From the most unbiased point of view, how great was Mike Tyson?

Question

Was he one of the greatest heavyweights of all time?

Or was he overrated and got in trouble when he found it his opponent werent afraid of him?(Douglas and Holyfield)

Answer 1

No,  he had a brief run but not one of the greatest

Answer 2

I think he was a great but certainly not the greatest as you have mentioned when he got in against fighters that werent petrified of him he got found out. He bought a lot of excitement to the game and will always be one of the most talked about fighters of all time. I would have to say he is in my eyes probably the biggest waste of talent that we have ever seen in a boxing ring, the young (Cus D'Mato) Mike had the makings of being the greatest Heavyweight of all time but his mental strength let him down badly and so did the people around him, i would probably rate him lucky to get into the top ten Heavyweights of alltime i would maybe have him somewhere between 10 and 15 if i am honest and that amazes me because of how much i used to be in awe of him and how much i loved watching him fight when i was younger.

Answer 3

He was quicker than any heavyweight i have ever seen, quick with power!

Answer 4

Obviously Tyson was a great fighter but if anyone could force him to fight backward he was done.  Douglas, Evander and Lennox just stopped Tyson from his game and he had no option B.  Tyson was good but not on the scale of Ali, Holmes, Frazier, Foreman etc.

Answer 5

One of the things IMO (I'm a boxer) that set Mike back was not only the influence of Don King but primarily the firing of Kevin Rooney.  Kevin was a part of Cus D'Mato's circle and he was let go when Mike fired Bill Cayton in favor of Don King.  

This lead to Mike having terrible training habits and at times totally inept cornermen (Aaron Snowell who was in his corner during the Douglas loss) or just ever changing cornermen(Jay Bright, Snowell, Tommy Brooks, Richie Giacheti, Ronnie Shields, Freddie Roach, Jeff Fenech). I don't care who you are, you can't build consistency if you're constantly changing your corner. Think of any successful sports franchise and you'll see a consistent coach/mgr.

Mike was so good that at times he could askew good boxing habits like a jab. This unfortunately was his undoing as he became very predicable upon his release from prison (he would lead with right hands instead of setting his punches up).

His power, balance, speed and head movement during his prime were unreal for a heavyweight.  He could make you miss and counter you with an utterly vicious shot.  He was far from overrated.  Another thing is he had an incredible chin.  

Again, his problems stemmed from inconsistent training habits and trainers, veering away from his fundamental base and totally relying on his power and stamina issues.

Answer 6

nobody is unbised.

I think he cudda been the greatest, but too muc of his mony went up his nose and screwt his career.

Now he is a bloted crack addict and dies soon.

Answer 7

If Tyson could have kept his head on right he could have kept his greatness.

Answer 8

He was something to see he was like a comet he set the sky on fire but only for a short while but if you ever saw him you would never forget him. I guess we,re all a little mad at Mike for flaming out so quickly it,s just like after Michael Jordan retired we have been looking for the next one by the way we found him his name is Kobe now another  Mike is another story.Let me put it this way who would you rather fight Ali or Mike Tyson Give me Ali any day at lest you know that your head will still be on after wake up in the hospital

Answer 9

in my opinion Tyson was probably the one of the best heavy weights i ever seen.i rank him in at least top 10- 20 in heavy weights of all time.because there was alot other guys who did good and didn't go through so much ....but overall his outside problems seemed to be bigger than his problems in the ring he was a trouble maker check out his record till d'amato saved him.....i consider him one of the greatest boxers of all time because of what he did ..making opponents fear him.not everyone can do that.. the Douglas fight lost was basically because his lack of training.and in got to his mind..he thought he could beat Douglas without proper training..with the death of his trainer d'amato and firing of Rooney..we started to get the feeling iron mike  was head the wrong path..it so happens Douglas mother had just died and he was in a emotion run..and beat Tyson. for the fight with douglas tyson wasn't in best shape him himself..he started become a lazy..fighter and we all know what happened..Evander holyfield was a good fighter but if u seen sum of his fights he head butted alot..thats the only thing i never liked about holyfield ..obviously Tyson didn't like that either that why he did what he did..i not saying that justifys what he did with the ear incident cuz it got way over border with that...but u got look at his view of it how would u feel getting head butt often and not getting the call..he obviously lost it...plus when u get head butted it can make u dizzy..

