The best fighter Tyson beat ?

[Legend X]

It might be Trevor Berbick.

[McGrain]

Spinks was the best fighter, but I agree with you, Berbick has a case for being the best heavyweight. A damn good fighter.

[Robbi]

Tucker or Ruddock. Spinks had was a light-heavyweight and Holmes past his prime.

[Holmes' Jab]

The Berbick performance was certainly up there amongst his very best.

Personally I think Thomas was the best fighter he beat, after that probably Ruddock and Homes. Berbick would be somwhere amongst the next clutch of fighters IMO.

[Boilermaker]

How could Holmes possibly be better than Spinks, when Spinks beat him twice (admittedly one was controversial) but Holmes had then been inacitive for ages, as opposed to spinks who was at least still fighting regularly when Tyson knocked him out.

I think the two best were:
Spinks, Tucker
but there were some good (although admittedly not great) victims in there.

[JohnThomas1]

How could Holmes possibly be better than Spinks, when Spinks beat him twice (admittedly one was controversial) but Holmes had then been inacitive for ages, as opposed to spinks who was at least still fighting regularly when Tyson knocked him out.


Spinks hadn't fought for a full year when facing Tyson.

[Unforgiven]

Holmes was coming off a 21 month layoff.
He hadn't looked much good in his last three fights, regardless of whether he was robbed against Spinks in the rematch.
I think Berbick coming off a win over undefeated Pinklon Thomas was a much better opponent at that stage.

[PowerPuncher]

Pinklon Thomas and Larry Holmes.

However if Spinks gave him a hard time for 10 rounds and then Tyson ko'd him we'd be saying Spinks was the best

[rendog67]

Tysons best win would be berbick, i bet we thought we have never said that at the time with all his best years ahead of him


best fighter was holmes then spinks

[My dinner with Conteh]

If Tucker's the best Tyson beat then it must go down as one of the weakest reigns in heavyweight history. :lol:

[Blacc Jesus]

Pinklon Thomas.

[janitor]

I would say Holmes despite the fact that he was past his best.

[McGrain]

I would say Holmes despite the fact that he was past his best.

You would expect that Holmes to beat the Spinks that Tyson beat? History has shown us otherwise...do you consider these results based primarily in styles?

[SuzieQ49]

Wow some of the responses here are mind boggling. I think the clear answers here are pinklon thomas tony tubbs tony tucker or razor ruddock. Pinklon thomas in 1985 was undefeated WBC champion who many boxing experts were ranking # 1 heavyweight in the world OVER long time champion larry holmes. Holmes refused to fight pinklon thomas in a unification match despite pinklon calling him out and being # 1 ranked contender 2 years running by ring magazine. He has arguebably one of the better jabs in heavyweight history.
Tony Tubbs was an outstanding big man with skills and handspeed who was former WBA champion whos only loss had been on a close decision to tim witherspoon. Tubbs and Thomas had never been stopped before, tyson demolished them both in easy fashion. Ruddock was a huge puncher with skills and toughness, # 1 contender who no one wanted to fight. Tony Tucker was 6'6 220lb giant with excellent boxing skills top jab and great durability, he was undefeated IBF champ who michael spinx had ducked.

If i were to choose one.......Pinklon Thomas

[Robbi]

If Tucker's the best Tyson beat then it must go down as one of the weakest reigns in heavyweight history. :lol:


:yikes

[GazOC]

Thomas gets my vote, its a very underrated win IHMO.

[janitor]

[quote=McGrain]You would expect that Holmes to beat the Spinks that Tyson beat?

If it was Holmes Spinks III around that time then I would expect Holmes to edge it but if he didnt I would still consider Holmes the better all round package.

Dont forgett that this guy went on to beat Ray Mercer who gave Lennox Lewis a verry close fight.

