Was there any former lightheavy in history that could beat a prime Tyson?

[quest]

IN my opinion there is none...He beat a top five greatest lightheavyweight of all time in Spinks(ko1). The only other LH with the power to hurt(possibly) Tyson in his peak would be either Bob Foster or Floyd Patterson, and both showed to have suspect chins at Heavyweight. Tyson takes out foster much faster and easier than what Ali did, AND without getting shook up

[McGrain]

No.

Bivins would test him though, test his patience. I don't think Mike would enjoy that (winning) night.

[rekcutnevets]

Tyson against any light heavy is Tyson in go for broke mode. I don't know of any light heavy with enough power to keep Tyson at bay long enough to get anything going.

Tyson ko's any light heavy in 3 rounds.

[McGrain]

...

[OBCboxer]

A friend of mine just pointed out:

"Holyfield"

Holyfield only campaigned a little bit at Light Heavy before making the jump to Cruiserweight. He would have been too inexperienced.

[OBCboxer]

...

I see what you did there.

[McGrain]

Well he never actually made 175 did he?

But the question was "former LHW" so Holyfield's inexperience doesn't matter....but i'm told he never actually made 175, did like, 177 and that there.

[rekcutnevets]

Posted by OBCboxer
Holyfield only campaigned a little bit at Light Heavy before making the jump to Cruiserweight. He would have been too inexperienced.
Holyfield never campaigned at 175, that I know of.

[OBCboxer]

Holyfield never campaigned at 175, that I know of.

He had like four fights there.

[OBCboxer]

Well he never actually made 175 did he?

But the question was "former LHW" so Holyfield's inexperience doesn't matter....but i'm told he never actually made 175, did like, 177 and that there.

I actually just looked it up and he had never officially never made 175. He came on average, a pound and a half over the 175 limit.

[McGrain]

I actually just looked it up and he had never officially never made 175. He came on average, a pound and a half over the 175 limit.


Is that Boxrec?

Yeah, shame, he would be the definitive pick for this thread.

[leverage]

There's no one that I could think of , except maybe bob fitzsimmons. Maybe he could get lucky and land that paralyzing solar plexis punch (a theoretical possibilty but highly unlikely). That would give him a chance against anyone seeing how that everyone has a solar plexis.:yep

[OBCboxer]

Is that Boxrec?

Yeah, shame, he would be the definitive pick for this thread.

Yeah, Boxrec has his official weights.

[rekcutnevets]

Posted by OBCboxer
He had like four fights there.
No, he did not.

[rekcutnevets]

I just saw where you recanted the light heavy statement.

Bygones.

[Longhhorn71]

I don't think any light-heavy I have seen could do it.

Ezzard Charles pre-1948 might have a chance if he gets past 5 rounds.

[mr. magoo]

Bob Fitzsimmons....

[mr. magoo]

Joke people.....Sheez

[Longhhorn71]

Joke people.....Sheez

Magoo, your avatar is no joke though.

Top notch....as usual.

[mr. magoo]

Magoo, your avatar is no joke though.

Top notch....as usual.


Much appreciated my man, much appreciated.

[MAG1965]

Mike did well with guys moving up like Ratliff. Whenever he fought the cruiserweights he got one or two round knockouts, so a light heavyweight would not stand a chance. I was surprised that Spinks did not last longer though. I actually gave him a chance in 1988.

[Maxmomer]

Maxie Rosenbloom - KO 1. Just joking, more likely a UD in 12.

[janitor]

I have never quite agreed with the asumption that Tyson walks through any light heavyweight just because he demolished Michael Spinks.

While Tysons win over Spinks would suggest that it should be noted that historicaly fighters with Tysons style have always been troubled by small mobile technical fighters whether we are talking, Terry Jack Dempsey or Jack Dillon.

I think that the right lightheavyweight with the right fightplan should give him some problems and probably beat him as he past his prime and declined.

