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In reply to the discussion: So how good a boxer was Mike Tyson? [View all]
 

brush

(61,033 posts)
6. Buster Douglas was the boxer who beat him in Japan
Sat Aug 7, 2021, 06:52 PM
Aug 2021

You're right about most of your arguments. Tyson had a great punch but as you say, he was on the small side for heavyweights in height and reach. He wouldn't have made it in the 60s-70s, the golden age of the heavyweights. What with Ali, Liston, Frazier, Lyle, Shavers, Foreman, Holmes, Norton, Young, even Quarrie... all of them would done well against Tyson. And some like Shavers, Lyle, Liston and Foreman had punches to match or best Tyson's. And Holmes, Liston and Ali had the best jabs ever seen. Holmes and Liston had the great, straight power jabs while Ali had the fastest, flicking and repeating jab ever.

IMO Tyson would've fell to them as he did with Douglas and Holyfield as none of them would been afraid of him as they all fought each other without dodging fights.

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I think Foreman was a harder puncher - although Tyson had a lethal walkingman Aug 2021 #1
Ali in his prime was the greatest boxer ever. His speed was unbelievable. JohnSJ Aug 2021 #2
Hey, when you bite a guy's ear off because you are losing, u b overrated. Hoyt Aug 2021 #3
His combination of speed and power was pretty devastating. BlueTsunami2018 Aug 2021 #4
He was good in his prime, not great ... but he was SCARY that was his thing Hugh_Lebowski Aug 2021 #5
Buster Douglas was the boxer who beat him in Japan brush Aug 2021 #6
Buster Douglas showed the world Tyson could be beaten. Prof. Toru Tanaka Aug 2021 #7
Exactly right about Shavers' punching power. And don't forget... brush Aug 2021 #8
You are spot on about there being a lot of great heavyweights in those decades. Prof. Toru Tanaka Aug 2021 #10
Yep, the 80s was the time of Leonard, Hagler, Duran, Benitez, Pryor... brush Aug 2021 #13
Don't forget Thomas Hearns. His fight with Hagler featured the best first round in history. Marcuse Aug 2021 #19
Of course, of course. How could I forget Tommie Hearns. brush Aug 2021 #21
Thanks, Tomconroy and Everyone, for the interesting discussion on this Drum Aug 2021 #9
Nothing cooler than old guys talking about boxing! Tomconroy Aug 2021 #11
There is much to be learned from such guys Drum Aug 2021 #12
Once Cuss D'Amato died Tyson fell apart Bristlecone Aug 2021 #14
This message was self-deleted by its author Bristlecone Aug 2021 #15
I'll defer to Teddy Atlas on this topic, and he says Tyson was a better hammer than a nail True Dough Aug 2021 #16
I think Tyson was the greatest knockout specialist I've ever seen and I'm ever likely to see. Iggo Aug 2021 #17
The 60s and 70s had several fighters who would've beaten Tyson. brush Aug 2021 #22
There were some really good fighters in all classes back in the day. But Dan Aug 2021 #18
It figures that King is a trumper. Marcuse Aug 2021 #20
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