[apollack]

Frank Bruno really fought Tyson and hit him with some nice punches before being worn down and stopped in the 5th. Bruno had stopped almost everyone he had fought. His only two losses were late in fights he was winning against Witherspoon and Smith. Don't forget that after the Tyson loss, Bruno beat Oliver McCall, after McCall had KO'd Lewis and decisioned Holmes.

Tyson starched Tubbs, but Tubbs went on to have a close fight with Bowe.
Tyson handed Tucker his first loss, the guy who stopped Douglas. Berbick was Holmes' first distance title defense. He was a big strong dude. He stopepd John Tate. Tyson blasted through him like no other did before or since.

Like others noted, a lot of guys Tyson stopped had never been stopped before, or had zero or only one or two decision losses prior to meeting him, such as Thomas, Berbick, Tubbs, etc. As a 20-22 year old kid, he was facing vastly more experienced guys in all those WBC/WBA/IBF former titlists.

Review all the media hype around the Spinks fight, a lot of reporters picked the undefeated Spinks. One thing that should be noted was that Spinks was not very active as a heavy, and had been fairly inactive prior to meeting Tyson, and yes, he was a blown up light heavy, but he had gone 30 rounds with Holmes, and stood right in Gerry Cooney's face, albeit a diminished and inactive Cooney.

Tyson was one of the few guys who got into the ring with separate WBC, WBA, and IBF champions, AND the linear champion. Carl Williams was no joke either - just watch his performance against Holmes. Of course, he never could block the hook. Smith was a big strong dude, who had KO'd Witherspoon, but just clutched to survive against Tyson.

Personally, my favorite Tyson win was over Ruddock, because he was a big 228-238 pound dude who was at the time a young hungry motivated guy with big power, having starched Bonecrusher and Dokes, and he really took it and dished it back against Mike.

[SuzieQ49]

Frank Bruno really fought Tyson and hit him with some nice punches before being worn down and stopped in the 5th. Bruno had stopped almost everyone he had fought. His only two losses were late in fights he was winning against Witherspoon and Smith. Don't forget that after the Tyson loss, Bruno beat Oliver McCall, after McCall had KO'd Lewis and decisioned Holmes.

Tyson starched Tubbs, but Tubbs went on to have a close fight with Bowe.
Tyson handed Tucker his first loss, the guy who stopped Douglas. Berbick was Holmes' first distance title defense. He was a big strong dude. He stopepd John Tate. Tyson blasted through him like no other did before or since.

Like others noted, a lot of guys Tyson stopped had never been stopped before, or had zero or only one or two decision losses prior to meeting him, such as Thomas, Berbick, Tubbs, etc. As a 20-22 year old kid, he was facing vastly more experienced guys in all those WBC/WBA/IBF former titlists.

Review all the media hype around the Spinks fight, a lot of reporters picked the undefeated Spinks. One thing that should be noted was that Spinks was not very active as a heavy, and had been fairly inactive prior to meeting Tyson, and yes, he was a blown up light heavy, but he had gone 30 rounds with Holmes, and stood right in Gerry Cooney's face, albeit a diminished and inactive Cooney.

Tyson was one of the few guys who got into the ring with separate WBC, WBA, and IBF champions, AND the linear champion. Carl Williams was no joke either - just watch his performance against Holmes. Of course, he never could block the hook. Smith was a big strong dude, who had KO'd Witherspoon, but just clutched to survive against Tyson.

Personally, my favorite Tyson win was over Ruddock, because he was a big 228-238 pound dude who was at the time a young hungry motivated guy with big power, having starched Bonecrusher and Dokes, and he really took it and dished it back against Mike.


Wonderful thoughts :good

[Mob]

This thread substantiates what I have said for YEARS....

Even though it wasn't his fault, Tyson never beat a great fighter in his entire career.

[Vantage_West]

i think holmes fight....even though out of his prime he was still fightign and winning fights in his 50's. beating up mercer and neilson and gave a tough fight to holyfield...and defintly hyperthetically got a decision again mcCall.not as shot as you may think

holmes also having a great chin and recouperation skills seemed to not matter to the sheer pressure and power of tyson.

