Why do people call Mike Tyson an ATG?

[BangEM]

I’m a massive Mike Tyson fan and I believe he deserves the HoF nod. However, is he truly an ATG?

He lost all his big fights and didn’t beat any A-level boxer in his era. And he had the shortest prime in heavyweight history.

[OnePunch]

uhmmmmm, because he is.

[VatoMulatto]

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history. Could that accomplishment make him an ATG??

What's Tyson's best win? Spinks? Ruddock? Holmes?

[BangEM]

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history. Could that accomplishment make him an ATG??

What's Tyson's best win? Spinks? Ruddock? Holmes?

I think he would’ve a more legit claim if he had won an Olympic gold medal and dominated in the amateurs coupled with the age he became a heavyweight champion. We all know the 80s was a weak era in the heavyweight. So I’m not buying the ‘youngest’ claim since he had only like 2-3 prime years.

Spinks was a light heavyweight. Ruddock was B-level at best. And Holmes was past it coupled with the fact that he was out of the ring for 2yrs and had a month to prepare. That’s where Holmes got the flabby and sick name because that was the way he looked in that fight.

[NORMNEALON]

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history. Could that accomplishment make him an ATG??

What's Tyson's best win? Spinks? Ruddock? Holmes?

Iam not trying to discredit tyson but he is the youngest belt holder , floyd Patterson his fellow d'amato alumni is the youngest lineal champion which is where it counts .


Imo tyson is a shoe in HOFer , am a top 15-20 ATG . top 10 I say no . But that's just my opinion . Tyson had alot of misses in his career , and lost most the big ones , altho u cant discredit his loss to Lennox or his ones after that he was a complete shell .

[PRINCEKOOL]

Mike Tyson even outside of his peak was the bench mark, which was why Lennox Lewis had to face him to ultimately gain the mass respect of the boxing world 'Whatever champion came along, they where always compared to Mike Tyson throughout the entire 90's' Tyson was the Etherical gate keeper to heavyweight boxing, he seemed to exist outside of the physical realm 'Throughout all the other champions reigns? His presence was always there, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Tommy Morrison, Rid**** Bowe, Michael Moorer they all knew 'If they stayed champion long enough?The day of Judgement would draw closer to when they had to face Mike Tyson' There is NOBODY in the heavyweight division now, or within boxing who has this Multi-dimensional influence upon the sport.

If you do not believe me? Deontay Wilder has just been defeated once 'And he is already yesterday's news, Anthony Joshua has been beaten once and he is already constantly joked about and demeaned' When Mike Tyson was beaten by Buster Douglas, people around the world where still losing sleep, waking up in a cold sweat 'Not at any point in his career did he become yesterdays news, not at any point did people demean the potential of his violence. A Lion can be oust from his pride, but long as that Lion heals and eats? That Lion is still a Lion, there are no Lions in the game no more.

Mike Tyson was the first heavyweight to unifie the titles, successfully made 9 title defenses winning 7 via knock-out 'Disappeared in prison for 3-4 years then came-back and regained the WBC & WBA heavyweight titles for the second time. Boxing is not WWE wrestling IT IS REAL 'Mike Tyson wrote and choreographed himself back into the game from a incredibly dark place, this is a feat over looked in his boxing career'.

From the start of his career until the end, weather he won or lost he always fought back furiously inside of the ring 'The myths that he would suddenly disappear when met with resistance are nothing but science fiction, bed time stories to help people sleep at night' To make people, those timid souls feel better and more safe in a world full of evil 'Mike Tyson was a furious fighter, with a instinctual need to fight'.

Without a shadow of a doubt Mike Tyson IS a all-time great.

[hugh grant]

He had ATG abilities and he beat common opponents with Lennox Lewis more decisively, and common opponents also rate Tyson higher than Lennox Lewis. Tyrell Biggs said Tyson was the best he fought. Tucker said Tyson was a phenomenon and Tucker fought Lewis.
His resume probably isn't ATG but sometimes you have to take more into consideration because theress simply more to consider.

[boliodogs]

You really don't sound like a massive Tyson fan at all. All time great is an opinion and the opinion of most is that he was and all time great. his prime was not short. His devastating two fisted attack, hand speed, combinations and punching power made him great to most viewers.

[embryo]

Youngest heavyweight champ ever, won, lost and then regained the title, had over 10+ title defenses, ATG in my book.

[a.rihn]

Mike Tyson was an all time great at capturing peoples' imaginations (for better or worse). He had, and continues to have, that undefinable "something" that just draws people in, that gives his stories a bigger life. Whether or not he was an all time great boxer is not the same thing, of course. But undeniably, he's one of the most recognizable names to ever been a part of the sport. That was true at the apex of his career in the 80s, was true through his decline in the 90s, his end in the 00s, and continues to be true today.

I agree that the argument for him being an all-time great HW is shaky. But being great in terms of impact on the sport? No question.