Regarding Mike Tyson's place in history

[Pray_4_War]

We'll see.  I've never been a big fan of Wladmir and yes, the pre Manny Steward version would probably have gotten KO'd by Mike.  The post Manny version, like Lennox would need only make it through 3 rounds with Mike and it would be a beatdown of Iron Mike thereafter. 

Wladmir's brother would have absolutely punked any version of Mike Tyson.  Vitali is a bad guy.  Sonny Liston would have jabbed Tyson into a shell after a round.  Another bad guy.  The young version of Big George would have overwhelmed Tyson.  The old version would have taken longer, but ditto on the results.

Nonsense.

[skillz]

Mike Tyson is lower top 10. He mainly fought tomato cans. He refused to fight Riddick Bowe (threw one of his belts in the trash can) He only fought  Lennox Lewis when he was broke and needed the payday. Holyfield Would beat him 10 out of 10 times if they ever fought. I'm not sure top 10 guys can lose to Buster Douglas either. Most people that say  Mike Tyson was the best aren't boxing fans, they are just Mike Tyson fans. Same can be said about Mayweather.

[Pray_4_War]

Mike Tyson is lower top 10. He mainly fought tomato cans. He refused to fight Riddick Bowe (threw one of his belts in the trash can) He only fought  Lennox Lewis when he was broke and needed the payday. Holyfield Would beat him 10 out of 10 times if they ever fought. I'm not sure top 10 guys can lose to Buster Douglas either. Most people that say  Mike Tyson was the best aren't boxing fans, they are just Mike Tyson fans. Same can be said about Mayweather.

Riddick Bowe is the one who threw his WBC belt in the trash actually.  Strong recollection of history you have.  You make for a very credible boxing analyst.  lol.

[AbrahamG]

Riddick Bowe is the one who threw his WBC belt in the trash actually.  Strong recollection of history you have.  You make for a very credible boxing analyst.  lol.

He may have gotten the Riddick Bowe trash can story wrong, but he nailed it when it comes to Tyson and Mayweather fans.  You sir, fit said bill.

[Alucard]

Tyson's fabled aura still owning minds, in full effect when you read that he was unbeatable and hit harder than Foreman, Wladimir Klitschko, Lewis, Lyle and so on... TOP 15 all time, barely... Needed destroyer of mostly bums in a bad transitional era for heavyweights, exciting to watch...

[disco_stu]

Mike Tyson is lower top 10. He mainly fought tomato cans. He refused to fight Riddick Bowe (threw one of his belts in the trash can) He only fought  Lennox Lewis when he was broke and needed the payday. Holyfield Would beat him 10 out of 10 times if they ever fought. I'm not sure top 10 guys can lose to Buster Douglas either. Most people that say  Mike Tyson was the best aren't boxing fans, they are just Mike Tyson fans. Same can be said about Mayweather.

THIS^^^^

plus the fact that true champs come back after losses.

[El Diablo Blanco]

Pound for pound the greatest of all time.

Prince Naseem 

[uk-lion]

Tyson is low top ten.

In their prime -

Foreman beats him. Holmes beats him, Liston would, Ali would, but I don't think blow out. Frazier is like proto Tyson, Tyson might catch him early, but Frazier has an edge on him if it goes to the later rounds. Norton would of lost, because of Tyson's blitzkrieg type of attack, Ronnie Lyle could've gave him trouble, probably not Shavers.

Tall fighters that weren't afraid of him always gave Tyson trouble.

Spot on mate, although i think lyle would of beat him.
To many people get hung up on how he knocked out poor heavy weights. When he came up against genuine class  he was found wanting.

[Teutonic Knight]

What's your opinion on his place in boxing history?  State your case. 

Ebola easily wins 

[polychronopolous]

Bert Sugar had Tyson listed number 100 on his All-Time Greatest Boxers list.

I tend to agree with putting him right around there.

[The Abdominal Snoman]

Tyson lost to a glorified light-heavy weight in Holyfield twice. The fact that Tyson was scared of Holyfield to the point he had to bite him really hurts his place in history imop. Tyson biting Evander wasn't frustration but FEAR!

[Mr.Mojo]

Man, those Holmes fights were painful for me. I hated his reign. Not undermining what he did, it was just so f'n boring.

