Does anyone else think Tyson would have beaten Holyfield in 1991?

[lefthook2daliva]

I would favor Tyson.

It's hard to watch Holyfield's early heavyweight title fights against guys like George Foreman, Bert Cooper and Rid**** Bowe and favor Holyfield.

Of the early 90's versions of Holyfield, I think the one that spent a couple fights with Manny Steward would have had the best chance at beating Tyson, I'd still favor Tyson.

I would have a hard time favoring any version of Holyfield against a pre-prison Tyson.

Thing is, there is no give up in Holyfield.

When Mike runs into stubborn resistance, he starts fking up and ends up giving up.

Mike was a bully.

Evander was a warrior.

[Mitchell Kane]

Evander's ring IQ was too much for Mike. He knew how to neutralize him and rack up points while keeping out of danger and would have done the same in 91'.

We're talking about 1991, a year in which Holyfield slugged it out with George Foreman and Bert Cooper, and would slug it out the following year with Rid**** Bowe.

It's one thing to argue that Holyfield learned his lesson after the first Bowe fight, after which Holyfield made changes by getting bigger, stronger, and fighting at a slower pace with more discipline and more of a gameplan under new trainer Manny Steward in his rematches with Alex Stewart and Rid**** Bowe.

But we're talking about 1991, when Holyfield was not only not keeping out of danger, he was doing the exact opposite.

[TAZ-G]

Nope and I'm not being biased lol.

[Redd Foxx]

We're talking about 1991, a year in which Holyfield slugged it out with George Foreman and Bert Cooper, and would slug it out the following year with Rid**** Bowe.

It's one thing to argue that Holyfield learned his lesson after the first Bowe fight, after which Holyfield made changes by getting bigger, stronger, and fighting at a slower pace with more discipline and more of a gameplan under new trainer Manny Steward in his rematches with Alex Stewart and Rid**** Bowe.

But we're talking about 1991, when Holyfield was not only not keeping out of danger, he was doing the exact opposite.

You're talking about large guys though. I don't see him choosing to, or having to, fight Tyson in the same way. In fact, I can't imagine him brawling with Tyson in 91. All we can do is speculate though....

[mezoomozaa]

Holyfield was always tough to fight against, but Tyson beats him anyday, Holyfield hadn't had his steroid induced macrocephaly/big skull yet at 1991

[GOD-FR33]

No, no, and NO.

My Daddy has the same view as you. He also thinks Ali would've beaten Evander. I disagree with both opinions. Evander in 1991, was in his prime, he was a machine and very violent in the ring. His chin, stamina, and boxing skills would've been too much for a prime Tyson. His heart as well. He was too smart for Tyson and simply too skilled. Tyson hit him with his two best punches in '96. The left hook to the body, left uppercut combo and the left hook to the head. Holyfield shook his head in disappointment for getting hit with those shots, BUT he wasn't hurt AT ALL. My guess is that Tyson's punch was stronger in 96, than 91. Holyfield pounds Frazier in similar fashion. Tyson was more skilled than Frazier but Frazier was tougher. either way, Holyfield beats them both.

[Mitchell Kane]

You're talking about large guys though. I don't see him choosing to, or having to, fight Tyson in the same way. In fact, I can't imagine him brawling with Tyson in 91. All we can do is speculate though....

Bert Cooper wasn't a large guy.

Tyson and Cooper were pretty close in height and weight in those days.

Holyfield would have had the height advantage on Tyson, but he was weighing still weighing mostly in the 210 lbs and under range, which was about seven pounds or so less than what Tyson was regularly fighting at.

Holyfield wouldn't have been able to hold and muscle Tyson around in 1991 the way he would years later.

[juggernaut666]

Holyfield was rocked by Cooper ,cant really see a ready Tyson not k.oing him,its the fight he wanted most not Ruddock.....Holyfield had picked Foreman over Tyson in a rematch though it never happened that should tell you something..."Tyson mess gives Holyfield a way out " article .

At that time Tyson still relatively looked good enough he had speed and set up his punches still,i see Bowe giving Tyson much more difficulty as he would have been harder to hit, and at that time the only guy i see capable of repeating a Buster Douglas performance though i doubt it.Holyfield fights with Dwight Quwi show what the bigger Tyson may have done stylistically even if that was at cruiser weight,i know Holyfield does not hit as hard as Ruddock and Tyson didn't even flinch in those fights ,i think he walks through the smaller ,less defensive Holyfield !

[2Shotz]

Is Holyfield allowed to use the top of his head as a weapon like he did in 96/97 against Tyson? I like Holyfield but it always ticked me off the way he'd slip in those head butts. Rahman really got it good. And Lewis got a few butts as well from Evander. Dirty fighter that Evander. Then again, Mike was no saint. I still think Holyfield wins against Tyson, likely by split decision, in 1991.

[BigNuts]

holyfield hadn't had his steroid induced macrocephaly/big skull yet at 1991

lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!