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In the heavyweight division, anyone can be champ on the basis of a lucky punch, but from Mike Tyson I think we all expect a little bit more. When you look back at the old fights of the 20 year wrecking ball known as "Iron" Mike Tyson, you can't help but wonder how he fell so far from the top. He captured the heavyweight championship at the young age of 20, winning most of his fights by way of knockout.He tore through the division, taking heavyweights apart piece by piece.
It seemed everything was on track for Mike until he met a little
known heavyweight by the name of James "Buster" Douglas. I think the KO loss to Douglas had more to do with his lack of training and distractions outside the ring than it had to do with his skills slowly fading away.
Most boxing fans will admit that when Mike Tyson returned from his long layoff, he was not the same fighter that he was when he went into prison on the **** conviction of the Miss Black America Contest contestant named Desiree Washington. Tyson was found guilty of **** and was imprisoned for 3 years. This basically took Tyson out of the ring from 1991 to 1995.
Since Mike Tyson is a smaller heavyweight, two attributes had to come into play to bring about the high knockout percentage, aside from just the power punching. The first and most important thing was Mike Tyson's hand speed. Speed equals power, and no one showcases this fact more than Mike himself. Evander Holyfield even alluded to the fact after their first fight that Mike had very fast hands. If you take this into the context that Mike Tyson by this point in his career had already begun to lose a good deal of the speed he once had, it further illustrates just how fast Mike was in his prime.
The second attribute that Tyson seemed to be getting away from or
losing was the use of angles. It has been said millions of times that it's the punches you don't see coming that hurt you. Mike in his early years was a master at using angles, bobbing and weaving away from punches and producing deadly counters. You watch Mike fighting now, he comes straight ahead and loads up on his big punches, almost hoping that he won't have to go a full 10 or 12 rounds.
In a division where one punch can make you a champion, Mike Tyson's style fits right into the mold. Everyone seems to know Mike Tyson can punch. But, can someone please tell him he can do so much more?
It seemed everything was on track for Mike until he met a little
known heavyweight by the name of James "Buster" Douglas. I think the KO loss to Douglas had more to do with his lack of training and distractions outside the ring than it had to do with his skills slowly fading away.
Most boxing fans will admit that when Mike Tyson returned from his long layoff, he was not the same fighter that he was when he went into prison on the **** conviction of the Miss Black America Contest contestant named Desiree Washington. Tyson was found guilty of **** and was imprisoned for 3 years. This basically took Tyson out of the ring from 1991 to 1995.
Since Mike Tyson is a smaller heavyweight, two attributes had to come into play to bring about the high knockout percentage, aside from just the power punching. The first and most important thing was Mike Tyson's hand speed. Speed equals power, and no one showcases this fact more than Mike himself. Evander Holyfield even alluded to the fact after their first fight that Mike had very fast hands. If you take this into the context that Mike Tyson by this point in his career had already begun to lose a good deal of the speed he once had, it further illustrates just how fast Mike was in his prime.
The second attribute that Tyson seemed to be getting away from or
losing was the use of angles. It has been said millions of times that it's the punches you don't see coming that hurt you. Mike in his early years was a master at using angles, bobbing and weaving away from punches and producing deadly counters. You watch Mike fighting now, he comes straight ahead and loads up on his big punches, almost hoping that he won't have to go a full 10 or 12 rounds.
In a division where one punch can make you a champion, Mike Tyson's style fits right into the mold. Everyone seems to know Mike Tyson can punch. But, can someone please tell him he can do so much more?
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