Tyson comment: Agree or Disagree?

Question

On His Time in Prison

"You have to understand, Frank Bruno would not have been champion if I had not been in prison. Oliver McCall would not have been champion if I had not been in prison. A lot of these guys would not have been champion. Michael Moorer would not have been champion. Those guys would not have been champion if I had been around. They would have had no legacy. None of those guys would have had a legacy."

"I would have been in shape. I would have been active. Holyfield, those guys wouldn't have been champion when I was around, but I went away for four or five years inactive and that made them competitive for a time."

"But you really have to look at the science of the situation. You guys come here to talk and report but you don't actually look at the facts of what this business is all about. The best thing that happened to those guys and they should stand on their mother's shoulders and kiss my *** because I went to prison or they would not be existing right now. They'd be a flash in the pan and would have made some money and opened up a restaurant or bar somewhere where they live at."

Answer 1

Well, yeah, Bruno, McCall and Moorer were flashes in a pan.  They're not in Tyson's class and were just lucky  to have snatched alphabet versions of the heavyweight title while Mike was locked up.  But with Evander Holyfield, I'd have to disagree with his comments.  Tyson himself knew that Evander's got skills, he's got a BIG heart for fighting, and most of all, he's not scared of him.  We all knew that Evander beat Tyson twice after Mike's incarceration.  But I do believe that even if Tyson hadn't gone to jail and lost all those peak years, Holyfield would've still beaten him.  Ever since Tyson got rid of his trainer Kevin Rooney in '88, he'd already lost his fighting edge.  Of course, he was still faster, quicker and stronger than any other heavyweight around, but his once vaunted skills had started to diminish by then.  He no longer moved his head, he didn't jab and simply looked to land that one big punch instead of letting loose those fast, devastating combinations.  Most of all, he became lax in training.  One guy, the 42-1 underdog named Buster Douglas, used that to his advantage and destroyed Tyson in 1990 - two years before he went to jail.  Yes, it's true that those guys he mentioned went to the top while he was away, but I'd say that even if he'd not gone to jail, Tyson was on the way down by the start of the 90's decade.  Douglas beat him.  Holyfield, and yes, Riddick Bowe, whom he'd failed to mention, would've beaten him too.

Answer 2

Good question for a change on here!Spot on by Tyson as well.Of course the Trolls will thumb me down so Ill make this short,Tyson's comment here is fair and accurate and Id agree 100% on his assertion,

Answer 3

The error in his logic is this: He wasn't stripped of his title when he went to prison. He was beaten SOUNDLY by James "Buster" Douglas. Douglas didn't just get a lucky punch in but he had won nearly every round up until he knocked out Tyson. Tyson was in a decline, he lacked discipline and he was out of control. Had he not went to prison for what he went in for he would have surely went to prison for something else. He thought he was above the law, untouchable and able to do whatever pleased him. Nobody needs to thank him for going to jail. Holyfield did what Tyson didn't he beat Buster Douglas and that wouldn't have changed. Douglas not only beat Tyson but he layed out a perfect blueprint on how to beat him. This is a blueprint that Lennox Lewis admits he used to beat Tyson years later because even after all those years Tyson didn't bother to learn. Had he learned from his loss maybe he could thank Buster Douglas for making him a better fighter but Tyson was never the same after that.

Answer 4

All the talk in the world, plus 10 bucks, might get you an iced  raspberry mocha frappachino latte at Starbucks.  All we have to go on is what happened in the ring:  Tyson lost to every capable, athletic and unafraid primed fighter he fought.  I know it's within a fighter's psychology to make excuses, it's what helps them do a job that can get them killed.  But Mike's career showed his true colors.  When Douglas, Holyfield and Lewis fought back, Mike Tyson took a nap.  h**l, he even quit against Danny Williams and some dude named McBride.

Answer 5

I agree with most of what he said Bruno, McCall and Moorer wouldent have been champion if Tyson had been around at that time. He briefly mentions Holyfeild though and although Tyson wasent as good after being in prison, i still think Holyfeild could have had his number even if he hadent gone down.

Answer 6

Funny, I always thought Tyson ducked guys like Tua, McCall, Moorer because they didn't tremble in fear at the mention of Mike's name.  The facts are as ElmerFuddstien stated in his answer, Tyson never beat a A level heavyweight during his career and lost to Douglas in his prime.

Michael Moorer, David Tua or Oliver McCall would have beaten Mike, and I think their legacy's would have been even better if they would have fought Mike because Mike wouldn't have beaten any of them.

I disagree, Mike's prison time only effected Mike's legacy, no one else's.

Answer 7

Though it sounds like a typical Tyson rant he does have a point.  I think his best chance to beat Holyfield would have been if they had fought in 91 as they were scheduled to before Tyson was locked up.  

As time passed Holyfield's career became like a rollercoaster.  There were the fights with Lennox and Bowe and his few lack luster performances against B-rate competition.  He did well against the better fighters in the division.  

One other thing Evander will always have over Tyson, besides the two wins, is that he fought EVERYONE.  There are a few he never got around to, like McCall and Ruddock but, by the time Evander made his mark in the division those guys were on the way out.  Strangely enough either of them would have been a hand full for Evander.  He certainly has Tyson's number but I dont think he would beat everyone that Tyson beat.  Styles make fights.  Evander would have his hands full with Razor Ruddock.  

As for the others Tyson mentioned,  he was right about most of it.  I always felt he wasn't very interested in fighting McCall.  I witnessed their sparring session (one of them) and it was bloody,  for both.   Oliver fought HARD and was asked to leave camp Tyson.  

Tyson certainly would have made more of his career had he not gone to jail.   He should have fought Lewis, Moore and Holyfield earlier.  He might have had a shot against the younger Lewis as he peaked late.  Prime Lewis has it all over Tyson.

Answer 8

He makes a few good points prison definetely took a lot out of him however he had already declined before he went to prison, he had fired rooney and was no longer training with the same intensity of before, he was distracted by other problems and worried more about partying and s*x than actually preparing for a fight, perhaps had he not gone to prison he could have avenged his loss to douglas and beaten bruno,moorer and the other guys with the exception of Holyfield (although it would have been a  very good fight to watch) there is some truth to his statement however it is not an excuse, Ali had been away from the ring and he still managed to come back and prove himself.

Answer 9

Hate him or Love him..... the fact remains if this is Tyson of the Rooney trained era, then yeah.......he'd destroy all challengers...height meant nothing because rooney knew how to train Mike to fight at optimum...there would'nt of been a Buster Douglas a Evander Holyfield or BOWE OR LENNOX.......here's why we know Lennox got better because of Stewart well the McCall ko wouldnt of happen it would of been a Ko via Mike Tyson...and as spectacular as Bowe vs Holyfield was mike would of broke Holyfields body down (his weakness) and broke bowes will much the way he did Tyrell Biggs....he would of scared Mercer who admittedly said Mike is his only fear, yep i heard it on Tuesday Night Fights...so there would of been some good fights for him but overall Mighty Mike Tyson wins...........