For the uninformed Ayala was a major talent as jr. mid years ago. Many projected him as having the talent to be a champion and possible all time great. I expect the best answers will come from the hard core fans of the sport.
2007-01-09 03:23:50 · 12 answers · asked by Brent 5 in Sports ➔ Boxing
All answers were good I will let you guys decide.
2007-01-15 07:53:09 · update #1
El Torito was a great talent back in the early 80s as a JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT. His KO power was phenomenal. However, up until his incarceration, Ayala hadn't fought anyone of any significance. Most of the guys he KOd had glass jaws at worst or highly questionable chins at best. As compliment to the lack of a "beard", none of his opponents were true sluggers themselves so his chin never was tested.
Talented? Without question, but had he been able to put his vial urges in check for a few months and fought Davey Moore for Moores JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT Title (I feel he would have KOd Moore) and then fought Leonard, than got put away I would say he was a waste of visible talent. That said, I personally think he should have been left to rot in prison, rapists should never be allowed to walk free after performing such a vulgar act.
Tyson's destruction was, an everyday media event. Once he fired Rooney and Bill Cayton it all fell apart gradually. His once textbook defensive style disappeared. He started to look flabby when once he was the most chiseled man over 200lbs in boxing. Like Ayala, a shorter stay for rape, didn't help heighten the once great skills but assisted in their deterioration.
My first thought is "What if Cus hadn't passed away?" He had a relationship with Tyson that was unmatched. I believe Cus would have kept Mike so focused on fighting he wouldn't have had time to fall into the non-sense Don King's influence introduced him to.
Mike would have reigned at the top for a much longer period of time. But, again to play devil's advocate, the division was still nothing to brag of. The only challenges he would face with possible different outcomes were Holyfield and Lewis. Had he remained Undisputed Champ he would have had to face Riddick Bowe as well (another waste).
So, in short I have to go with Tyson because he made it to the top and appeared to possess the whole package, only to disgrace himself and the sport. Just my opinion.
2007-01-10 15:04:52 · answer #1 · answered by smitty 1 · 5⤊ 1⤋
You know I have thought about what might have been for years about the baby bull Tony Ayala Jr. he was a wreaking machine he was a pure slug er after he got out of the big house for rape he try ed to make a come back and he took one of the worse beatings a fighter can take he would not quit even at his age the heart was willing but the skills were gone time waits for no man I could not be live it when I heard that he had raped a woman because he was on the verge of a championship fight his father worked his cor nor and did a great job with him but there was always something surrounding him about women he and Mike Tyson had a lot in common in more ways than one Mike Tyson did hang on long enough to become a world champion be for the wheels feel off and we all know how that is turning out because for Tyson it,s sad to say it,s not over because as of today it looks like he will be going back to his beach house in prison for a couple of years it just makes you sick to see someone with so much talent to throw it all away I guess that is what makes some fighters the fighters they are the more drama on the out side of there life the harder they fight in the ring one more thing has anyone notice that most fighters who go to prison are sluggers except one Bernard Hopkins good question
2007-01-09 04:14:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
These are two natural talents that we will not likely see again.
The money they threw away, the respect they will never be able to regain, and the fans they left waiting for the great fights. I guess poor education and a hard fast young life, can take it all away even from the best. Something for all you young men, who think you might want a shot at getting in the game, to really take to heart and think hard about. The rest of us will have to sit and wait for the thrill of boxing to return to it's former self.
I was most disappointed in Iron Mike. A true waste of talent.
2007-01-09 16:50:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Iron Mike Tyson!!
2007-01-09 04:45:39 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Hey Brent! This may very well be one of the best boxing questions ever asked on here sir. Tony "El Torito" Ayala Jr. was a fierce middleweight in the early 80's in line to fight Davey Moore for the middleweight championship having compiled a record of 25-0 and most by knockout. Angelo Dundee said he could be one of boxing's greatest ever! Before the fight could take place against Moore he burglarized and sexually assaulted his neighbor and being a repeat offender was sentenced to 35 yrs in prison. He attempted a comback after being paroled but got into trouble again finally getting another prison sentence and ending what could have been a great boxing career. Mike Tyson was groomed by Cus D'Amato who was also a father figure for "Iron Mike and well trained by Kevin Rooney who he later fired. In his case he did at least become a champion going through fighters in the mid 80's easily and looking virtually unstoppable. In my opinion he would have had trouble with Holyfield or Lewis later on anyway but after D'Amato died he seemed to lose a lot of discipline in the ring, having marital and personal problems and ending up in prison for rape. When you look at his career the first half was great and the 2nd half not so good being controversial and sad to say the least. This is a tough call but since Ayala wasted his opportunity to even get a chance at the title I;d have to say he was the bigger waste of talent. Great question sir!
2007-01-09 04:34:02 · answer #5 · answered by toughguy2 7 · 1⤊ 6⤋
Tyson. No question.
Ayala did not arrive with the fanfare, expectations and terrifically marketable history (plucked from a youth home by a great trainer who became his surrogate father etc...) that Tyson did.
I also doubt that any fighter in history was blessed with the natural talent and breaks that Tyson was. Add the hundreds of millions of dollars he pissed away, plus the two prison stretches, and the distinct possibility that he'll end up like Sonny Liston, and I think you have the answer.
2007-01-09 13:41:40 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
Both were talented fighters, however, I would have to say Tony Ayala. And even though he tried to comeback after doing time, he really did not look as sharp as he did before he went into prison.
2007-01-09 03:30:00 · answer #7 · answered by trooper (canine bad citizen) 3 · 4⤊ 3⤋
I would say Mike Tyson (though Greg Page is the biggest waste of all).Mike, when he had the drive to go along with his ability, was a mother.Tony was good, though a bit overhyped and never beat anybody at the professional level with the skills to challenge him.He was looking at a beatdown from Davey Moore when all his problems came to a head.
2007-01-10 03:25:43 · answer #8 · answered by zebbie g 2 · 0⤊ 5⤋
as much as i love him i would have to say tyson. he blew three hundred million dollars in 20yrs. but ayala is in the top3.
2007-01-09 12:11:27 · answer #9 · answered by saxaphonist 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
TO BRENT - YOU DO COME UP WITH SOME OF THE MOST INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS.
I WOULD SAY TYSON BECAUSE OF THESE POINTS:
HE WAS A HWY WT
HE WAS MORE FAMOUS
HE DOWNFALL DID COST HIM A PLACE IN THE TOP 10 OF ALL-TIME
TYSON DID NOT JUST BLOW FAME AND TALENT. HE ALSO BLEW FORTUNE/MILLIONS
P. S. YOU ARE THE ASSISTANT BIBLE OF BOXING!!!!
2007-01-11 00:45:16 · answer #10 · answered by smitty 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