[Langford]

Gonna vote for Pink or Tony Tucker.

[My dinner with Conteh]

Tucker was an embarrassment to the words 'mandatory contender'.

[sthomas]

You would expect that Holmes to beat the Spinks that Tyson beat? History has shown us otherwise...do you consider these results based primarily in styles?

Frazier beat Ali, Foremman destroyed Frazier, Ali KO'd Foreman. That's why Tyson, Holmes, Spinks is not relevant.

[sthomas]

This thread substantiates what I have said for YEARS....

Even though it wasn't his fault, Tyson never beat a great fighter in his entire career.

Afraid you are correct. Tucker is up there. Never thought much of Berbick, Thomas, or Bonehugger Smith

[SuzieQ49]

This thread substantiates what I have said for YEARS....

Even though it wasn't his fault, Tyson never beat a great fighter in his entire career.


Ya Michael Spinks wasnt great right? :roll:

[cpnasty]

Holmes

[Rebel-INS]

Ya Michael Spinks wasnt great right? :roll:

I think he means a great fighter who was in his prime.

[fists of fury]

This thread substantiates what I have said for YEARS....

Even though it wasn't his fault, Tyson never beat a great fighter in his entire career.

How many champions did though? Ali yes. Joe Louis? Not really. Neither Dempsey nor Marciano fought better fighters, imo. Johnson? No. Jeffires? No. Holmes. No. Frazier? Well, he fought Ali and Foreman, who were better than anyone Tyson beat, but the problem is he was 1-4 against them.

Ali, Holyfield and probaby Lewis aside (and in Lewis' case it's arguable) Tyson's championship opponents are on par or better than most other champion's champioship oponents.

[janitor]

Even though it wasn't his fault, Tyson never beat a great fighter in his entire career.

Interesting proposition.

Presumably you think that Holmes and Spinks were great fighters at some point even if you dont think they were in their primes when they fought Tyson.

Just as Rocky Marciano built his legend on beating great fighters who might have been past their best so we must credit Tyson for these wins. Especialy given their decisive nature.

Also many fighters have built their legends on dominating fighters who were not great but were clearly the best available at the time.

As a student of boxing history I think that Tysons record matches up prety favourably with those of other acknowledged heavyweight legends.

One thing he often gets sold short on is depth.

If you look at the number of curently ranked contenders he beat it would put him among the upper teir of great heavyweights. It partly gets obscured by the fact that his prime was over such a short period.

[Bokaj]

I actually did a count on how many opponents Ali and Louis beat that were ranked in the the Ring Magazine's yearly top 10 at least once. Both beat 25+ such opponents according to my count. Holmes probably beat 15-20, and I would guess that Tyson, Lewis and Holyfield beat around 10-15. Tyson might well be top 5 in this kind of ranking.

[SuzieQ49]

I think he means a great fighter who was in his prime.

Michael Spinx was undefeated champion at what(?) 30 years old? , coming off wins over ATG larry holmes. Spinx was certainly near his prime

[godking]

Tucker was an embarrassment to the words 'mandatory contender'.he was''nt a contender he was a titlist.

[Quickhands21]

tysons opposition is not that bad as sum make it out to be

[My dinner with Conteh]

he was''nt a contender he was a titlist.



I was referring to the fact that seemingly every time someone won the title, this chump was installed as the mandatory contender...yet no cunt could fathom out why. :huh

[My dinner with Conteh]

If we count how good each fighter was in general, and also how well he did against Tyson, then it would have to be Tony Tucker.


No. Tucker did better than most vs Tyson, but was shite in general.

[SuzieQ49]

No. Tucker did better than most vs Tyson, but was shite in general.

Tucker beat an in shape buster douglas and was good enough for michael spinx to refuse to fight him giving up his IBF belt in the trash.