A Tyson Sampler
“When I fight someone, I want to break his will. I want to take his manhood….” —Mike Tyson
“My biggest weakness is my sensitivity. I am too sensitive a person.” —Tyson
“He’s not on any slab, as Teddy Atlas had predicted. Somehow, he has endured. He’s still out there. In his own way, in the way of the pure survivor, he’s won.” —the late great Ralph Wiley
Tyson vs. Spinks (1988)
Arguably this was Tyson’s best fight and one of the all-time great muggings. Coming in fit and ready, Mike destroyed a visibly fearful Spinks with two quick knockdowns. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuaFIRD7_5Y
Tyson vs. Francis—five knockdowns (2000)
“They didn’t even have Francis on the posters. Tyson could’ve been fighting Mickey Mouse and it would still have sold out. He’d just fought Botha. We sold the fight on the pretense that Julius had a chance of beating Tyson. Even on Tyson’s worst night, he beats Julius.” — Frank (now Kellie) Maloney
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around high-crime neighborhoods and brutal assaults were nothing new to him, but once he found his sanctuary in the Catskills and in ring, he gave quick assualts a new, albeit legal meaning. And perhaps none was more in evidence than his slaughter of a game Julies Francis when he finally stopped the Brit in Manchester, UK at the one minute mark of the second round, but not before Mike had decked the affable Francis 5—yes 5– times before Referee Roy Francis (no relative) put an end to the ring assault The beat down was highlighted by Tyson’s best body work. To Julius’s credit, he came to fight and not just get a paycheck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8AyF7UKWCE
Tyson vs. Savarese (2000)
Savarese’s whole career was a Primo Carnera act.—The Late Jonathan Rendall
This one began with a Floyd Patterson-type flying left hook that caught Lou on the top of the head and dumped him on his back. After he got up, Tyson was on him and also on Referee John Coyle like a wild man throwing enough head-snappers to have the action halted. It took just 0.38 seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_yj4UWSBbo
Tyson vs. Marvis Frazier—savage and even quicker (1986)
But back in Glen Falls, NY in 1986, an explosive, fit and ready “Iron Mike” (24-0) savaged Marvis Frazier (16-1) in just 30 seconds as he cornered him and, unlike Larry Holmes, didn’t let up until the young Frazier was slumped over in the corner totally done compliments of an uppercut from hell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRPn7R_6r4o
Tyson vs. David Jaco (1986)
Jaco was a decent boxer with fine record but he had nothing to stop Tyson from cutting him off and closing the gap. Look for a nice slip followed by a short left hook inside by Tyson. The tactic of slip, bob, weave, left hook worked consistently well for Tyson because he was so strong and had one punch stopping power. He also could time this sequence to perfection. This slaughter should have been stopped after the first knockdown, but the referee was from the Marquis de Sade School and let it continue for two more deckings.
Mike Tyson was the greatest mugger in boxing history. As a bonus, here is a nifty sampling of Mike’s fastest muggings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z9mbQk58B0
NOTE: This probably would be an appropriate piece with which to end the series, but I shall keep on because the memory bank has so much more in it to be tapped and shared.
Leave a Reply