Is Evander Holyfield physically stronger than Mike Tyson?

[edgarg]

I'm having trouble understanding this. Tyson was a natural heavyweight. Holyfield was not. So why was it that Holyfield was able to push Tyson around like a rag doll in both of their fights?

Is it possible that Holyfield's physical strength was greater than Tyson's?

I don't believe so. Tyson had a very bad habit of often becoming completely passive in clinches. Look at the the Bonecrusher Smith fight for example which went the full distance even though Tyson won every round overwhelmingly. In the seven fights immediately before this, he'd scored 7 KOs with only one fight going past 2 rounds. In the previous 30 fights he'd scored 28 kos because he KOd them before they got the chance to entangle him..

Holyfield was able to puch him around because Tyson become comparatively static whilst Holyfield seemed to have loads of energy to burn and kept very active in the clinches, not allowing himself to be tied up. Of course we know know that he was on steroids, and if there's been proper testing he would have been been suspended and penalised. Perhaps without the steroids he wouldn't have had that energy he needed.

[IronDanHamza]

Both are physcially strong.

If they had a weight lifting competition I'd imagine Tyson would be the stronger of the two.

Holyfield's superior inside game was a big reason for his success against Tyson and ability to bully him at times more so than sheer strength.

[thesenuts]

I don't believe so. Tyson had a very bad habit of often becoming completely passive in clinches. Look at the the Bonecrusher Smith fight for example which went the full distance even though Tyson won every round overwhelmingly. In the seven fights immediately before this, he'd scored 7 KOs with only one fight going past 2 rounds. In the previous 30 fights he'd scored 28 kos because he KOd them before they got the chance to entangle him..

Holyfield was able to puch him around because Tyson become comparatively static whilst Holyfield seemed to have loads of energy to burn and kept very active in the clinches, not allowing himself to be tied up. Of course we know know that he was on steroids, and if there's been proper testing he would have been been suspended and penalised. Perhaps without the steroids he wouldn't have had that energy he needed.

That makes sense

[NVSemin]

I'm having trouble understanding this. Tyson was a natural heavyweight. Holyfield was not. So why was it that Holyfield was able to push Tyson around like a rag doll in both of their fights?

Is it possible that Holyfield's physical strength was greater than Tyson's?

Watch his interview, it is mental and spiritual strength that comes from GOD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgNq5RCCvn8

[hectari]

Yes, Evander was stronger.

Evander handled him pretty easily on the inside, Tyson didn't have much grappling strength at all, which surprises people, but its true, most of his weight lifting consisted of heavy squats.

[thesenuts]

Yes, Evander was stronger.

Evander handled him pretty easily on the inside, Tyson didn't have much grappling strength at all, which surprises people, but its true, most of his weight lifting consisted of heavy squats.

That also makes sense

[thesenuts]

still a pretty close poll

[hayZ]

I think Tyson may be stronger BUT it does not always translate wholly into grappling strength/fighting on the inside because technique also plays a big factor. Tyson in his prime could fight on the inside because he threw quick body shots and got out but when he came back he was slower and more static. He never had the best stamina and when you lose that bit of your prime you have to adapt (look at Ali) and he never did.

Tyson never felt comfortable fighting on the inside against Holyfield especially and its where Holyfield felt comfortable. Look at Floyd Mayweather in his fight vs Guerrero, everytime Guerrero came inside he tied his arm up and basically got really close to his other arm which made him unable to do anything significant and forced the ref to break them up. Clever.