Mike Tyson vs. David Tua

[Benny Leonard]

To be fair to both, I'm pitting Tyson up to Spinks and Tua up to Ibeabuchi. I don't think either was the same after those fights: Tyson because he left Rooney and stopped training properly and because Tua was in a war with Ibeabuchi and didn't seem exactly the same afterwards which his weight going up and down (to me) was a sign; which goes with his productivity in the ring.


I'm a bit surprised how many people picked Tyson by KO. Tyson had some advantages to help him with a KO, like the uppercut and brutal body blows that could bring Tua's hands down to set up the head-shots. One thing Tua did well as a pro was to keep his chin tucked to his chest which helped him take shots. Tyson could probably expose this more than some of the others given his closeness in height to Tua and his ability to uppercut under the gloves which can be set up by body-shots first, but I still wouldn't favor a KO.

Tyson would have to worry about the left-hook but he did well himself against Ruddock's left-hook and hybrid uppercut, which was more deceptive and faster than Tua's by far. But Tyson did get stunned by Ruddock also...although overall, given the shots he took, it was impressive he didn't get knocked out in either match. But his performance in those two fights weren't that impressive either. But I wouldn't count that as the same exact Tyson leading up to Spinks.

I could see a Prime Tyson using the jab in this fight given the height/size of both. Much easier to jab someone like Tua than the likes of Tucker (even though he did quite well).


Tyson KO over Tua is possible but I wouldn't favor it so I won't vote for it.
I would favor Tyson by Decision Win in a tough fight.

[Boogie Nights]

If Lennox Lewis and Ike Ibeabuchi couldn't get him out of there in 12 rounds each, Tyson isn't going to either.

yeah because as we all know Lennox does not box behind a jab, instead he goes in for a kill much like a young tyson does early on, correct?

*shakes head*

and now ibeabuchi is a harder puncher than Tyson? Quite frankly im not surprised at any of those Gavin, i thought that you might come down a little rougher a little more slimey. little mellow today, arent we?

im not saying tyson stops Tua, but you base your logic on ******ed examples....as usual.

[NakiFan]

Lewis was a powerful puncher, he had one hit ko power but he didn't always use it, and often relied on his jab and outside boxing. His fight against Tua was a textbook example of how to humiliate a powerful, iron jawed but poorly skilled fighter over 12 rounds.

[Jim Jeffries]

Tyson was the youngest HW champ ever, by almost 10 mo (I don't consider him champ until he beat Tucker (to be fair to Patterson, there was only one belt in his day.) He was very exciting and a big puncher, that threw quick combinations and had good head movement and kept his hands up. Winning 3 belts in under 9 mo was an amazing achievement. Not really sure why he didn't fight the #1 contender in 1988, Evander Holyfield, or in 1989, again, Evander Holyfield. Come 1990, there was Holy, still, and Big George, with like 20 straight wins (19 KO/TKOs) on his comeback trail. Who does Mike choose to fight? 42-1 underdog (or maybe it was 43) James "Buster" Douglas.

Anyway, great fighter, he cracks my top 10 ATG HW list. But there are certain fighters that he would have had problems with, IMO, and Tua is one of them. I think it would've been an amazing fight, with tons of bombs being landed, and more than likely, 12 rounds of action. Tyson has a pretty good chance of winning a decision, if he really works his jab and stays away from Tua's left hook. But I also see a pretty decent chance of Tua stopping him, even the 21 year old Mike that fought Spinks.

[MonsieurGeorges]

Tuaman gets put down for the count in the mid rounds

[PittyPat]

Tricky. I would have Tyson by messy UD. It'd be like a Bonecrusher, Tucker, Ruddock thing. I don't see him dispatching of iron-chinned Tua via stoppage.