Mike Tyson, underrated?

Question

So much is said about Tyson outside the ring, his antics, his decline, etc. - I think that his abilites, at his peak may have become underrated; power, speed, techinique - maybe, after Ali in the mid 60's, the most dominant heavyweight champion ever.

At his best I think he stacks up favorable to almost any heavyweight champion in history.

Answer 1

Many champions are not appreciated until after they retire.  People are finally beginning to give Lennox Lewis his just due and Larry Holmes has become a bit of a hero among some of his former critics.  

To think that Tyson would not have a chance against many of the greats is just foolish.  He would easily clean up on anyone before Joe Louis and, at his best, he would have given Louis all he could handle as well.  

Johnson, Dempsey and Tunney are all great champions but Tyson was simply too big, fast and powerful for any of them.  All the champions before Johnson (and many after) didnt throw combinations like today's fighters.   All training is simply superior, though some of the lazy fighters today dont take advantage of it.   Hasim Rahman could have made a LOT of noise in the division.  So could some of the others.

Its true that Tyson would have been a hand full for any champion.  However, it is also true that he has'nt logged a win over any of the best fighters of his time.   That doesnt say how he would do ''In the RING'' against the other greats.  However, most of the grading is based on accomplishments, which is why Ali is usually at number one.  NO ONE has beaten the champion he has.  

Tyson ranks 3rd among his peers, having lost twice to Evander and his total destruction at the hands of Lewis.  Lewis ranks first because he is simply superior to Holyfield,  not as much as a fighter as he is as a heavyweight.  He is simply the only Big Man who can fight.  Wladimir isnt finished yet.  Let's see what he's got.  

Both Bowe and Tyson relied too much on the  "Im from New York" mentality, assuming that gave them some advantage over others in the ''tough'' department.  Neither lived to his potential.  Lewis is the one who is underrated.  People still say prime Tyson would have beaten Lewis.  Im not so sure.   He certatinly would have done better than he did in their actual fight.  Bowe was afraid of Lewis,  no doubt in my mind.  He ranks 4th among his peers, behind Lewis, Holyfield and Tyson.

Overall, Tyson might just be a bit underrated.   However,  he has done little to give reason to place him high on any top 10.  "IN THE RING" Tyson WOULD HAVE.  "OVERALL" he DIDN'T.

Answer 2

i agre with you on this one

Answer 3

Mike Tyson was an exciting champion. He was like a Sonny Liston, George Foreman type of fighter. He would knock out most fighters but would lose against any fighter that can take his punches.

Answer 4

Yes, he beat everyone that where put in front of him during the 80's. Not his fault he was born during the mid 60's and not the 50's.

Answer 5

TYSON WAS OVERRATED, DOUGLAS SHOWED THAT - I WILL GIVE TYSON THIS,  HIS ABILITY TO TAKE A BUTT WHIPPING FOR MORE THAT 8 RDS - U GO THRU THESE AND POST DREAM BOUTS AND SEE HOW TYSON STACKS UP - AFTER ALI AND LOUIS,  THE TOP 10 CAN BE ADJUSTED

Ali

Louis

Marciano

Holmes

Dempsey

Johnson

Foreman

Liston

Charles

Frazier

Holyfield

Lewis

Tunney

Tyson***

Walcott

Answer 6

Mike Tyson will always be the biggest "What if?" in the history of sports. At his peak from 1986-1989 with Kevin Rooney in his corner i really cannot see A prime Joe Louis,Rocky Marciano,Joe Frazier,Jack Dempsey, matching him. I think he would easily beat these guys.

The only guys that i KNOW would beat him would be George Foreman and probally Cassius Clay and Larry Holmes.

I think he would winn boring Decisions against Holyfield and Lewis. People seem to forget that if Mike beat Buster Douglas he was scheduled to fight Holyfield next for $30 million dollars and at that stage in Holyfields career and Tyson's career, Mike would have won without a doubt. The same goes for Lennox Lewis who most people forget had a china chin. If mike fought lewis in 97 the fight would be up for grabs but if they fought during tyson's prime mike would have the upper hand.

Again in his prime, his speed, combinations, and his power are very underrated. h**l even his heart was underrated, the guy took punishment from douglas and still went on to knock him down. he fought very hard against Ruddock who was the biggest threat at that time.

Answer 7

Tyson had a lot of strength and talent. Once he was knocked out he seemed fade quickly almost as if he lost strength and talent.

Answer 8

I doubt if this was still Tyson`s era he would be considered underrated. He was quite simply the man in his prime. Spinks was a cake walk. Holmes cannon fodder. Were they in their prime? Does being in your prime mean you cant get KO`ed? LOL Truth is he`d of whipped Holyfield, Douglas, and Lewis in his early years. He was a pure wrecking machine. The older guys like to boost up Ali but the truth is he was ready made for Tyson. Unlike the overgrown bully Johnson Tyson beat much larger men and he did it in style.

Answer 9

Most overrated athelete of all time.  Quick, name 2 qulaity fighters he beat.  Thats what I thought.

