Why do people say Mike Tyson was overrated?

[ROSS CALIFORNIA]

The fact that this guy was listed at 5'11 1/2 (when he was really closer to 5'10, his listed height was exaggerated) and knocking guys out (good ones too) twice his size in devastating fashion is extremely impressive.


So why do so many people say he was overrated? What more do you want from a guy that was dwarfed in comparison to so many other guys?

One reason why is a lot of them think the Tyson that fought after prison, was a prime Tyson. And the whole Teddy Atlas thing that haters have taken to, about standing up to the bully. They all believe that ****, because they want to believe it. Tyson messed up his career, so he was only in his prime for about 2 years, 86-88. He was definitely the most amazing and physically gifted fighter ever. Just remember he was only 20-21 in his prime. Just imagine what he could have been.

[The Tase]

because he was.

if nsb/message boards were around during iron mike's prime, they would make flowmoes look fair and balanced.

[The_Sandman]

One reason why is a lot of them think the Tyson that fought after prison, was a prime Tyson. And the whole Teddy Atlas thing that haters have taken to, about standing up to the bully. They all believe that ****, because they want to believe it. Tyson messed up his career, so he was only in his prime for about 2 years, 86-88. He was definitely the most amazing and physically gifted fighter ever. Just remember he was only 20-21 in his prime. Just imagine what he could have been.

That's the problem though. People put too much into what fighters could have been. In another words, their potential. I believe in resumes because I believe a fighter should be judged by what they've done, not their potential.

[BUNGALOWS]

One reason why is a lot of them think the Tyson that fought after prison, was a prime Tyson. And the whole Teddy Atlas thing that haters have taken to, about standing up to the bully. They all believe that ****, because they want to believe it. Tyson messed up his career, so he was only in his prime for about 2 years, 86-88. He was definitely the most amazing and physically gifted fighter ever. Just remember he was only 20-21 in his prime. Just imagine what he could have been.

There is no what could have been, once Cus died.

He got a taste of the good life, and didn't have Cus to knock some sense into him anymore. No more Cus style training, no more "Kid Dynamite".

[BlackSnakeMamba]

Pre Prison Mike Tyson was such a different boxer than Post Prison Mike Tyson. I believe that he would have beaten Buster Douglas in a rematch.

[beez721]

Pre Prison Mike Tyson was such a different boxer than Post Prison Mike Tyson. I believe that he would have beaten Buster Douglas in a rematch.

should have beaten him in the first fight. that was a long ten count

[rambov]

because he was.

if nsb/message boards were around during iron mike's prime, they would make flowmoes look fair and balanced.

Yes ...... MIke Tyson would be hated on BS. Very Much. The above statement pretty much sums it up!

The code is there for those who want to decode it.

Mike Tyson Was Overrated .... smh

[rambov]

Pre Prison Mike Tyson was such a different boxer than Post Prison Mike Tyson. I believe that he would have beaten Buster Douglas in a rematch.

Hw was on drugs and paid no respect to Buster. He lost because he was not prepared for the fight.

[Twako]

i dont think knowledgeable boxing fans overrate him. unless you think putting him in the top 10-15 atg heavies is overrating.

[edgarg]

A lot of people claim he was past prime against Douglas, where he was merely 24 years old. If he did become past prime I think yes he is a bit overrated. That is if I even believed he past it that young, which I don't Tyson's problem was that he got too popular too fast, and too young. I mean Tyson was like Jordan, Michael Jackson status as basically a "kid". He was a crossover superstar, internationally know, famous in America, Asia, Europe. Very influential character to many kids who never even liked boxing.

You think of all this and you see why he crumbled so fast, not to mention the people surrounding him. Your outside life does catch up to you in that ring.

Tyson was not "past prime" against Douglas. He was just out of control. Cus D'Amato whom he listened to like a father, had died. Jimmy Jacobs who was Bill Cayton's partner in management died slowly of leukemia; he always liked and listened to Jacobs. He got married to Robin Givens and the marriage was falling apart, and allowed her and her mother to push him to fire his trainer Kevin Rooney. Then he allowed Don King to oust Bill Cayton a his manager and guide. So..... he came to Buster Douglas. Douglas was 42 1/2 to 1 against in the betting, probably the biggest odds by far for any fight. I was in Japan shortly after Tyson's fight and know for sure that he spent all his time there with geisha girls, the trained **********s, all night and every night. My friends showed me pictures of him with the women taken a few days before the fight, walking along the Ginza in Tokyo. He trained in a half hearted way for about 10 days.

And..... although a champion didn't deserve to win with that kind of turmoil in his life, and he took more punishment from Douglas than from anyone to date, he DID KD Douglas in the 8th and Douglas was down for at least documented 14 seconds.... The ref counted like a snail. Tyson only had half a corner and they knew nothing about it. He didn't even have an Enswell for his swollen eye.

All that should be good enough reason for Tyson to have lost. Then he had 2-3 easy 1st rd KO fights and then took 12 rounds to beat Razor Ruddock in a rematch, whom he'd KOd fairly easily in 7. You could actually trace his deterioration by his fights. Then went to prison for a few years . That was the end of Tyson. Kevin Rooney and Bill Cayton "might" have been able to curb his behaviour and get him into shape again...but only "might"....