How good was prime Mike Tyson?

[champion4ever]

He was the best heavyweight, I've ever seen and that includes: Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey and others as well. I thought he had the potential of becoming the greatest Heavyweight champion to have ever lived but his demons and fast living had gotten the better of him by making him lose focus, discipline and derailing those plans.

[champion4ever]

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.

Then how did he ever become the undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world? Tyson problem was, is that he got to the point where he no longer gave a fuck.

He hooked up exclusively with Don King and would stop training and thought he could just show up and his opponents would just lay down for him. However, boy was he in for a rude awakening in Tokyo Japan; Where James Buster Douglas knocked his ass out.

Then that aura of invincibility of Mike Tyson had vanished. He was never the same fighter again. From that point on, he started getting his asswhooped because he lost that intimidation factor.

[MartialMind]

He was the best heavyweight, I've ever seen and that includes: Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey and others as well. I thought he had the potential of becoming the greatest Heavyweight champion to have ever lived but his demons and fast living had gotten the better of him by making him lose focus, discipline and derailing those plans.

You saw Jack Dempsey at his prime?

[champion4ever]

You saw Jack Dempsey at his prime?

No, I watched old film footage of his prime. He was good but Mike Tyson was better.

[redmish]

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.

It would have been a great fight at that time but I thought their first fight was excellent anyway. High quality combinations and both men taking big shots. Tyson was still fit too. He certainly wasn't the spent force that people make out.

[QueensburyRules]

Many boxing fans have Mike Tyson as their favorite boxer. Just how good was prime Mike Tyson?

- -Mike = real good

U = real dum

[Armchairhero]

I don’t care where he ranks, loved watching him fight. Biggest name in boxing aside from Ali....

[Legends456]

Then how did he ever become the undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world? Tyson problem was, is that he got to the point where he no longer gave a fuck.

He hooked up exclusively with Don King and would stop training and thought he could just show up and his opponents would just lay down for him. However, boy was he in for a rude awakening in Tokyo Japan; Where James Buster Douglas knocked his ass out.

Then that aura of invincibility of Mike Tyson had vanished. He was never the same fighter again. From that point on, he started getting his asswhooped because he lost that intimidation factor.

I think Anthony Joshua lost some of his intimidation factor as well after the first Ruiz fight. He had a much more cautious style in the rematch.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It would have been a great fight at that time but I thought their first fight was excellent anyway. High quality combinations and both men taking big shots. Tyson was still fit too. He certainly wasn't the spent force that people make out.

I don’t wanna act like I’m taking credit from Holyfield cause it was a great win against a good version of Tyson however it was by no means a peak Tyson.

It was a real battle of attrition and Holyfield essentially ended up bullying the bully on route to stopping him in the 11th.

FTR, I’d pick Holyfield to beat any version of Tyson, I feel stylistically Holyfield was Tyson’s kryptonite.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

He was the best heavyweight, I've ever seen and that includes: Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey and others as well. I thought he had the potential of becoming the greatest Heavyweight champion to have ever lived but his demons and fast living had gotten the better of him by making him lose focus, discipline and derailing those plans.

I think you must’ve bought into the hype brother. Tyson wasn’t built the same as an Ali, Foreman etc. He failed to deal with adversity. Someone like Ali would’ve broken Tyson.