(For the 30+ users.) What was your opinion on Tyson when he was coming up?

[MAXWELL_]

you're 55 too. THat is pretty good considering you were lifting in what, the 70s?

i was a sophmore in highschool in '68

[-CANE-]

Lewis was also a adapter in the ring. When I saw Wlad face Chris Byrd he was confused for a few rounds.

Exactly right. Lewis fought every concievable type of fighter and adapted his tactics for each one. Lewis could do it all and I think is underrated by a lot. He is also given a bad rap for his chin which I think while not granite was very good and stood upto many great punchers. He got stopped when not focused and that was his only weakness, against inferior opposition he switched off. But against very good and great fighters he was so hard to beat and one of the greatest of all time.

[Verstyle]

Exactly right. Lewis fought every concievable type of fighter and adapted his tactics for each one. Lewis could do it all and I think is underrated by a lot. He is also given a bad rap for his chin which I think while not granite was very good and stood upto many great punchers. He got stopped when not focused and that was his only weakness, against inferior opposition he switched off. But against very good and great fighters he was so hard to beat and one of the greatest of all time.

He's very underrated fighter.

[micky_knox]

I loved him he truly was awesome back in the day,his prime was sadly short but it was explosive.
I dont know where he belongs in the list of greats but i firmly believe that he does belong

[Feint]

Wow, where to start?

He got everyone, even non-boxing fans talking about boxing again. The general public considered him the toughest man on the planet and boxing fans were inclined to agree. After he unified the titles debates started on who would win, him or Ali and Ali usually lost. In fact, people stopped talking about who could beat him but rather would you take a million dollars just to step in the ring with him. Songs were created about him, his fights were the lead of all sports stories, and his name became a slang term for being knocked out.

After he lost to Buster Douglas they preempted TV shows just to break the news. I remembered it being the biggest shock I ever had as a fan up to that that point, as the idea of him loosing was incomprehensible.

He really was something else and it was a shame to see it all slip away like it did.

[grayfist]

Having seen Sonny Liston, I was initially skeptical about Mike Tyson. No socks, no robe... the glare. I thought they were all there to conceal a nagging weakness. I thought it was just a matter of little time when an Ali-like figure shall come along and expose him.

But when he picked up belts like he was going through his garden picking flowers, he had me convinced.

[weepaul]

I had watched a lot of fights as I got into boxing very young and on the way up and when he won the title I was in awe of the young man and anyone who say's any different is probably lying. Yes the division wasn't as strong as in some other eras but the way he dispatched his opponents was so exhilerating.

I never thought him unbeatable though and as early as the Tucker fight used to say a fit motivated Witherspoon had the tools to give him a good fight or even beat him. As good as Tyson was even back then I saw a fighter that for some reason could only fight at that ferocity and intensity for 5 rounds and then seemed to lose interest and neglect everything he was great at.

And then much later came to realise he just never had the mental tougness and true heart of a warrior like Holyfield. Don't get me wrong he was by no means a quitter and always took his beatings like a man but he never dug as deep as he could of.

Had he the concentration levels to fight for 12 rounds and a heart as big as a lion he could have been the best. But I will allways be grateful to the young man that totally turned the sport around and gave it some much needed life especially the lacklustre heavyweight division. Heavyweight boxing is now worse than when Tyson was arriving on the scene and it is crying out for a new superstar.

I cannot believe that you thought Witherspoon had a chance against Tyson.

When I watched Tyson in his prime, I thought the exact same thing!!

Witherspoon had a very good chin and stamina. I always thought his mauling style could give Tyson trouble.

I also thought Oliver McCall could give him trouble due to his granite chin and his countless hours sparring with Tyson. McCall apparently decked him pretty badly during one of their workouts.

[MaFu MoFo]

Tyson = Scary Bully

[weepaul]

I had watched a lot of fights as I got into boxing very young and on the way up and when he won the title I was in awe of the young man and anyone who say's any different is probably lying. Yes the division wasn't as strong as in some other eras but the way he dispatched his opponents was so exhilerating.

I never thought him unbeatable though and as early as the Tucker fight used to say a fit motivated Witherspoon had the tools to give him a good fight or even beat him. As good as Tyson was even back then I saw a fighter that for some reason could only fight at that ferocity and intensity for 5 rounds and then seemed to lose interest and neglect everything he was great at.

And then much later came to realise he just never had the mental tougness and true heart of a warrior like Holyfield. Don't get me wrong he was by no means a quitter and always took his beatings like a man but he never dug as deep as he could of.

Had he the concentration levels to fight for 12 rounds and a heart as big as a lion he could have been the best. But I will allways be grateful to the young man that totally turned the sport around and gave it some much needed life especially the lacklustre heavyweight division. Heavyweight boxing is now worse than when Tyson was arriving on the scene and it is crying out for a new superstar.

I cannot believe that you thought Witherspoon had a chance against Tyson.

When I watched Tyson in his prime, I thought the exact same thing!!

Witherspoon had a very good chin and stamina. I always thought his mauling style could give Tyson trouble.

I also thought Oliver McCall could give him trouble due to his granite chin and his countless hours sparring with Tyson. McCall apparently decked him pretty badly during one of their workouts.

[Wiley Hyena]

I thought he was a powerfully skilled and very aggressive boxer. But, when he realized he could make millions by fighting tomato cans, I lost respect for him. It was at this point that I realized that he didn't have the stuff of champions. Evander Holyfield proved that he was the true champion of that era.