mike fought so much moreTyson captured people's attention and Imagination. It was a show and he was the star. Much like Conor is doing now.
Not only the greatest HW, but arguably the greatest boxer in any weight classTyson's best wins are probably a LHW Spinks and 39 yr old Larry Holmes? surely no one rates him as one of the greatest HW's ever
I destroyed him with Manny Pacquiao during the PS2 eraNot only the greatest HW, but arguably the greatest boxer in any weight class
True but Mike was able to capture the attention of the masses. His fights were events that people came together to partake in...many who couldn't have cared less about boxing. That is what made him so intriguing...well that, and him being a straight up killer.Tyson's best wins are probably a LHW Spinks and 39 yr old Larry Holmes? surely no one rates him as one of the greatest HW's ever
He's a boxing legend because of the impact he had in the hearts and minds of men (lol) and not so much for his actual boxing accomplishments. He was (and still is?) the youngest HW champion of all time but when you look at his opponents back then you can see how he managed to pull it off. He basically came into the sport at a time when it was transitioning from one great era to the next one which was pretty great too in hindsight, and once that division got some quality, Tyson fell off (the rape conviction didn't help ofc)True but Mike was able to capture the attention of the masses. His fights were events that people came together to partake in...many who couldn't have cared less about boxing. That is what made him so intriguing...well that, and him being a straight up killer.
Hard to disagree with any of that.He's a boxing legend because of the impact he had in the hearts and minds of men (lol) and not so much for his actual boxing accomplishments. He was (and still is?) the youngest HW champion of all time but when you look at his opponents back then you can see how he managed to pull it off. He basically came into the sport at a time when it was transitioning from one great era to the next one which was pretty great too in hindsight, and once that division got some quality, Tyson fell off (the rape conviction didn't help ofc)
I don't think we ever saw Prime Tyson. We saw Tyson just entering his prime while still being trained by Kevin Rooney, then came the madness that ensued after he left Rooney (his last connection to D'Amato), i.e. lapses in training, and failing to work on issues noted by Rooney earlier in Mike's career, like his susceptibility to uppercuts. The non-stop partying and loss to Buster Douglas was followed by a stretch in prison during what would've been his prime years as a boxer, had everything gone according to plan. In the end, we got a version of Mike that was never quite the same as the guy we watched on that initial title run. Lennox Lewis is probably the greatest heavyweight of his generation. Larry Holmes would be the greatest heavyweight of his generation, post-Ali, pre-D'Amato era Tyson's relatively short reign.Prime Tyson > Prime Ali
Tyson captured people's attention and Imagination. It was a show and he was the star. Much like Conor is doing now.
Totally agree.I don't think we ever saw Prime Tyson. We saw Tyson just entering his prime while still being trained by Kevin Rooney, then came the madness that ensued after he left Rooney (his last connection to D'Amato), i.e. lapses in training, and failing to work on issues noted by Rooney earlier in Mike's career, like his susceptibility to uppercuts. The non-stop partying and loss to Buster Douglas was followed by a stretch in prison during what would've been his prime years as a boxer, had everything gone according to plan. In the end, we got a version of Mike that was never quite the same as the guy we watched on that initial title run. Lennox Lewis is probably the greatest heavyweight of his generation. Larry Holmes would be the greatest heavyweight of his generation, post-Ali, pre-D'Amato era Tyson's relatively short reign.
I was basing the susceptibility to uppercuts on comments made by Rooney both during and immediately after some of Mike's fights. Fights that he won by the way, so even in victory, Rooney and team Tyson (pre-Don King) were still focused on improving Mike's boxing.Totally agree.
I had to retract my "winner" in case I'm wrong; I'm leaving room for error.
But this is exactly how I see it, as far as Tyson's prime. I don't know about his susceptibility to uppercuts, I saw one of his biggest weaknesses as leaving his feet when he threw.
yepI don't think we ever saw Prime Tyson. We saw Tyson just entering his prime while still being trained by Kevin Rooney, then came the madness that ensued after he left Rooney (his last connection to D'Amato), i.e. lapses in training, and failing to work on issues noted by Rooney earlier in Mike's career, like his susceptibility to uppercuts. The non-stop partying and loss to Buster Douglas was followed by a stretch in prison during what would've been his prime years as a boxer, had everything gone according to plan. In the end, we got a version of Mike that was never quite the same as the guy we watched on that initial title run. Lennox Lewis is probably the greatest heavyweight of his generation. Larry Holmes would be the greatest heavyweight of his generation, post-Ali, pre-D'Amato era Tyson's relatively short reign.
Few had the Craft and skills of young MikeGOAT Heavyweight (based purely on skill when he was at his best, not on individual accomplishments per se)