Answer 10

Yes. His body, as I recall, had almost no body fat. Just pure muscles. The man was extremely strong, and very quick for his size. He also had techniques. I agree that all the media stuff and his personal life really pulled down what a great boxer he was. Only if he only used fists in boxing matches...

Answer 11

During Mike's reign of terror in the heavyweight division I don't think he could have been viewed as underrated. People ( remember Michael Spinks ) were terrified of him and for good reason. I do feel that when he lost that edge he then needed to dig down deep in his character which he was not able to do. ( Think Lewis' destruction of rahman in the rematch ) I don't see how anyone could question Mike's skills. it was more his inability to overcome all the demons( read that Don King, etc ) that came his way.  BTW that is not a knock on MIke. It certainly would have been no small task to overcome considering all the tough breaks he caught regarding relationships.

Answer 12

Im the greatest of all time, b#tch.

Answer 13

Let me tell you one thing, you put any boxer in any era against Tyson when he was 22 years old and if he hit them with a clean left hook or uppercut, they were going down. I don't care who they are. Number two, everybody always says Ali was so great, yes he was a great boxer, but don't forget he lost in his prime too. Joe Frazier whooped his butt at Madison square garden and knocked him down with a nasty left hook. Imagine if Tyson hit him with a uppercut of left hook. I don't agree with what he did outside the ring, but if any of you had a life like that I doubt you would have a easy life either. Never knowing who was your friend or was looking for money. And it wasn't the knockout by buster Douglas that ended his career, it was the prison term and layoff. And I think Joe Louis would have beaten Ali to be honest with you.

Answer 14

The opponents who were not afraid to fight Tyson once they were in the ring, were the ones to beat him.  Buster Douglas show no fear and beat the c**p out of Mike.  Holyfield showed no fear and beat me.  If you had a good hard jab, to keep him off you, you could beat him.

Answer 15

Mike Tyson was  a breath of fresh air to boxing fans from 86-89,a lot of people forget that he brought boxing out of the doldrums with his sheer power and KO ability.Alot of these doubters were probably one of his fans then,but his personal difficulties and false imprisonment for an alleged rape over shadow what a great fighter he was To me he ,like Hagler,Liston,Holmes,and others were never the favorites of the stuck up press or middle class armchair boxing fans like some on the boxing forum who,frankly,may have an 'Top Contributor's' badge but don't know a great deal about boxing as they've never been in a boxing ring!For me Tyson is probably in the top 5,and I'm not bothered about the thumbs down brigade!!Blogbabba,your obviously going out of your way to attract attention with ludicrous assertions re Tyson,tell me something,does your'A level'heavyweights include Johnson?The Mummy Foreman?by any chance?it's easy to disregard any fighters opponents with the usual'fought noone argument,so who wasBonavena,Chuvalo,Bugner,Wepner,Cooper who put Ali on his rear,etc,your personal distaste for Mike rings the same as when you wrote about Camacho,maybe don't like fighters with a criminal past?Frazier wouldn't have lasted 6 rnds with Tyson,and yet  Frazier beat up Ali,your argument is deeply flawed with prejudice!!!

Answer 16

Mike Tyson was the best heavyweight boxer in the world from the time he was in his late teens until the time he was arrested for rape. That much we can say for him. He was the greatest for a number of years. The same can be said for Joe Lewis, Rocky Marciano, and Mohammad Ali. Each had a number of years where they were the best heavyweight boxers in the world. A lot of young people are not aware that Mike Tyson has degenerative arthritis in his feet and he can no longer box. They keep asking if Tyson will ever box again and the simple answer is no. Although he may attack you if you anger him.

Answer 17

I think Tyson has hired a bunch of you guys to kiss his @ss on this site just to p**s off true boxing pundits.  You can't be serious.  I rarely disagree with galactus's opinions, but most whole heartedly disagree with the answer below.  Tyson shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as most of the heavyweight greats mentioned below.  Tyson would have been totally out classed by all of them, and easily exposed as the one dimensional slugger that he was.  Against an A level heavyweight Mike was exposed as mediocre at best.

Answer 18

Thumbs up blogbaba!!! He hits this one on the head!

Mike was marketed to the public. He had good management! They paired him off as he was coming up with fighters that would make him look good.

Thats what a good management team does! Clayton, Jacobs and Cus where good management! Thats not to say Tyson stunk! Remember there wasn't a lot of talent out there.  But he was sold to everyone as "the baddest man on the planet" Others were marketed as well, Leonard, Ali, Foreman, De la Hoya, RJJ etc. The difference is the greats learn as they come up, and grow into champions! They don't get KO'd by journeyman fighters(Buster Douglas). They bite off people's ears that they can't beat!

Fact: He never beat a high quality fighter in their prime! His best years 3 were over when his best physical prime years were begining. (because he lost Cus and or Robin or he wasn't that good!) Remember Champions adapt, overcome and win! Mike didn't. He lost & his fans just make excuses for him.

As for being a dominate champ. For three yrs he beat up middle of the road or shot fighters(and a blown up Lightheavy) If a 12th grader goes and beats up the biggest kids in ninth grade,  are you impressed. Especially if he gets whupped when he gets a crack at (Holyfied) oh sorry, I meant someone his own age!