Guys I’m so bored, did mike Tyson ever beat an ATG in their prime?

[hugh grant]

No he didnt. But Tyrell biggs, Frank bruno, Tony Tucker will say he's the best they fought and they fought ATG lennox lewis

[Ray*]

Spinks? I mean Tyson was making grown men cry at 20 years old. But how many ATG are there when Tyson was in his prime? But I know he beat at least 5 top ten guys in around that time. You compare that to now, and you would just laugh at the top 3 names at HW now.

[Bandman]

when Tyson got rid of Rooney his fate was sealed.

[_Rexy_]

Not at all. His prime was up until about 91, when he faced Ruddock and stopped him twice. Who was the "GGG" or "Margarito" etc. of the early 90s. "no one wanted to fight him" kind of deal.

Right before he went to jail.

He only stopped Ruddock in the first fight, and it was a controversial as hell stoppage. They fought to a decision in the rematch.

Story of Ruddocks career. Lennox Lewis was the only real KO he suffered

[_Rexy_]

Spinks? I mean Tyson was making grown men cry at 20 years old. But how many ATG are there when Tyson was in his prime? But I know he beat at least 5 top ten guys in around that time. You compare that to now, and you would just laugh at the top 3 names at HW now.

Tyson beat who he had in front of him. People like to talk about the 80's like it was this incredible decade for the HW division. Was a great decade for boxing, but the HW division was weak. It's not like he ducked anyone. When Mike debuted in 1985 here was the top 10

Michael Spinks, Champion

Pinklon Thomas
Larry Holmes
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Gerrie Coetzee
Trevor Berbick
Carl Williams
Mike Weaver
Michael Dokes

in 1986 they were:

Michael Spinks, Champion

Mike Tyson
James (Bonecrusher) Smith
Pinklon Thomas
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Trevor Berbick
James (Buster) Douglas
Tony Tucker
Frank Bruno
Tyrell Biggs

[Combat Talk Radio]

But Holmes came out of 2-yr retirement on a month notice. He wasn't even in shape for the fight. So it's a questionable win. Holmes was also 39.

Spinks wasn't an ATG at heavyweight. He was a career light heavyweight.

The ATGs in Tyson's era are Holyfield and Lennox (perhaps Bowe who I don't rate).

Holmes was still clearly beating dudes. He's ATG.

Once again, the thread title didn't ask about weight class. BY THE TITLE, Spinks counts.

[MastaBlasta]

Mike beat a lot of very tough, good heavyweights. There is a small finite number of ATG's period, and usually one to three at most in any era. Mike didn't get to fight Ali, beat Holmes (late in his career), never fought Foreman (mutual distancing lol) or Frazier, and lost against Lennox (mike was well past it by the time that fight happened).

However, the fashion and consistency that he displayed taking down many big, tough, good fighters ... fight after fight ... with more KO's than most get on average guys ... translated to an obvious 1st ballot HOF career.

Mike was shorter and usually lighter than over 90% of the HW's he blasted. Brutal, hard training, HW's. The HW climate was red hot and many big, talented guys were trying to get in the void left after Ali, Frazier, Foreman (for a while), Norton, and others had retired.

Look at the names and careers on Tyson's conquered list. It's no joke ... anyone who fought or followed those guys would tell you. Mike Tyson had the world in awe for a number of years, before his issues in life took him out of peak condition, training, and attitude. Had Cus d'Amato lived longer Tyson would have had an even greater and longer career.

[MastaBlasta]

Holmes was still clearly beating dudes. He's ATG.
Once again, the thread title didn't ask about weight class. BY THE TITLE, Spinks counts.

Spinks is definitely an ATG. Holmes too. The Holyfield fights get an asterisk from me ... Mike Tyson was never the same after prison, though he was definitely a huge factor at HW. He never fought with the same speed, stamina, and intensity over 12 rounds as before.

PS - I predicted Holyfield winning the 1st fight (won huge at Vegas) against ALL popular opinion at the time. Holyfield's skills, size, heart, etc were always gonna be a problem for Mike. But if Cus still had been here, Tyson wold have demolished him. (I luv Holyfield too).

[MastaBlasta]

Tyson beat who he had in front of him. People like to talk about the 80's like it was this incredible decade for the HW division. Was a great decade for boxing, but the HW division was weak. It's not like he ducked anyone. When Mike debuted in 1985 here was the top 10

Michael Spinks, Champion

Pinklon Thomas
Larry Holmes
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Gerrie Coetzee
Trevor Berbick
Carl Williams
Mike Weaver
Michael Dokes

in 1986 they were:

Michael Spinks, Champion

Mike Tyson
James (Bonecrusher) Smith
Pinklon Thomas
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Trevor Berbick
James (Buster) Douglas
Tony Tucker
Frank Bruno
Tyrell Biggs

Go back and count all the KOs those guys had ... added together. That is a fearsome bunch (at that time) in the world, believe me. Without counting anyone twice, those guys had a combined 445 Knockouts between them (not including Tyson's KO's). And some wonder why Tyson is an ATG? Wow! All those guys had 21 or more KO's. Some had over 40. Most people's hands would be forever useless if they knocked out 21 people. Let alone able to fight someone else ...

[Longhaul]

Larry holmes was the only atg he beat and a solid performance against tony tucker who i consider a hall of famer.

Tony Tucker beat a fat out of shape Douglass who gassed out for the tittle and had a win vs Oliver McCall who was 19-4 at the time.This is hall of fame credentials?When you think of a fighter who is past his prime it’s usually do to age and brutal fights where the guy has lost a step reflexes are shot.Tyson was still young most of his fights were were quick no punishment on his body.Tysons training habits where his down fall once he left Atlas .He pissed his prime away that’s a big difference than a guy who has been in war after war.Every body makes excuses for Tyson.