did Mike Tyson fight has-beens & tomato cans?

Question

come on folks look who he fought...
Jesse Ferguson... James "Bonecrusher" Smith... Pinklon Thomas... Larry Holmes... Tony Tubbs... Michael Spinks...
what do you think?

Answer 1

I was wondering why nobody ever noticed that Mike lined up a couple dozen stiffs to start his career, I guess the crushing KO's blinded everyone to the level of competition Mike fought. Personally, I wouldn't have wanted to face Mike Tyson in his prime, the guy KOed Bruce Seldon with a punch that missed by a foot, every time I watch the tape, I laugh. That is some seriously hard punch, when the air from it KO's a fighter.

It is a safe bet Mike wasn't in any danger of losing prior to Cus & Jacob's untimely passing, but once Don King bit Mike in the neck and removed Clayton from the picture, all bets were off. It is quite possible that Mike's early career was the single greatest marketing ploy in boxing history, Cus, Jacobs, and Clayton did a spectacular job of selling Mike to the media, and we all bought it.

The rest is history.

Answer 2

With the exception of a few, you could say that Mike Tyson fought many weak opposition. Despite that, you still can't take away all that Tyson did in the ring against these "tomato-cans". He did what was expected, which was getting rid of them as he should. There are other fighters in the past and present who have the ability to knockout weak opponent as well, but end having the fight drag out or surprisingly go the distance. So I do give credit to Tyson for at least finishing opponents when he should, instead of letting fights drag out and become disappointing.

Once again, answering the question, Tyson did fight several average or below average fighters, but at least they were dealt with the way fight fans would expect.

Answer 3

jesse ferguson? yes... tomato can...
bonecrusher smith? hells no!!! that guy hit hard, and wasn't the easiest to hit cleanly... styles make fights, and i remember that fight as boring to me because tyson couldn't impose himself on smith...
pinklon thomas? tomato can...
larry holmes? hmmmm at that point in his career, i would say not a has been, or not a tomato can, but not in his prime after losing to michael spinks...
tony tubbs? tomato can and a half!!! and a never was!!!
michael spinks? definitely not a tomato can or a has been!!!! he just saw a pay day, and figured, "let me lay down, and not get up... may hurt my eyes lookin up at the lights, but hey, i'm rich now!!!"

Answer 4

Maybe a few, but not Bonecrusher Smith, or Trevor Berbick.Jesse Ferguson was a good second tier heavy, Tillis was sort of a has-been, and he still almost beat Mike.Tony Tucker and Mitchell Green were talented fighters who never devoloped, and in the case of Green, he probably decided the minute they weren't going to pay him not to give Mike a decent fight.

Answer 5

I have been saying that exact same thing for years. Who has he really beaten? Razor Ruddick (sp?) is his biggest win.

Mike Tyson fought fighters who were either past their prime or never had a prime.

What fascinated people about Tyson was the way he destroyed these "tomato cans". If you put these same fighters up against another good heavyweight, they would beat these guys but they would not do it with the same ferociousness as Tyson did. That's what attracted people to Tyson.

But you are right, Tyson has never beaten any credible fighters.

Answer 6

You forgot about these bums Tyson fought ......Peter McNeeley,Bruce Seldon, Francois Botha, Orlin Norris, Julius Francis, Lou Savarese, Brian Nielsen, Clifford Etienne, Henry Tillman, Alex Stewart, Carl Williams, Tyrell Biggs, and Tony Tucker to list a few.

Don't forget about his KO losses to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride that ended his career.

Answer 7

YES. We should take that list of tomato cans above and put them individually against Ali ....Laila Ali that is.

Answer 8

maybe, i don't know about the tomato cans though