They were highly exiting compared to the fights of Wladimir

[old-school-lifter]

Tyson definitely top 5
styles makes fights

Prime Tyson kills prime lewis. Tyson's hand and foot speed and head movement sees him easily get past Lewis' jab , inside and wreaks havoc- Lewis- glass chin, heavy but slow jab, perfect for counter Tyson right. Lewis NEVER fought anyone in their prime, lewis  lost to an old RAY MERCER .

Tyson kills foreman, George's slow punches would easily be evaded by Mike, sure George had devastating power but against prime Mike he wouldn't have landed clean.

Tyson v frazier or Marciano- Tyson easily KO's both- superior hand speed and defensive skills and KO power. ROcky was an easy target. Joe was a one handed fighter (his right was weak).

[old-school-lifter]

Tyson would kill Vitali ala Lewis, similar styles.

Prime Holmes and Ali would beat Tyson on points, too fast and slick

[polychronopolous]

Tyson definitely top 5
styles makes fights

Prime Tyson kills prime lewis. Tyson's hand and foot speed and head movement sees him easily get past Lewis' jab , inside and wreaks havoc- Lewis- glass chin, heavy but slow jab, perfect for counter Tyson right. Lewis NEVER fought anyone in their prime, lewis  lost to an old RAY MERCER .

Tyson kills foreman, George's slow punches would easily be evaded by Mike, sure George had devastating power but against prime Mike he wouldn't have landed clean.

Tyson v frazier or Marciano- Tyson easily KO's both- superior hand speed and defensive skills and KO power. ROcky was an easy target. Joe was a one handed fighter (his right was weak).

Oh brother 

[old-school-lifter]

Lewis" losses:
2 one punch KO"s from 2 decent but not devastating punchers, McCall and Rahman
Tyson hits lewis , lewis would be asleep for days

[polychronopolous]

Lewis" losses:
2 one punch KO"s from 2 decent but not devastating punchers, McCall and Rahman
Tyson hits lewis , lewis would be asleep for days

The McCall stoppage was controversial and Rahman hit Lewis with a bomb and then Lewis hit his head pretty hard on the canvas on the way down. That punch and fall would have knocked out many top heavyweights, Tyson included.

Not saying that Lewis was George Chuvalo but glass chin? No, that's being a bit unfair.

[El Diablo Blanco]

Tyson's whole career was orchestrated by Don King.  Fighting those he knew he could beat.  Honestly tell me who did Tyson beat that was actually a great boxer?

[BB]

Tyson fought who was available. I won't fault him for the competition he had, in every boxer's career there will be a certain percentage of tomato cans and dodges. By the time he came up most of the great heavy weights had aged out, and by the time there were new contenders, he was already all fucked up by the death of D'amato, King taking over, and the rape conviction.

[Darren Avey]

Head to head at their peaks no one beats him, in terms of achievement he s about  6 or 7th.

[SuperTed]

Tyson was a great HW but gets over-rated by the casual fan due to the destructive, wreaking ball style he had.
He's at the bottom end of the top 10 HW's ever.
My top 10 would look something like this.

1) Ali
2) Louis
3) Foreman
4) Dempsey
5) Johnson
6) Holmes
7) Jeffries
Holyfield
9) Marciano
10) Tyson

I'd have Lewis 11 followed by Frazier, Liston, K bros etc. making up the top 15.

It's worth mentioning though that while I'd rank Tyson below several other HW greats due to a less stellar overall career, I'd favour him to beat some of them in head to head match ups.

[illuminati]

Head to head at their peaks no one beats him, in terms of achievement he s about  6 or 7th.

This x2.
At his Best with Kevin Rooney as his trainer.
Can't really see any one other than a prime Ali having a chance.
Tyson had Speed, power, accuracy, head & foot movement.
His peak just didn't last long.
Marriage to Given's & king as manger was the end for him.

[che]

1) Ali
2) Louis
3) Foreman
4) Dempsey
5) Johnson
6) Holmes
7) Jeffries
Holyfield
9) Marciano
10) Tyson

Haha

[Wiggs]

Haha

Che, you're a boxing guy.  What's your opinion?

[old-school-lifter]

The McCall stoppage was controversial and Rahman hit Lewis with a bomb and then Lewis hit his head pretty hard on the canvas on the way down. That punch and fall would have knocked out many top heavyweights, Tyson included.

Not saying that Lewis was George Chuvalo but glass chin? No, that's being a bit unfair.

lewis' chin was weak
holmes and ali had great chins
Tyson had a great chin - he took  heavy heavy powershots  from Ruddock+ lewis without being rocked (until the cumulative effect from lewis)