[jaffay]

Bernard Hopkins, Gene Tunney, Ezzard Charles

[Minotauro]

Langford would probably have the bext chance considering his sucess against big men followed by Moore then Charles. However I wouldn't favour any of them I think Mike speed would enable to land more often then most heavys and he is such a great finisher he'd probably stop these three.

[quest]

Bernard Hopkins, Gene Tunney, Ezzard Charles
As GREAT a fighter as B-Hop is....he doesn't stand a chance. First of all he is too calculative in his approach and Tyson was too aggressive. Even if some how he managed to survive 12, Tyson would have have won enough of the early rounds and scored enough KD's to when a UD easily. As far as Charles goes imagine Rocky with 2-3 times the handspeed and defence, then asses the outcome

[shommel]

billy conn would have given him a run for his money, lasmotta at light heavy with his granite chin could have held up to tysons shots and possible take him into mdeep waters. harry kid matthews would have boxed his ears off same as joey maxim.

[PowerPuncher]

Holy was a LHW in the olympics but the amateur limit is 178 not 175. Put Charles on Holyfield's roids though and you'd give him a shot against post-prison mike

[jaffay]

As GREAT a fighter as B-Hop is....he doesn't stand a chance. First of all he is too calculative in his approach and Tyson was too aggressive. Even if some how he managed to survive 12, Tyson would have have won enough of the early rounds and scored enough KD's to when a UD easily. As far as Charles goes imagine Rocky with 2-3 times the handspeed and defence, then asses the outcome

I think that Hopkins could find a way to outclever Tyson. Maybe he would bust his eyebrow by a headbut like with Winky. Hopkins is a profesor in the school of dirty tricks in which tyson was a student.

[djanders]

I think Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, both of whom fought part of their pro careers as light-heavyweights, would have had good chances of beating Mike Tyson.

[Punisher33]

Moorer was a knockout machine at Light Heavyweight, he rolled over almost everyone he faced at Light Heavyweight, which was like 27-28 guys straight. He actually came into my gym in pittsburgh around the same time of his 2nd comback in 01-02 twice and trained with us, he was real cool and very hands on. He was their for like 2 hours both times, and gave individual attention to the ones that asked for it. When he was showing us how to put more power into our punches by hitting the heavybag, it sounded like a shotgun going off evertime he put any power behind his punches.

I really dont feel Moorer can beat Tyson, but I do feel he was powerful enough to hurt Tyson. He was a good boxer, with a heavy jab when he used it. I do feel however he would last longer than Spinks, but probably would melt around the 5th round or so when Tyson eventually catches him.

[Boilermaker]

I have never quite agreed with the asumption that Tyson walks through any light heavyweight just because he demolished Michael Spinks.

While Tysons win over Spinks would suggest that it should be noted that historicaly fighters with Tysons style have always been troubled by small mobile technical fighters whether we are talking, Terry Jack Dempsey or Jack Dillon.

I think that the right lightheavyweight with the right fightplan should give him some problems and probably beat him as he past his prime and declined.

Tyson KO1 was a possibility against any opponent, Ali and Louis included. Spinks got caught clean and he folded the same way that Holmes did when he was caught clean and that Tucker, Bonecrusher etc would have if he was caught as clean. To be honest, i dont think that there is any way that Spinks would have been caught as cleanly and quickly as he was if he fought a rematch with Tyson. It isnt even totally out of the question that if Spinks fought on, he could have done a Patterson, although age probably prevented this from being a chance of ever happening. Tyson would definitely be troubled by other former light heavys, though i must say that he is better equipped than most if not all all time greats to fight the light heavys.

[Jear]

Qawi could pose some interesting questions. Tyson would for once be the taller fighter. Qawis reach was the same as Mikes and worked his way inside behind a very good and busy jab. As a light heavy he put his punches together very well, and was a better in fighter than Tyson. Would be very interesting to see how mike responded to being the fighter who needed space. Dwight was particularly hard to hit also.
Logic says Mike wins this but the buzzsaws workrate and physical oddity make me wonder.