Why was Evander Holyfield a massive underdog against Mike Tyson?

[Mr Giggles]

Fury wilder 3 got my heavyweight juices flowing so I’m going back in time and watching some heavyweight classics.

I watched mike Tyson vs Holyfield 1, including the build up, and literally every single person was saying mike Tyson is going to knock him out and that if Holyfield wins it will be one of the biggest upsets ever. Eh?! Then they showed the live odds and mike Tyson was 1/16 to win!! So you have to put 16 pounds on just to get 1 pound back! That’s ridiculous! Holyfield was undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion already I believe AND mike Tyson had only fought once in 5 years after coming out of prison, so why was everyone acting like this was a complete mismatch? People acting like he was some bum, didn’t make any sense

[hugh grant]

Yes, predicters irritate me. But I think holyfield had health issue with so called heart problem. The reason many thought he lost to moorer

[IronDanHamza]

Holyfield was 2-2 going into it, was having serious health problems. Seen as well past his best days and Mike Tyson is Mike Tyson, people get behind the hype

He'd come out of jail and was 4-0, 4 KO's and got his WBC Title back.

[buddyr]

at the time, HOlyfield was 1 year removed from being ko'd for the first time (by Bowe). He had just struggled with Bobby Czyz in a fight that was stopped due to Czyz' eyes burning. People thought HOlyfield had pulled a liston type of move lol. So yes going into the fight in which tyson was tearing thru opponents fresh out of prison, including Seldon in which he didn't even land a solid punch and he took a dive, people expected Holyfield to get ran through. You would have had to be living at the time to fully understand. Looking back on it 25 years later does it no justice. I still have that ppv on tape along with the bite fight. I recorded the Bite Fight at a club on a huge screen tv. My uncle was a part owner of a night club and let me get there early to hook my vcr up to the cable to record the fight as hundreds were watching lol.

[Larry the boss]

Watch the Holyfield Bowe trilogy...and at that time Holyfield was supposed to have heart issues that just seemed to vanish

[4truth]

Because people were thinking of prime Tyson. Prime Tyson would have been a heavy favorite for good reason.

[BodyBagz]

Why is anyone a favorite ???

It's not a science but the odds usually are correct (8.5x10 ?)

[Chaos]

Because no one knew how good he was at headbutts

[Mike_b]

Mike had blazing hand speed and a captivating fear a aura of invincibility. Holyfield was far too ordinary, an A fighter. In people's eyes Tyson was an A+, just like how Pacquiao us the Michael Jordan of boxing. Mike was better than the Shaq, he didn't miss free throws in boxing pundits view. Holyfield was like 6 foot , 6 foot two, a blown up manufactured hw. All but washed up.(not washed up) he fought stiff compared to the faster twitch Tyson. At 6 '3" or whatever, he wasn't able to get inside with his long arms to do massive injury on the body and the head. He more or less was a grinder. Hard punching but tough, but lacking that explosive dynamite Tyson was born with. One good thing about holy is that he had heart, tough as nails, and also knew where to put his head. Not exactly headbutting but like fight for the spot to rest his head on the inside or lead with his head. It was a defense strategy that Mike could never figure out because Mike came in face first (peek a boo) Mike did not use his head as a weapon. Just as honest as he is in real life, Tyson fought honestly. Even after the earbite he said "he addressed it on the ring." Because his eyelids were lacerated from "head butts" repetitive blows the ref wouldn't take into account. Mike got beat up.

[BodyBagz]

Because no one knew how good he was at headbutts

The bully got out bullied