Is Mike Tyson one of the most overrated fighters ever?

[smeck]

Tyson’s been underrated after he lost four years in jail and then lost focus. People forget he nearly has Buster Douglas OUT. He was competitive with Lewis despite being well past his prime.

When he was hot, he seemed unbeatable, as quite a few others seem. But give him credit, with his chin tucked and hidden, bobbing and weaving, and then a fast lethal punch, he destroyed quite a lot of excellent fighters.

Impressive list - Ruddock who was lethal, Alex Stewart who gave Foreman a very hard time, The Truth Williams, Bruno, Spinks, the Two Tonys (Tubbs and Tucker), Biggs, Pinklon Thomas, Berbick…

I thought MAYBE Larry Holmes would keep him off with the jab. Holmes was too old? I remember the Ribalta fight. Ribalta was very tall AND good, but Mike got to him.

He legitimately lost to Holyfield but hey, Ali legitimately lost to Frazier and Norton, and nobody’s calling him a bum for that.

I thought Tyson was awesome in the 90’s. I felt sorry for him because he was just a confused kid. He’d knock somebody out in a round, and people would ask him a thousand questions. He really didn’t have answers. Then Cus and Rooney go, and he starts getting nuts (screaming “ALLAH!” and talking about eating children). He became a villain.

Then the real insanity…Robin Givens, the ear biting, the jail term. The Douglas fight, if you’ve read his book, he was busy screwing women and he didn’t train but he STILL nearly won that one. Then he began to lose mental focus and his skills were eroding. He also wasn’t moving his head or putting the gloves up like Cus taught him.

I was GLAD Tyson began losing because he’d become such a nasty guy, but if you read his story, you can understand his personality problems. Like Foreman, he emerged with a sense of humor and became likable again. One can look at his fights with perspective and see that yes, he WAS a Top 10 fighter. And no doubt, as the original poster says, people who don’t know boxing at all, know Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. MAYBE you add George Foreman, then Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Leonard, etc.

Again, Muhammad was far from perfect. The first Frazier fight. No excuses. He got floored. He coasted against some mediocre opponents. Still considered The Greatest. Lewis got starched by Oliver McCall. Marciano nearly lost a few. Tyson’s ratio of losses isn’t that awful. Indeed, overrated in some ways, underrated in others.

[Marchegiano]

Tyson’s been underrated after he lost four years in jail and then lost focus. People forget he nearly has Buster Douglas OUT. He was competitive with Lewis despite being well past his prime.

When he was hot, he seemed unbeatable, as quite a few others seem. But give him credit, with his chin tucked and hidden, bobbing and weaving, and then a fast lethal punch, he destroyed quite a lot of excellent fighters.

Impressive list - Ruddock who was lethal, Alex Stewart who gave Foreman a very hard time, The Truth Williams, Bruno, Spinks, the Two Tonys (Tubbs and Tucker), Biggs, Pinklon Thomas, Berbick…

I thought MAYBE Larry Holmes would keep him off with the jab. Holmes was too old? I remember the Ribalta fight. Ribalta was very tall AND good, but Mike got to him.

He legitimately lost to Holyfield but hey, Ali legitimately lost to Frazier and Norton, and nobody’s calling him a bum for that.

I thought Tyson was awesome in the 90’s. I felt sorry for him because he was just a confused kid. He’d knock somebody out in a round, and people would ask him a thousand questions. He really didn’t have answers. Then Cus and Rooney go, and he starts getting nuts (screaming “ALLAH!” and talking about eating children). He became a villain.

Then the real insanity…Robin Givens, the ear biting, the jail term. The Douglas fight, if you’ve read his book, he was busy screwing women and he didn’t train but he STILL nearly won that one. Then he began to lose mental focus and his skills were eroding. He also wasn’t moving his head or putting the gloves up like Cus taught him.

I was GLAD Tyson began losing because he’d become such a nasty guy, but if you read his story, you can understand his personality problems. Like Foreman, he emerged with a sense of humor and became likable again. One can look at his fights with perspective and see that yes, he WAS a Top 10 fighter. And no doubt, as the original poster says, people who don’t know boxing at all, know Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. MAYBE you add George Foreman, then Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Leonard, etc.

Again, Muhammad was far from perfect. The first Frazier fight. No excuses. He got floored. He coasted against some mediocre opponents. Still considered The Greatest. Lewis got starched by Oliver McCall. Marciano nearly lost a few. Tyson’s ratio of losses isn’t that awful. Indeed, overrated in some ways, underrated in others.

excellent post bud.

