Mike Tyson: Exciting and explosive for sure, but not an ATG heavyweight

[Century Tuna]

Anyone who puts Tyson ahead of Lewis, Holyfield and Holmes is an absolute criminal. Tyson fought absolutely nobody in the prime, and got cleaned out by anyone who would hit him back. Top 20 yes, top 10 no chance.

Teddy Atlas summed Tyson up perfectly on the Joe Rogan podcast recently

When the chips were down for Tyson in a fight, he quit. He couldn’t handle adversity. He couldn’t dig deep and come back when a fight was going against him. He was fine when he was dominating and terrorising opponents but as soon as he came up against better fighters or those that weren’t intimidated, he had no plan

[Combat Talk Radio]

Tyson was an ATG Heavy - youngest HW champion in history, first to unify titles, but I do agree he wasn't "the best".

But the idea he didn't fight and beat guys in his prime?

• Tony Tucker's first loss was Tyson
• Larry Holmes - the guy who decisively beat almost everyone who beat Ali AND Ali himself - was still a heavily ducked beast when he fought Tyson, only ever really lost to some of the best to lace them up. Tyson WALKED through this monster.
• Michael Spinks, another feared beast, definition of prime, DESTROYED in one round by Tyson and never laced them up again

I can't call him the best because of how he lost when he did lose, but to dismiss his accomplishments is a joke to me.

[GorillaDog]

Tyson was an ATG Heavy - youngest HW champion in history, first to unify titles, but I do agree he wasn't "the best".

But the idea he didn't fight and beat guys in his prime?

• Tony Tucker's first loss was Tyson
• Larry Holmes - the guy who decisively beat almost everyone who beat Ali AND Ali himself - was still a heavily ducked beast when he fought Tyson, only ever really lost to some of the best to lace them up. Tyson WALKED through this monster.
• Michael Spinks, another feared beast, definition of prime, DESTROYED in one round by Tyson and never laced them up again

I can't call him the best because of how he lost when he did lose, but to dismiss his accomplishments is a joke to me.

Stop. Just Stop!
Tyson Fanboys are the Equavalent to PacHurrrDurrrs.

[N!Ck F.]

Tyson was an ATG Heavy - youngest HW champion in history, first to unify titles, but I do agree he wasn't "the best".

But the idea he didn't fight and beat guys in his prime?

• Tony Tucker's first loss was Tyson
• Larry Holmes - the guy who decisively beat almost everyone who beat Ali AND Ali himself - was still a heavily ducked beast when he fought Tyson, only ever really lost to some of the best to lace them up. Tyson WALKED through this monster.
• Michael Spinks, another feared beast, definition of prime, DESTROYED in one round by Tyson and never laced them up again

I can't call him the best because of how he lost when he did lose, but to dismiss his accomplishments is a joke to me.

Tyson’s one of my favourites and the reason I started boxing but doesn’t change the fact that he did not have heart. He was not a blood and guts warrior. He was not an Arturo Gatti. He was not a joe Frazier. He was the bully at the playground.
And how was Holmes a feared and ducked heavyweight, to lazy to check but I’m fairly certain Holmes was 38 and hadn’t fought in 2 years.

[HOUDINI563]

Tyson was not a ATG as to be an ATG a hwt champion has to show ATG will to win and the ability to rise to beat adversity. Tyson was a bully with a bullies mentality.

Also he won a political title at a young age but did not become hwt champion UNTIL he beat Spinks which was years later. Political titles are meaningless and do not compare to as an example Ali beating Liston or Louis beating Braddock to win the true title.

Tucker was never hwt champion. Period.

Holmes was no monster when Tyson fought him. He was a rusty old hwt WAYYYYY past his prime.

Spinks was never considered a “beast”. He was light hwt champion who was able to outbox an old Holmes.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Anyone who puts Tyson ahead of Lewis, Holyfield and Holmes is an absolute criminal. Tyson fought absolutely nobody in the prime, and got cleaned out by anyone who would hit him back. Top 20 yes, top 10 no chance.

Teddy Atlas summed Tyson up perfectly on the Joe Rogan podcast recently

When the chips were down for Tyson in a fight, he quit. He couldn’t handle adversity. He couldn’t dig deep and come back when a fight was going against him. He was fine when he was dominating and terrorising opponents but as soon as he came up against better fighters or those that weren’t intimidated, he had no plan

Pretty much agree with this...
Tyson’s resume is very overrated as well

[Tatabanya]

When the chips were down for Tyson in a fight, he quit. He couldn’t handle adversity. He couldn’t dig deep and come back when a fight was going against him. He was fine when he was dominating and terrorising opponents but as soon as he came up against better fighters or those that weren’t intimidated, he had no plan

Atlas was probably confusing Tyson with Andrew Golota.

[Tatabanya]

Tyson started quitting only in the final part of his career, he just didn't give a fùck anymore and was full of drugs, fighting just for the money.

I can't remember him "quitting" in the Douglas and the first Holyfield fights. He took his beatings like a man in both cases. Same against Lennox Lewis, a fight in which he was just a corpse.

Of course everybody will mention the bite fight now. I still believe that Tyson would have knocked Holyfield out that night had he not snapped. But his mind was not there anymore, already.

We can call Tyson a "potential ATG" based on his 1986-1988 era, but the post-jail Tyson was a severely diminished fighter.

[HOUDINI563]

Not fighting to win is a form of quitting.

[Tatabanya]

Not fighting to win is a form of quitting.

He had quit life, basically. I believe everybody should listen again to his post-fight interview after the McBride fight. That sums it all up quite nicely.