Mike Tyson is Underrated Historically

[Xcusemymood]

He wasn't above such antics even in his "prime" but he was able to control himself more.

Well thats exactly the point. He didnt have the support cushion anymore and that made an animal out of him.

[StarshipTrooper]

Holyfield and Marciano are the most overrated. Ezzard Charles was already losing fights when he went to war with the Rock. Patterson might have knocked Marciano out. Holyfield ran from everybody when he was champ the first time. Holyfield is a gladiator, and could win a big fight, but tell what was his most impressive defense? Michael moorer the second time. I think Wlad who would have beaten evander.

You, Sir, are an idiot.

Poet

[Dave Rado]

I would say Mike Tyson is overrated and I will tell you why. I say he's overrated because when you hear PEOPLE talk about him, it's as if a prime Tyson couldn't be beaten and that's not true.

I remember talking to people who said a prime Tyson would destroy Ali, it just made me laugh.

Those people over-rated him, but the many people who think he was just an exciting puncher, and forget or fail to acknowledge how skilful he was when he was with Rooney, under-rate him. Some people both over-rate and under-rate him at once - i.e. they think he was invincible in his prime, and yet they also fail to appreciate what a skilful boxer he was at that time.

Also, although there was a time when some people (and usually not very knowledgeable people) used to say that he would beat Ali, it's many years since I've heard anyone say that.

Tyson was more than just a puncher, he was very well schooled in the game, had great head movement, boxing ability and of course had incredible power.

What he was missing was work ethic, toughness and focus. He was so naturally gifted that he felt he didn't have to work hard and him just showing up in the ring was enough to beat people, he later found out that wasn't the case.

IMO, he had a good work ethic when he was with Rooney - he fell apart when he joined King.

Tyson was very exciting but I wouldn't put him in my top ten HW all time.

I would rate him near the bottom of the top 10 taking his whole career into account; but IMO a prime Tyson would have had a fairly good chance of beating all except Ali, Louis and a prime Foreman.

[StarshipTrooper]

the buster that fought mike would have troubled the likes of Ali and other greats even if his record tells otherwise,

I have to agree with you there: The Douglas that fought Tyson would have been a tough scrap for anyone on the ATG list. He simply fought the fight of his and it turned out to be one of THOSE performances similar to Frazier in his first fight with Ali and Duran in his first fight with Leonard.

Poet

[Tobi.G]

The reason I think the prime Tyson is under-rated by most people is that his skills are overlooked by most. I'm talking about before he split with Rooney and joined King - he started to decline rapidly from that moment.

People talk about his power, but in his prime he was extremely fast for a heavyweight, had great head movement, a very good jab, superb accuracy, and punched in blinding combinations. He out-jabbed the much taller Biggs. Holmes said that Tyson didn't punch nearly as hard as Shavers but that his punches were cleaner and therefore harder to recover from. He outboxed the boxer when he beat Spinks, making Spinks miss with his head movement and speed. He knocked out Pinklon Thomas with an eight punch combination in which every single punch landed flush. This aspect of him is rarely mentioned.

All those skills started to decline noticeably as soon as he split from Rooney et al. By the time he fought Holyfield he barely moved his head, rarely used his jab and had become a head hunter.

I would have the peak Tyson in the top 10 heavyweights of all time easily, probably in the top 5, although I appreciate that the fact his peak lasted such a short time means it's hard to rate him so highly. I blame King, who set out to prise him from Rooney and the rest of the Cus team, vilified them viciously, and screwed with the mind of a young, emotionally vulnerable, confused kid.

Good post, couldnt say it better.

[Wrighty]

I have every single professional Tyson fight on DVD and i can safely say he was completely over rated. Berbrick was ****, Spinks was a light heavyweight and he all his loses were by knockout apart from the DQ where he would have been KOed anyway. The man had no heart. Tyson isn't the only one either cos Maricano is pretty over rated as well. Look at the fight with James quick Tillis, Tillis was a mover, he was a really **** version of Ali and this was a completely prime Tyson who look awful against him. Forgot Ali, when i think of Ali i think of his fights in the 70s when he was taking more punishment than he ever did before and was still winning, I say throw Tyson in the ring with Cassius Clay, when he was fighting in the late 60s, Tyson would hit thin air and be Koed within 6 rounds. See thing is Ali and Louis lost 4 years of their boxing careers also and were never the same fighters but they didn't let that hold them back, they kept winning and never used it as an excuse unlike Tyson and his fans.

[bigdaddysback]

"Iron Mike" is a true great! Great story, i truly believe that Bowe would have beaten Buster within the distance. Anyway that fight should have ended with the Tyson uppercut in the 8th (Long count) Mike got robbed!!!!!!!!

[Dave Rado]

I have every single professional Tyson fight on DVD and i can safely say he was completely over rated. Berbrick was ****, Spinks was a light heavyweight and he all his loses were by knockout apart from the DQ where he would have been KOed anyway. The man had no heart. Tyson isn't the only one either cos Maricano is pretty over rated as well. Look at the fight with James quick Tillis, Tillis was a mover, he was a really **** version of Ali and this was a completely prime Tyson who look awful against him. Forgot Ali, when i think of Ali i think of his fights in the 70s when he was taking more punishment than he ever did before and was still winning, I say throw Tyson in the ring with Cassius Clay, when he was fighting in the late 60s, Tyson would hit thin air and be Koed within 6 rounds. See thing is Ali and Louis lost 4 years of their boxing careers also and were never the same fighters but they didn't let that hold them back, they kept winning and never used it as an excuse unlike Tyson and his fans.

No one these days rates even a peak Tyson as high as Louis or Ali, so why are you comparing him with them? False comparison. You don't have to be as good as them in order to be an ATG.

[MatteoAlderson]

No one these days rates even a peak Tyson as high as Louis or Ali, so why are you comparing with him with them? False comparison. You don't have to be as good as them in order to be an ATG.

Tyson doesn't come close to Louis and Ali on the list, but he's up there pretty high. Ali, Louis, Johnson, Jeffries, Holmes, Lewis, Foreman, Marciano, Dempsey, Tyson. Something like that.

[jvsnypes]

I don't know how YOU would rate Tyson compared to the other greats,but its easy for me.Put ANY fighter in the ring with a prime Tyson and he knocks them out.Ali beats him 2 out of three times in a classic trilogy.That's because Ali was in a class of his own.He is the GOAT hands down.But no other heavyweight would have been able to deal with the speed, quickness, and power.A prime Tyson was far from a one dimensional brawler.He used the jab, he bobbed and weaved, he attacked the body, and he threw fast combinations.Plus, he had power in both hands.He also had a good chin.Now what ATG could stand up to that??? Foreman would have gave him hell.But I can imagine Foreman throwing one of those looping big hooks and Tyson slipping under it and throwing one of those devastating flurries to the body and finishing with a big hook up top.It would be a great fight,but Foreman would have a hard time hitting him.Can you imagine a 205 pound Joe Louis in front of him?I've seen Louis get dropped by far lesser men.What about a 195lb Rocky?It would be a mismatch.So...no, maybe Tyson hasn't achieved what the other greats have.Maybe he didn't have a long illustious career. And yes, he did end up crashing and burning.But with the exception of Ali, he kicks everyone in heavyweight history's ass.Now remember,I'm referring to the "86" version.The one that was well schooled under Cus and Rooney.Not the one punch intimidator that King ruined.