How good was prime Mike Tyson?

[Curtis Harper]

There isn't a fighter, dead or alive, who can't have ''what if'' attached. When giving out superlatives of this magnitude, you have to go by the available facts.

[YGriffith]

Top 10 of his generation.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Agreed. Mike had the ingredients to be great, but he fell off the wagon after getting sploshed by Buster Douglas. Don King not getting the rematch clause really fooked things up, but Tyson was already going off the rails by then anyway. Annoys me that we never got Tyson vs. Holyfield in the early 90s.

Yeah Tyson never fulfilled his potential, by the time he got to his career defining fights he had already damaged himself, and was no longer the same force he was in the late 80’s. That probably begs the question was he ever good enough to beat a guy like Holyfield? I’d probably lean towards no, but it would’ve been a hell of a fight had it happened around 90-91 like you said.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

There isn't a fighter, dead or alive, who can't have ''what if'' attached. When giving out superlatives of this magnitude, you have to go by the available facts.

Yeah good point...

[Skip Bayless]

Didn’t beat any a lister in his prime or in his whole career, prime ended when he lost at 21 or something lmao Tyson fans are delusional

[Fists_of_Fury]

Prime Tyson was an overrated hype job. He destroyed b class or lower trinket holders, faded former champs and bums. When he stepped up he lost. He literally got exposed and beat in his prime. It's crazy how guys with KO's get a pass for cherry picking.

[hugh grant]

At his best one of the best punches and of his time one of the hardest to hit

[Golovkinchamp]

He was good but only a top twenty all time.

[Skip Bayless]

Shut up you fookin' eejit, Tyson beat a shell of Larry Holmes.

I hate how Tyson fans still go on about a retired, out of shape Larry like it is a great achievement. Man had been out of the ring for years

[Curtis Harper]

Yeah good point...

The people Mike beat weren't all that unbeatable.

Fans point to Spinks as a solid win

'Cash Me Out' fight

If Mitch Green lasted more than a round, so could have Spinks (if he wasn't ready to retire).