[sleone60]

Umm......Moron, where did I say anything about head to head greatness?? The point was Tyson being overrated. You are right, Young had losses & wins over bums. However, Tyson NEVER stood with Fighters like Ali, Foreman, Lyle, Norton or Shavers and acquitted himself as anything but the canvas muncher he was. And BTW, interesting that you refer to Ocasio as a bum as his profile is exactly what Tyson was feeding on.

[Granath]

I think the debate is because there are two Mike Tysons. The one who trained with Kevin Rooney and the one corrupted by Don King.

The Kevin Rooney Tyson was a thing to behold. A wrecking ball. Clubber Lang come to life. That guy was amazingly fast, incredible head movement, threw in combinations with destructive power in both hands. He also had an underrated jab and went to the body. He was a great fighter and easily the most fun to watch since the TV age.

The Don King Tyson was a shell of his former self. Less head movement, punches didn't come in bunches and didn't jab as much. He still had the power and hand speed but he just didn't use the same gifts that got him to the summit. This is the one who lost against Holyfield and later Lewis. The will was still strong - in fact 90s Tyson was probably stronger mentally than 80s Tyson - but the game wasn't there anymore.

I have Mike 7th in my All-Time list because at his peak he was about as good as any other HW in history. I have him 7th because he couldn't sustain that peak. Essentially Mike is Big George Foreman without the comeback.

[Granath]

However, Tyson NEVER stood with Fighters like Ali, Foreman, Lyle, Norton or Shavers...

How could he? All of those guys had retired when Mike was around. That makes no sense whatsoever...

[Toffee]

It is also a giant myth that beating Mike Tyson was as easy as standing up to him 'And that he was some kind of bully', Buster Douglas was asked if he ever saw quit in Mike Tyson's eye's and he replied 'That he never saw quit in his eye's at any stage of the fight' People may be reminded that after being knocked down on the canvas, Mike Tyson was not only regaining his senses but searching for his gum shield. Sugar Ray Leonard once stated that the boxing ring will reveal your true self, and a fighter or any man will always revert back to type when under pressure. Some people go on a defensive, and some people go on a offensive. Mike Tyson always in all of his defeats, fought until the bitter end just like a Lion 'He did not just disappear, or roll over'.

Up against Danny Williams, with a injured knee? He took something like 20 + unanswered punches, then still found the fire from somewhere inside of his being to swing a punch back before being knocked to the canvas violently. Some of these attributes where physical in nature 'But a lot of them where not', the point I am trying to stipulate here is? That there is a myth that Mike Tyson was a stereotypical bully, that he was somehow weak internally and had no resolve. Nothing in his upbringing, and outside of the ring troubles in life have ever highlighted the myth that he is weak internally or has no resolve.

And when the inside of the ring, a place where no man can hide? Forget boxing, the man was a instinctual fighter, survivalist until the bitter end. There are two things that can display a fighters real greatest. Those two things are 'HOW you win' and 'How you Lose'. Fair play he took it to the street against Evander Holyfield, but it was not out of being afraid or weak internally'

When Mike Tyson fought Lennox Lewis, it was vividly apparent after afew rounds that? By just walking forward, Mike Tyson was going to be met with increasing destructive and violent punches from not only a super-heavyweight, but one of the biggest punches of the 90's IN Lennox Lewis. Not in any point in that fight, did Mike Tyson take a backward step voluntary.

In closing, Mike Tyson was not overrated.

I think you're setting a pretty low bar there.

He was a top heavyweight. I would think we expect that level of bravery from guys in that position. That's why No Mas is talked about to this day. It's abnormal resolve for the average person, but not for a boxer.

We know the Tyson who fought Lewis was shot, and yes he did take his beating like a man. But it's not the best example of his mental strength. Against a bigger, better fighter he pretty much gave up after round 2. When he figured he couldn't win, he just accepted defeat. Against Holyfield he took an even lower road.

As others have said, he's overrated by the masses and underrated by true boxing fans. He was awesome at his best, but he owns his flaws.

[TheBoxingInformator]

No he was not from 1985 to 1989 most of his wins were gainst either shot old fighters or tomatoe cans.....spinks was just to small to hang in there.....tyson was overated

He was 6'2 6'3 **** off *****

[BodyBagz]

He was 6'2 6'3 **** off *****

Small in the chest cavity is what he meant.

[BodyBagz]

Mike was nothing but a bully who cried when HE was bullied

''My kids are scared to look at me ....''

[TheBoxingInformator]

Mike was nothing but a bully who cried when HE was bullied

''My kids are scared to look at me ....''

Ali was bully also and Fury was bully