November 22, 1986: Mike Tyson vs. Berbick...Youngest HW Champion

[crold1]

I'm a fan because Tyson existed.

[BattlingNelson]

I think "Ring" still considered Spinks the lineal Champion, but I've always thought ducking is the same a retreating; a loss in battle.

Spinks tossed his belt to avoid Mike...and for Good reason.

So of course I agree with you.

Spinks wore the newly reinstated ring-belt in the ring. Spinks was stripped of the alphabet title he got when he defeated Holmes but Spinks was the linear champ.

[-Swizzy-]

"I threw every punch with bad intentions to a vital area". lol, tyson is classic.

[The Surgeon]

God i miss that guy!



Truely there will never be another

[-Swizzy-]

I'm a fan because Tyson existed.

same. the very first boxing match I watched live was Tyson vs Mathis. I became an instant boxing fanatic. don't know if I would've ever gotten into boxing had it not been for Tyson.

[TheGreatA]

[The Surgeon]

I'm a fan because Tyson existed.

Me too dude, guy brought in so many new fans its unreal

[Benny Leonard]

No one avoided him, including Spinks. He got into the tournament and Berbick had to fight him and so did everyone else. Tyson was THE money at heavyweight within a year of turning pro.

Spinks was held out by Butch Lewis because they saw the pay day at the end of the rainbow and were right; he wound up making over 12 Mil. As to Patterson only having to take 1 title, there was really only one title that mattered in the early-mid 80s anyways...whichever one Larry Holmes held. Spinks won that. It was a historical mark akin to most of the 80s...style without substance.

Butch Lewis avoided Tyson; he kept him far away. Spinks in an interview said Tyson was the worst mistake he made.

You could see it in Michael Spinks eyes during the stare-down that he didn't want to be there.

Butch even went into Tyson's dressing room to try to see if he could do anything to disrupt Tyson because he saw Spinks was a nervous reck. This is talked about by sources...including Butch Lewis.

Spinks would not have beaten the Tyson that fought Berbick either.

[crold1]

Butch Lewis avoided Tyson; he kept him far away. Spinks in an interview said Tyson was the worst mistake he made.

You could see it in Michael Spinks eyes during the stare-down that he didn't want to be there.

Butch even went into Tyson's dressing room to try to see if he could do anything to disrupt Tyson because he saw Spinks was a nervous reck. This is talked about by sources...including Butch Lewis.

Spinks would not have beaten the Tyson that fought Berbick either.

Hell no he wouldn't have, but that's like saying that since Baer had a lousy night against Braddock, that Louis was really Heavyweight champ after running through him. Tyson had been a pro just shy of two years when he faced Berbick...it wasn't like he'd been ducked years. He got the the real champ by his fourth year and eviscerated him.

Being better than the champ before beating him is not the same as beating him or else we'd all recognize Sonny Liston as champ about two years before he got there.

[BattlingNelson]

Butch Lewis avoided Tyson; he kept him far away. Spinks in an interview said Tyson was the worst mistake he made.

You could see it in Michael Spinks eyes during the stare-down that he didn't want to be there.

Butch even went into Tyson's dressing room to try to see if he could do anything to disrupt Tyson because he saw Spinks was a nervous reck. This is talked about by sources...including Butch Lewis.

Spinks would not have beaten the Tyson that fought Berbick either.

Spinks is the only black man I've ever seen pale. He was completely grey as he walked to the ring and looked like he was about to face the firing squad during the introductions.