When did Tyson's prime end?

[IronDanHamza]

That would have been interesting. How does Mike get to George?

Probably doesn't.

Would be a tough fight for him I'd imagine.

[Sugarj]

Good post, I agree with everything.

70s and 90s are considered the best heavy division eras, but 70s are considered the best because the top guys fought each other at perfect timing. Whereas the 90s the big fights were always delayed by years, sometimes 5 or more years in some cases.. Holyfield-foreman and Holyfield-bowe were about the only 2 major fights that got made in quick fashion.

Ideally the 90s would have given us

Tyson-Holyfield 90
Tyson-Holyfield 2 91
Bowe-Holyfield 92
Tyson-bowe 93
Bowe-Lennox 94

Or something along those lines

I've always felt that the Tyson who beat Ruddock may have still had too much for Holyfield at that time.

I daresay I'd also pick early 90s Bowe over Lewis.

[ShoulderRoll]

I daresay I'd also pick early 90s Bowe over Lewis.

I too would pick the Riddick Bowe of the 1st Holyfield fight to beat Lennox Lewis.

[Sugarj]

I too would pick the Riddick Bowe of the 1st Holyfield fight to beat Lennox Lewis.

Bowe was brilliant that night wasn't he!? What made it such a great performance was that Holyfield was clearly at his best too (maybe not tactically. But definitely in terms of speed, conditioning, heart and combination punching).

It was such a complete performance. Bowe was great on the outside, commanding on the inside, plus his distance stamina and workrate was terrific for one of the larger heavyweights.

It's a shame we didn't see this Bowe very often.....he might well have dominated the 90s with a more consistent work ethic.

[ShoulderRoll]

Bowe was brilliant that night wasn't he!? What made it such a great performance was that Holyfield was clearly at his best too (maybe not tactically. But definitely in terms of speed, conditioning, heart and combination punching).

It was such a complete performance. Bowe was great on the outside, commanding on the inside, plus his distance stamina and workrate was terrific for one of the larger heavyweights.

It's a shame we didn't see this Bowe very often.....he might well have dominated the 90s with a more consistent work ethic.

Eddie Futch was a tremendous trainer. What could have been if Bowe had the required discipline and desire to stick to the program...

[rightsideup]

one week after the spinks fight

[Pigeons]

Desiree Washington

[Sugarj]

Eddie Futch was a tremendous trainer. What could have been if Bowe had the required discipline and desire to stick to the program...

He certainly had all the tools and talent. Plenty of charisma too! Shame...

[Dempsey-Louis]

Probably doesn't.

Would be a tough fight for him I'd imagine.

Tyson may well have walked into an uppercut. Big George missed a big one against Holyfield in the second round; Tyson might well have been in its range.

I think the Bonecrusher Smith fight shows that Tyson (even at that time) could be neutralized; unlike Smith, Foreman may have been able to land a few big shots as well.

(Smith did have one big punch in the very last round; it took him 15 rounds to let his hands go; he fought scared the whole fight, Foreman wouldn't have.)

I liked Big George's chances against Tyson, better than against Holyfield.

[OctoberRed]

I liked Big George's chances against Tyson, better than against Holyfield.

So did I, but very few shared my feelings on the subject.