bad beating against Douglas and the Ruddock fights weren't easy.

I do agree, the hell Holyfield went through in his fights were worse; especially since I think Tyson was more built to take punishment than Holyfield.

But, post-prison, and this is even after Spinks, MENTALLY Tyson wasn't there. Tyson was locked up for 3 years...away from ***** and freedom.

Trainers walked out on Post-Prison Tyson because they said Mike wasn't there mentally and the people around him were ****.

Holy always had his belief in God; Mike seemed to doubt. The Belief in God and a destiny may have no validity in truth, but to someone that believes, they will kill themselves with that belief. That belief boosts motivation/heart.

Motivation is huge (just like Holyfield was in that fight); just like in life. Holfyield knew that the Head was key to winning a fight

[Dynamite Kid]

He did take a bad beating against Douglas and the Ruddock fights weren't easy.

I do agree, the hell Holyfield went through in his fights were worse; especially since I think Tyson was more built to take punishment than Holyfield.

But, post-prison, and this is even after Spinks, MENTALLY Tyson wasn't there. Tyson was locked up for 3 years...away from ***** and freedom.

Trainers walked out on Post-Prison Tyson because they said Mike wasn't there mentally and the people around him were ****.

Holy always had his belief in God; Mike seemed to doubt. The Belief in God and a destiny may have no validity in truth, but to someone that believes, they will kill themselves with that belief. That belief boosts motivation/heart.

Motivation is huge (just like Holyfield was in that fight); just like in life. Holfyield knew that the Head was key to winning a fight

with all that said Tyson's lack of heart and discipline and ability to stay composed under preasure was always going to surface and that would of always of stopped him achieving true GREATNESS

[LEFTYGUNZZ]

He wasn't the same after being bro-****d over and over in prison.

you have any proff to such statements sir?

[Benny Leonard]

with all that said Tyson's lack of heart and discipline and ability to stay composed under preasure was always going to surface and that would of always of stopped him achieving true GREATNESS

When he was Motivated he had all of the above. Maybe not Frazier like, but he did have it. Of course Rooney was the man in his ear but Tyson was the one that was busting his ass like the good soldier he was.

Motivation is the key.

Without Motivation, without passion, without reason, you have no drive; you have no heart...you just go through the motions.

Tyson knew what he wanted and he was having fun doing it...once that stopped; it was over.

Some people are pushed by fame, some by money, some by fame and money, others by pride, etc.


But I understand what you are saying.

[Dynamite Kid]

When he was Motivated he had all of the above. Maybe not Frazier like, but he did have it. Of course Rooney was the man in his ear but Tyson was the one that was busting his ass like the good soldier he was.

Motivation is the key.

Without Motivation, without passion, without reason, you have no drive; you have no heart...you just go through the motions.

Tyson knew what he wanted and he was having fun doing it...once that stopped; it was over.

Some people are pushed by fame, some by money, some by fame and money, others by pride, etc.

well imo he NEVER had all of the above and he only never got exposed sooner because everything went his own way previously as soon as he stepped in the ring with someone who would take his best shot and ask questions of him he bailed

[Benny Leonard]

well imo he NEVER had all of the above and he only never got exposed sooner because everything went his own way previously as soon as he stepped in the ring with someone who would take his best shot and ask questions of him he bailed

Could be. I think that is the one thing we will never know: How well would he have done had he stayed with Rooney and continued on to Holyfield and the rest of the 90's Heavyweights.

One thing is for sure; Tyson grew confident as a fighter as he matured as well as becoming a better fighter/boxer. When he left Rooney, he declined, Mentally and Physically.

If he didn't have heart, he would have quit boxing long ago before reaching Berbick. And, remember, he took a hard shot from Tucker and came right back. He was motivated and hungry. "I refuse to get hurt and lose."

Even after Rooney, it was a test. He was rocked by Bruno and kept fighting on. Doulgas: he took a bashing, could have quit, but he didn't; and kept coming. Even when he was down, he got up on shaky legs. Ruddock: stunned in their first fight and kept coming and came back to win by KO. And then, he fights him again. I think that shows heart.

Discipline: he had it as far as boxing goes when he was "on." Even Evander said this as well as Atlas.

For Pressure: It was Rooney who kept him in line, and the same with the above. Rooney seemed to supply Mike with the answers and to someone like Mike who is big on instructions (like he says) answers were key to feeling confident. Without those answers/game-plan, Mike was lost.

I think it's overrated when people say all his opponents were scared. All fighters have fear but it's how they overcome that fear.

For Tyson, I'm not even sure Reggie Gross feared Mike. Ruddock certainly didn't. Fear was a part of Mike winning, I don't doubt that, but it can be overrated.

One thing Mike did show was that he could get frustrated but if you remember during the fights, it was Rooney who kept him awake and on the game-plan.

[Dynamite Kid]

Could be. I think that is the one thing we will never know: How well would he have done had he stayed with Rooney and continued on to Holyfield and the rest of the 90's Heavyweights.

One thing is for sure; Tyson grew confident as a fighter as he matured as well as becoming a better fighter/boxer. When he left Rooney, he declined, Mentally and Physically.

If he didn't have heart, he would have quit boxing long ago before reaching Berbick. And, remember, he took a hard shot from Tucker and came right back. He was motivated and hungry. "I refuse to get hurt and lose."

Even after Rooney, it was a test. He was rocked by Bruno and kept fighting on. Doulgas: he took a bashing, could have quit, but he didn't; and kept coming. Even when he was down, he got up on shaky legs. Ruddock: stunned in their first fight and kept coming and came back to win by KO. And then, he fights him again. I think that shows heart.

Discipline: he had it as far as boxing goes when he was "on." Even Evander said this as well as Atlas.

For Pressure: It was Rooney who kept him in line, and the same with the above. Rooney seemed to supply Mike with the answers and to someone like Mike who is big on instructions (like he says) answers were key to feeling confident. Without those answers/game-plan, Mike was lost.

I think it's overrated when people say all his opponents were scared. All fighters have fear but it's how they overcome that fear.

For Tyson, I'm not even sure Reggie Gross feared Mike. Ruddock certainly didn't. Fear was a part of Mike winning, I don't doubt that, but it can be overrated.

One thing Mike did show was that he could get frustrated but if you remember during the fights, it was Rooney who kept him awake and on the game-plan.

Tyson was a typical bully he would hit with everything he had and if you were still standing he wanted out

he was easily frustrated and did not have the mental make up to be to be a GREAT fighter he got found out when he stepped up his competition and he could not answer the questions those guys were posing after they took his best shots

he quit against McBride BTW