Why I still put Tyson above Holyfield/Lewis?

Mike Tyson... alongside Muhammad Ali... is the most famous boxer of all time. He wasn't the greatest boxer of all time... he wasn't the greatest Heavyweight Boxer of all time... but he could've been... he really, really could've been. Everybody has their own opinion... one of them being that Mike Tyson was only good in the 80s under the guidance of Cus D'Amato and Kevin Rooney and I sort of agree with that... because I reckon he was at his best during that period... but he was still pretty good even after The biggest upset in boxing history ever (that being his loss to 42 to 1 Underdog and all-round nobody James "Buster Douglas).

Throughout the remainder of 1990 and in 1991... he beat Henry Tillman (who beat him twice in the Amateurs and was an Olympic Gold Medallist) with a brutal first round knockout, he cut short Alex Stewart promising looking career by knocking him down 3 times in the 1st round and... in what were probably his 2 most toughest and hardly fought wins which he really had to work for... he beat Donavan "Razor" Ruddock by TKO in the 7th Round of their first meeting (in a match which was widely criticised for being stopped too early by the referee) and by Unanimous Decision in their rematch. This was during a period in which Ruddock was very good... it was not because Tyson sucked... that's just my opinion.

Then of course there was that whole rape thing (Tyson admits to a lot of bad things he did but still claims to this day that he did not commit rape... I believe him... there's a quote somewhere by Tyson about admitting to rape... but that's only because he was convicted of it)... and 4 years in prison.

4 Years!!!

Do you know what 4 years in Prison can do to you?

When he got out of prison... he disposd of McNeeley, Mathis and past his prime, has-been and slightly overrated Frank Bruno in 3 rounds (Tyson was the only man who could really kick Frank Bruno's ass... and in turn... this was Bruno's last ever fight)... and won back one of his World Championships.

After that weird fight over the pathetic World Champion Bruce Seldon... I will tell you this...

I admit... Tyson was a bit arrogant throughout his career... but then again so was Muhammad Ali. Remember Ali vs. Spinks 1? Ali didn't train for it... thinking it would be an easy win... and lost... what happened... Ali regrouped... worked his ass off... and beat Spinks to get his title back... making up for his lack of training and preparation for their first bout!

I will admit... that Tyson DODGED Lewis in 1996... but weren't they fighting over who should fight Holyfield?

Tyson fought he could easily beat Holyfield... but like the Douglas fight... he didn't train too well... he lacked preparation for the fight... and lost!

When I heard of a rematch... I was like... OKAY... TYSON'S GONNA GET IT BACK!

In the 3 rounds the fight lasted (the most brutal 3 Round Boxing Match ever seen... alongside Hagler and Hearns)... I thought Tyson was winning. Not by much... but he was winning!

AND HOLYFIELD HEADBUTTED... YOU ALL SAW IT... YOU KNOW YOU DID! Holyfield was known for headbutting... Lewis... even though he respected Holyfield... claimed that Holyfield headbutter him during their fights! They were sneaky, dirty headbutts... and I could not believe the ref didn't take notice of them!

Now... Tyson's an angry man... if he gets screwed over... he'll retaliate. Tyson knows he is being jerked around... so he does the most over the top thing possible!

HE BITES HIS EAR!

A lot of people were feeling sorry for Holyfield and everything... well... I did as well! But he did headbutt Tyson... and I guaran-damn-tee that if the fight continued as per normal... with the ref actually MAKING NOTE OF THOSE HEADBUTTS and TYSON NOT BITING ANY EARS... Tyson would've gone on and won... I guran-damn-tee you all of that!

But it's part of history now...

Holyfield 2

Tyson 0

... and that's the way it shall stay!!!

Then of course... after returning from his suspension... Tyson kicked everybody's ass from Botha to Nielsen to Golota (although it was a no contest for Tyson's marijuana use... but isn't marijuana a way of making you slow and worse in the ring... not better and more powerful like steroids or adrenaline shots would? I don't know why he did that... he would've beaten Golota anyway)... to everybody... right up until Lennox Lewis.

I still say Tyson is better than Lewis overall... and if they fought... with Tyson in his prime... without all the crap he had to go through with those who backstabbed and used him and 4 years in prison... Tyson would've won!!!

Lewis even admitted that he didn't wanna fight Tyson back in the 80s when they were sparring together as teenagers. Tyson would so have beaten Lewis if Tyson was right... which he was not! Even then... although Lewis did beat Tyson quite comfortably... he still wouldn't go down as soon as Lewis would've liked. Tyson took a powerful beating... yet remained standing for such a long time... before finally going down. Lewis may have won comfortably... but it was one of the most courageous and hearfelt performances I have ever seen Tyson give.

Prime Tyson > Almost everybody else including Lewis and Holyfield.

After that... Tyson beat fringe contender (and now jailbird for 150 years) Clifford Etienne who at that time was considered a hot new prospect in boxing... by first round KO in 49 seconds!

He then lost to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride... who are nobodies... quite easily... it was sad to see! Tyson was without a doubt really past it by the time those two fights came around... and Williams/McBride will always be nobodies... neither one of them will ever win a World Championship... I promise you that!

My memories of Tyson was that of a rebel, a revolutionary... his unique boxing style in the 80s was unmatched by any other heavyweight I've ever seen. The power and punching monster of a BRAWLER like George Foreman... and handspeed and over-empowering pressure of an In-Fighter like Jake LaMotta or a Swarmer like Jim Braddock... and the speed and classy footwork of an In-Fighter... Mike Tyson was the ultimate hybrid boxer... a machine... a freak of nature!

Tyson... unlike the Holyfields and Lewises in this world... didn't have a privileged upbrining. He didn't get to spend his whole life at school, go to Gym Class, star on the track team, represent his high school in Football or anything... he worked his way from the bottom and to the top the hard way with some help from very good people. The fact that he kicked all of the asses of people who had it so much better than he did growing up was remarkable.

I respect and admire Mike Tyson a lot. Some of the things his done I've frowned upon... but I look at the schme of things... and think long and hard... and know of all the crap his been through... and I respect the man still to this day... and always will! I hope like hell he gets entered into THE BOXING HALL OF FAME... and that he can finally clear all of his debts and get it all together. He can be at peace with everybody including himself... I respect Mike Tyson and you should do the same.

ONE MORE THING: I do frown upon Mike Tyson's biting antics!

Another thing... when's Tyson gonna be in one of those FIGHT NIGHT GAMES for PS2, PS3, X-Box and X-Box 360? C'Mon?