In his prime, Mike Tyson was the greatest boxer of all time

I agree that Tyson was the best boxer of all time. I don't agree that Ali gets the the title THE GREATEST. Put them both in their prime and Tyson will be victor. I've been a boxing fan most of my life and tyson was the next thing until Don King got hold of him.

The greatest and ONLY undefeated Heavyweight boxer of all time was Rocky Marcino. Even a computer sim showed that rocky would have knocked out ali (some consider the best ever). Iron mike was a formidle foe but watch some of his fights close...He was nothing more than a bull. I'm not going to say he didnt have some talent but I'll give you my top 5 greatest of all time 1. Rocky M 2. Ali 3. Joe louis 4. Jack dempsey and I will give you Mike Tyson at number 8 behind 5. John Sullivan 6. Jersey joe walcott and 7 Larry holmes..... have a nice day

Originally posted by truthseeka
Iron Mike truly was the greatest in his prime. He personified boxing. Brutal, powerful, nearly flawless techniques. Face it, boxing is the sweet science, but it ain't pretty.

We used to have this argument at school. My teacher claimed it was Jamaican boxer who never went professional but fought in the olympics or something, but I was always saying Tyson, on his day, could beat anybody in the world.

Brutal - he was an animal, charging down his opponent and not stopping till they were out for the count.
Powerful - I bet he could have killed people with his punches, he got so tight to his opponents as well.
Flawless technique - I've seen a few videos of his training, the way he practiced bobbing and weaving followed by those rib-shattering combonations.

No fighter had more fights in such a short space of time on his march to the world title.

He was the best, no doubt, but he was never ever ever gonna have a long career, which is why I think people don't rate him. His style is designed for a young boxer, with the stamina to go all out until the opponents battered into submission and while they have the reflexs to create the openings for the lightning fast combonations. Thats why he lost against Lennox Lewis, its a fight he should never have taken because Lewis' style was for an older boxer, standing off and tireing the opponent out.

Nice thread...

Maciano was the original brawler. He beat opponents arms down then attacked the body and head.

Ali took the shots of the strongest and survived and won.

Forman would have just plain crushed Tyson.

Ernie Shavers, tough and strong.

I'll give you Frazier, I think Tyson could have beaten him. Too stong.

The forgotten one................... George Chuvalo. The toughest man that Ali fought, his own words. Tyson wouldn't have been able to knock him out, but Tyson couldn't have gone 15 rounds with Chuvalo, KO!

I'm assuming we're just talking heavyweights. Pound for pound and Tyson isn't in the top 20.

I am a huge Mike Tyson Fan , however I do not believe that he can be called the greatest heavyweight of all time, and please dont go there with greatest boxer my god , What about Duran, Pep , Robinson, Chavez , Moore, god even Dela Hoya , I'll proceed as if the OP meant the greatest Heavyweight.

First of all In his (very short prime) he was beaten by James Douglas.

I think that there alot of fans of Tyson out there who are deluded if they belive that he was the greatest HW of all time let alone Boxer as the OP states.
They have become brainwashed by the Image of the "baddest man on the planet" as did many of his opponents , fear beat many of them before they even stepped in the ring , remeber Brunos face during his ringwalk looked like a man who was about to go to the gallows.

It was Tysons own fragile mental state that would let him down , I dont care what anyone says after D'amato and Rooney he was not the same he needed to be built up by theese guys in his corner not to mention after being seperated from that circle his technique went to pot , people forget his awesome defense under D'amato and Rooney.

But we are talking about a prime Tyson , And even a prime Tyson I think would have been beaten for sure by a prime Ali and a prime Foreman.

Ali would confuse the hell outta Tyson dance around him fire off rapid combos , use his reach and height to stay out of the way of Tyson , frustrate him tie him up and wear him out , I am absolutely sure that Ali wins by late stopage.

As for Forman I think that he would absorb everything Tyson threw at him , and im sure early on it would be a lot , and dish out alot more besides , I think that a prime George Foremans hand speed was underated his chin was like Iron and his punches were like being hit by a hammer I think George would stop him by something like round 8 , but like with Ali I am positive that he would defeat Tyson.

Then we come to other fighters who I think would stand a very good chance , Sonny Liston , prime Larry Holmes , Joe Frazier , Prime Riddick Bowe , Obviously Holyfield beat him but in his (Tysons') prime Holyfield was too small so I discount him.

I do not think Marciano beats Tyson , great heart great power and shorter than Tyson so as to nullify him on the Inside but really I think he was just too small and slow to beat him although I bet he would have put up a hell of a fight.

Neither do I think that the great Joe Lois beats Tyson , I dont reckon much to his chin for standing up to many Tyson bombs, and he never did well against oponents that swarmed like Tyson again a tough fight but Tyson would have KO'd him IMO

So basicly I think most of the greats would have had more than a chance of beating Tyson in his prime , I think Foreman and Ali would definately have beaten him , the others I mentioned would definately give him some thing to think about.

Tysons career is sad in that I do not think that his potential was never realised , had Cus D'amato been around another 4 or 5 years I think Tyson WOULD have become the greatest HW of all time and in that time he would have probably beaten Marcianos 49 straight wins record .

For the record heres my top 10 heavy weights of all time please feel free to comment and post any alterations you would make to my list.

1. Mohamed Ali
2. George Foreman
3. Joe Louis
4. Larry Holmes
5. Rocky Marciano
6. Joe Frazier
7. Jack Dempsy
8. Sonny Liston
9. Jack Johnson
10. Evander Holyfield

I would put Tyson 11. on that list