Comments Thread For: Holyfield Breaks Down His Strategy in Upset of Mike Tyson

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield explained that he made a key decision to pull off his upset victory of Mike Tyson back in 1996. A huge underdog coming, Holyfield dropped and eventually stopped Tyson in the eleventh round to capture the heavyweight championship for a third time.
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[KingTito]

Great insight. Mike knew he was in the ring with someone who did not give a **** about him.

[Tatabanya]

Razor Ruddock, too, hit Tyson hard and often, but Tyson went nowhere. His style had already deteriorated into that of a slugger, but enough of Mike's mind was still there.

After jail time, that was no more. Holyfield knows this very well.

[GrandpaBernard]

Great insight. Mike knew he was in the ring with someone who did not give a **** about him.

Yeah shows boxing is a mental game on top of being a physical game

HF used psychology on Mike

[lion33lit]

Was the holding while pushing him back with your head in his face part of the strategy??

[Blond Beast]

Was the holding while pushing him back with your head in his face part of the strategy??

I just rewatched it. Mike never had any problem clinching after he lunged in, in any fight. Holy would walk him to the ropes, but Tyson was fine with that. Mike liked a few feet of space to lunge in with a 1-2, or sometimes even just a 1. He often looked to the ref to separate in fights. He rarely ever fought to get out. This let the ref create a bit of space where Mike could lunge in again. Not a bad strategy for Mike. The “headbutt”, Tyson was the one who lunged in and Holyfield ducked to his right, Holy didn’t make any move forward. Their heads collided, but that’s from Mikes momentum. Holy just slipped the punch. Watch it. Tyson was the one getting beat up and slowing down. He was the one that would slam into Holy. Holy counter punched Mike all night, he didn’t block and clinch. He slipped and fired back. Research the fight. Be honest with yourself. Watch the knockdown. Mike lunging in, Holy standing his ground, countering. I bet you bet on Mike in the rematch.

[Dip_Slide]

I think Mike wasn't near the same guy he was when he was champion in the 80s, but Holyfield wasn't at his absolute best either, but considering styles, Mike's deterioration was a lot worse. Also when you look at the physiques when they fought, Mike was even less muscular than he was when he was 21 whereas Holyfield was huge, no way Holyfield got to this physique and that stamina naturally. Of course nobody was natural at that time, but Holyfield was clearly on some real hardcore stuff.

Holyfield's strategy was great, it's the same strategy Buster Douglas used on Mike years back. He stood up to Mike, but i'm pretty sure any top fighter would've done a job on Mike during that period too, Mike fought nobody elite in his comeback and that was the first real fight he had in 6 years and it showed that he had nothing left, he had lost interest in the game in 1990 already and was going through the motions ever since.

[Ant1979]

Holyfield couldn't begin to come close to doing the kind of damage to Tyson that he did to himself.

[TBear]

It doesn't mention that he spent hours sparring with David Tua?

True, as I have a video of there sparring secession.

[Patsfan bri]

Holyfield is one of my all time favorites. A true throwback fighter who had a great chin, and would fight anyone. He was about proving he that he wanted to be the best.