Interesting theory from one of his old trainers..... Former undisputed world champion Mike Tyson is easily considered by many as one of the greatest heavyweights in boxing history. Many were particularly awed by the power he had in both hands and his uncanny ability to put his opponents out back in his heyday. But according to one of his former trainers Teddy Atlas, Tyson may be getting a little too much credit. “Was he one of the greatest punches of all-time? Yes,” Atlas said on a recent episode of the JRE MMA Show. “Could he punch from either side of the plate like Mickey Mantle, the greatest switch-hitter? Was he that in boxing? Yes! He could punch evenly, great with either hand from either side. Was he all those things? Yes! Was he great an intimidator as Sonny Liston? Yes! Was he a great finisher like Joe Lewis to an extent? Yes!” “But he wasn’t a great fighter.” Atlas defined a “fighter” as someone who is able to overcome a situation when things get rough. For the ESPN analyst, Tyson was not able to do this through all the losses on his record of 50-6, with 44 wins by knockout and two No Constest verdicts. “I would say he’s 0-5. To me, a fight is not a fight until there’s resistance,” Atlas said. “Until there’s something to overcome. Otherwise, it’s just an athletic venture. It’s an exhibition. I think life is that. I think you don’t know if a lawyer’s a lawyer until there’s something to overcome in the courtroom. Something goes wrong.” “A doctor’s not a doctor until he opens up this kid, a kid, just like he’s got at home, and arteries are bleeding all over the place (and) it’s not in the textbook. It’s not in the freaking textbook. And he gotta do it. He gotta figure it out, then he’s a doctor. He’s a surgeon at that level.” “You’re not in a fight until there’s pressure. Resistance. Overcoming something. Otherwise, it’s just an exhibition. Tyson’s talent was so great. His physical ability, his talent was so overwhelming, just like somebody’s intellect, somebody’s charisma. Whatever. Beauty.” Atlas did recognize Tyson’s talent level, but as far as his definition of a fighter goes, “Iron Mike” failed, which does not warrant the labeling of “greatness.” “His talent was so superior, that the other stuff never got tested,” Atlas explained. “He was blowing guys out, and he never got tested if there was anything in the warehouse, so to speak. If there was anything inside. And then five times (that he lost), whatever the real record is, five times there was resistance. Five times, it became a real fight. Five times, there was something to overcome, and he failed at all five times.” “He was only in five fights in his life, and he’s 0-5.” Tyson ended his career with a sixth round TKO loss to journeyman Kevin McBride in June 2005.
Atlas and Tyson fell out ****ing decades ago. Seems Teddy still bears a grudge. He has a point though - if Iron Mike had stayed with Atlas and Kevin Rooney, there's no doubt his career would have taken a different path.
Bit harsh. He destroyed everyone in the division, before he began destroying himself. Very few fighters could have lived with him at his best, though he wasn't at his best for long. And arguably, he never reached it. Still a great fighter though.
He certainly destroyed the guff that were mascarading as heavy weight boxers at the time. Seems naff using his name in the company of Archie Moore, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Rocky Marciano, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Larry Holmes, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, Gene Tunney, Jersey Joe Walcott etc.
Why does it seem naff? Are you suggesting all them fighters you have just mentioned never had guff fights?
I wouldnt put him up there with the greatest names either. This is a guy, who, when put up against a decent fighter, decided to bite off the guys ear and get disqualified rather than risk getting knocked out. Its a ****ing disgrace that that **** was ever allowed in a ring again after that to be honest. It's not like it was a Suarez love nip either, he actually tore chunks of flesh out of Holyfield. He's a ****ing animal and a piece of ****.
Sure, they all do but not 15 on the trot. For my money Tyson was the best of his age at the time or until Lennox Lewis and a few others came along but Tyson was ****ered by then.
Entertainment wise he was probably my favourite boxer. He was great to watch. Depends how you define ‘fighter’ I guess.
I remember the Tyson of the mid 80’s vividly. That analysis is very harsh. As Archers said, he took on everything that division had to offer and beat them all. He was also a far better boxer than most people gave him credit for. Where does he stand in the pantheon of all time great heavyweights? He’s up there imo. Ali in his prime would have beaten him imo - Tyson wouldn’t have got near him. Frazier and Foreman too possibly, depending who got the knockout punch in first.
“Was he one of the greatest punches of all-time? Yes,” Atlas said on a recent episode of the JRE MMA Show. “Could he punch from either side of the plate like Mickey Mantle, the greatest switch-hitter? Was he that in boxing? Yes! He could punch evenly, great with either hand from either side. Was he all those things? Yes! Was he great an intimidator as Sonny Liston? Yes! Was he a great finisher like Joe Lewis to an extent? Yes!” Pretty sure this makes him a great fighter, I'm no expert though
There is a great documentary called "Chasing Tyson" about Evander Holyfield and Tyson's careers and how Holyfield spent his whole career in Tyson's shadow. It is one of the ESPN 30 for 30 series which are all really good, I definitely recommend watching it.
That makes him a great puncher and a great boxer, but this guy is using the term "Fighter" kinda pretentiously, as in someone with heart, who overcomes the opposition. I think what he is saying is that Tyson was so much more talented than the opponents he faced in his early days, that it wasn't really a fight. He has a point, in that Tyson, when rattled, would lose his ****
He destroyed practically everyone who stood against him. Of course the bloke is one of the greatest ever fighters. What a stupid and pointless rant from Atlas.
Well that is kind of the point of the documentary, watch it. Even when Holyfield beat him everyone said Tyson was better
Watch the documentary if you are interested. It has clips from all the media, fights, pundits at boxing all saying Tyson was better.
If you read his autobiography, he was on industrial quantities of coke and booze by that time. He was only fighting to pay for that. The Tyson of the mid 80’s would have knocked Holyfield out.
Will do. I dont get the reverence for Tyson at all. The guy shamed the sport in a way that few ever had, first with his rape conviction, then with mutilating someone in the ring when getting his arse kicked. Guy is scum, as a person, and as a sportsman.
