Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

[Jdoug312]

Please provide reasoning! Again, just trying to spur some good convos here in the boxing section.

[Complex]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

No question. One of the few guys in history to fight everyone he could during an era where boxers fought 3 times in 12 month period. Unified the titles, something we hardly ever see anymore. Has 50 wins and a style that has yet to be duplicated.

[JerzeyReign]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

Yes! Cus D'Amato's work should be enshrined. His overall body of work is outstanding. 37 wins before his first defeat? 50-8 lifetime. Yeah he struggled during the later part of his career (obviously having the wrong people around him) but to NOT consider Tyson HOF quality a man must be out of his mind, in my opinion.

[acts238shaun]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

Tyson + Rooney - King and Givens = dang near unstoppable. YES!

[KanoSupreme203]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

With out a doubt HOF all the way..Youngest heavyweight to unify wbo.wba.ibf titles at once...that man struck fear on his opponents..there would never ever be anybody like IRON MIKE or equal his raw power

[oneamongthefence]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

I would assume due to the nature of the sport they probably overlook a ton of stuff to make the HoF. So yes HoF lock for sure.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

Most definitely......He was a beast.

[Po Pimp]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

He gets in off being the youngest heavyweight champ alone. Even his final record isn't too shabby with 50 wins, 6 losses with over 75% of his fights ending by KO. Also, he held the title for over 3 years.

[jjsmitty34]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

One question is;

Who did Tyson Beat?

All the old champs, nobody in their prime.

What happened when the great Buster came to town..

What happened when he fought Holyfield, Lewis..

He didn't want to fight Riddick Bowe or even Ray Mercer..

Thing is, Tyson was a good champion around the time their was no competition in his weight class.

Also, he beat up on old champions when he won his belts. Tell me one Champ he beat in their prime.. ZERO...

Let's face it, Tyson was fun as hell to watch but not a HOF boxer.

[Jdoug312]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

Interesting point, but I must say that it's my belief that had it not been for all the fouls that went uncalled in that fight, Holyfield would've lost.

[JerzeyReign]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

He fought alot of guys that were 'at the top' during that time period. Just because you don't know their names now doesn't mean they were nobodies back then. He can't help that they never 'blew up'. #justsayin'

[Po Pimp]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

One question is;

Who did Tyson Beat?

All the old champs, nobody in their prime.

What happened when the great Buster came to town..

What happened when he fought Holyfield, Lewis..

He didn't want to fight Riddick Bowe or even Ray Mercer..

Thing is, Tyson was a good champion around the time their was no competition in his weight class.

Also, he beat up on old champions when he won his belts. Tell me one Champ he beat in their prime.. ZERO...

Let's face it, Tyson was fun as hell to watch but not a HOF boxer.

You say he beat up old champions...they were champions nonetheless. I'm not saying they were great or anything, but they held the belt. The fact that they were old shouldn't be an excuse to diminish Tyson's legacy.

Also, true enough, Tyson didn't face the greatest competition, but every man he fought was bigger than him. Tyson was only about 5'11 and 215 in his prime fighting against guys who stood 6'2 and above, and weighed around 230. Once again, not saying the competition was any good, but it is what it is. You can't honestly believe RAY MERCER would give Tyson problems...that's funny.

I do believe a focused Tyson is a top 5 heavyweight of all time....yes I said it! Too bad his focus only lasted until he unified the titles.

[Hova57]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

One question is;

Who did Tyson Beat?

All the old champs, nobody in their prime.

What happened when the great Buster came to town..

What happened when he fought Holyfield, Lewis..

He didn't want to fight Riddick Bowe or even Ray Mercer..

Thing is, Tyson was a good champion around the time their was no competition in his weight class.

Also, he beat up on old champions when he won his belts. Tell me one Champ he beat in their prime.. ZERO...

Let's face it, Tyson was fun as hell to watch but not a HOF boxer.

I believe the only fighter he ran from was holyfield. those guys only became champs because of legal trouble. otherwise he prob would have fought them. the best being Holyfield. I was never a big Lewis fan I think he was a good boxer, but became champ when the heavyweight class began to decline. There were a bunch of knockout artists , but not true boxers during Lewis reign. For the time the people Tyson fought were still knocking people out, its just he came in and made it look easy and they were untalented.

Wasn't Mercer his first fight when he got out jail? I'm almost positive it was it was in Philly.

[JayBee74]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

I don't think Tyson is a Top Ten heavyweight but he deserves inclusion in the Hall. Look at some of the heavies who are in-Max Baer, Sonny Liston, Ken Norton. I think there is a loose parallel to Liston and Mike's career, but remember Sonny only had two title defenses (the Patterson rematch and the upset loss to Ali).

[mr_president]

Re: Does Mike Tyson Deserve to be in the HoF?

One question is;

Who did Tyson Beat?

All the old champs, nobody in their prime.

What happened when the great Buster came to town..

What happened when he fought Holyfield, Lewis..

He didn't want to fight Riddick Bowe or even Ray Mercer..

Thing is, Tyson was a good champion around the time their was no competition in his weight class.

Also, he beat up on old champions when he won his belts. Tell me one Champ he beat in their prime.. ZERO...

Let's face it, Tyson was fun as hell to watch but not a HOF boxer.

i agree with everything you posted, however...

mike tyson revitalized boxing, he gave it exactly what it needed..pure excitement. there was no feeling out round, the bell rang and it was straight to business.

despite his opposition(which he dismantled like a good fighter should do to bums) mike tyson was boxing,you couldn't talk about boxing without his name becoming the focus of the conversation.

he deserves to be in the hall if for nothing else what he did for boxing.

...boxing could use a fighter like him now.