he did have trouble with opponents bigger than him...but we all knew Tyson wasn't the same after he came out of jail..he lost the heart and soul to fight...the jail time really hurt him the most of would say..more than a lost because even the best lose at least once.. we all know that..but the jail.time..was what changed him..

Answer 10

He is ranked about #25 on the all-time heavyweights list.

Answer 11

yes he was one of the greatest heavyweights of all time,achieved mor by the time he was 20 than some of the so called'historians'on Yahoo Answers will achieve if they live to be 120!some of the more obnoxious punters on here,no names mentioned,are secret admirers of Mike and would run a country mile if faced with him!Theodore'Teddy'Atlas never goes anywhere without bodyguards if he knows Tyson is around haha!!Great champion and I believe one of the most entertaining boxers of all time!

Answer 12

im gona keep this short and sweet ...mike tyson kicks *** and if u p**s him off ..h**l bite ya ear off !!

lol

Answer 13

he was amongst the greatest heavyweights of all times when he fought. nobody disrespects him b/c of his boxing record rather b/c he is a miserable excuse for a human being

Answer 14

i think he was extremely great, he fought all of the best and knocked them out. i hate these guys like bert sugar who hang off the nuts of guys like marciano. who the **** did marciano beat to be considered great. tyson one of the all time best.

Answer 15

Mike Tyson appeared to be unbeatable particularly early in his career with many devastating knockouts particularly over Berbick, Spinks and an aging Larry Holmes.  He had great speed and power and was a very intimidating fighter.  Personal problems started happening with him particularly with Robin Givens who embarrassed him on television.  Then he fought a very motivated and disciplined fighter in Buster Douglas who was dedicating the fight to his late mother who had passed and received a beating as Douglas showed no fear at all of Iron Mike who was probably not mentally focused for this fight and others afterwards.  Of course soon after he lost twice to Holyfield and to Lewis never to regain his Heavyweight title.  His record is a very good one and he was once one of the most feared men in boxing similar to the legacy fo Sonny Liston.  When you look at his career objectively, there are two sides.  The first side of it he was a wrecking ball that beat any opponent that stood in his path.  The second part is a sad one with him unraveling when the chips were down pure and simple.  Overall a very good fighter, but not a top 10 based on his record against the very best fighters during his prime.

Answer 16

Mike Tyson KOed a bunch of C and B rated fighters in spectacular fashion, was clearly the best marketed fighter of all time, but never beat an in their prime top quality fighter.  

I consider Mike a tragic figure in boxing with an immense potential that never actually was fulfilled.  The best wins on Mike's record were over a middle aged Larry Holmes and a terrified light heavyweight in Spinks.  Mike never even fought Lewis or Holyfield in their primes, they were both well past prime when they beat Mike.  A level fighters like David Tua, Ike Ibeauchi, Riddick Bowe or Michael Moorer, never fought Mike, so quality opponents were available, they, for whatever the reason just never fought Mike.  A part of true boxing greatness is found as much in a fighters opponents as it is the fighter themselves sometimes, and Mike's career was clearly lacking quality wins over A level fighters.  

The respect due a heavyweight champion was/is difficult to give to Tyson simply because Mike's behavior was so disrespectful.  The obvious mental instability  inspired fear and contempt in others, sometimes even pity for Tyson, but never admiration or respect.  Mike's own behavior was his worst enemy, and the simple truth is that Mike wasn't good enough to be mentioned with boxing's all time greats.

Tyson was good, he was never great.