yeh just sayen PB

Tyson was at his best under trainer Kevin Rooney. In 1987-88, Ali would not have lasted more than a few rounds against Tyson. No fancy footwork or rope-a-dope would have done Ali any good. IMO, Tyson would have punched right through all that and knocked him straight to the canvas. In the post Rooney years he went downhill and by the time he fought Holyfield he was already washed up. Ali could have easily beaten a 1990's Tyson. Watch the Tyson vs Holmes or vs Spinks in '88.

Thank you HT2, that was what I said as well.

Exactly, PB. Ali fought with his brain as well as his hands. I think Holyfield did the same with Tyson. I think Tyson came into the ring expecting Holy field to pass out from sheer fright, and when he didn't--when he fought confidently and with courage--Tyson crumbled.

I believe that key measure for determining the best heavyweights is the quality of their opponents and how often they fought quality opponents. That would put Ali and Louis at the top.

It's kind of hard to say... They all were great, though...

I agree tyson in his prime was the best. Guys could not even make it thru the first round against him

Granted, but s lot of those guys were fairly piss poor! Do you think an Ali, Frazier or a Foreman would have let Tyson stomp through them in the first round like some of those fellas did??

Maybe until second round then...just kidding. It's hard to say but for a brief period in late 1980's, as long as kept his personal life in order and under a good trainer, he seemed tops. Just as Marciano needed trainer Charlie Goldman to achieve greatness, Tyson needed someone like Rooney. The fighters you mention had much better style and class in the ring, I'll give you that, but Tyson had something I'd never seen before.

True, Tyson did bring the 80's heavies a much needed shake-up!!

He was fun to watch for a couple of years way back when. I can still remember the look of pure fear on Michael Spinks face....before he even got in the ring with him

Ah, the fear factor! It was totally absent in the first Holyfield fight. Mike was expecting Evander to crumble before the bell sounded for round 1--he didn't then and for the remainder of that fight. Mike was totally baffled. Evander won as much with his brain as with his fists.

Holyfield is the MAN!!!

He really was.

You hear the phrase "he had a lot of heart" probably too often. But in Holyfield's case, boy, was it ever true. I honestly don't recall too many fighters who had his type of determination.

But it's a shame that he didn't know when to hang up the gloves .

It's hard to believe he's still active. On the other hand Larry Holmes was almost 53 in his last fight.

PB, just like your typical boxer. Yeah, Mr. Holyfield lost his home a while back and went BK, a lot of professional boxers end up broke because many were poor before hitting the big time and they don't know how to manage their money correctly. At least that's part of it. Could be why he went back into boxing, he was retired for a while, but that didn't last long.

Sad thing about BOXERS is a lot of them bring their ghetto friends along with them and their friends use them for money. Happens to so many great fighters. Tyson was famous for having his homeboy groupies follow him everywhere he went.

Many boxers also are addicted to the sport.

Lewis is fighting that German guy soon. Or did he already? Don't follow boxing much anymore.

Lennox Lewis retired from the ring several years ago, but he had already fought (and controversially beaten) the elder Klitschko!!!