Watching old fight films of Tyson and Pacquiao

Santilli

Hairy Aussie
Joined
Jan 27, 2002
Messages
5,078
I've been watching a bunch of Tyson's old fights. When you see them one after the other, at least the early ones, and your an old fight fan/boxer, it brings up the following conclusions, at least for me:

Cus DeAmato kept Tyson in shape. When he would bob and weave, and throw combinations, he was pretty good. However, you'd never really know, because so far, I've watched 27 fights, and, 24 pro, and 3 amateur fights he lost, because he fought a bunch of guys that were awful. Some of the fights REALLY look fixed. One guy did a Hollywood stunt man type flop, jumping backwards as Tyson throws an upper cut.
Problem is, the upper cut missed, and the guy flopped. 12-27-1985, Mark Young.
The bad behavior, hitting people after they are down, after the bell, all are present early on in this guys career. Also, when you listen to interview after interview, you see a couple screws are loose, but, that the kid really studied his art.

Mannys fights look real. Not many guys he fought didn't fight back, regardless of how hard he hit. Great body puncher, but, he is beatable, getting caught coming in, and, if you can get him off balance, going backwards. Funny how styles make fights, and some guys that beat him, are beatable by other guys he beat.

Haven't finished either, but, the last Tyson fight I watched he went 8 rounds with James Tillis, and really looked bad.

I'm rethinking the 'awesome Tyson when he was young stuff'. More like awesome number of stiffs he fought when he was young, and, a good amateur would either beat him, or give him an excellent fight.

Manny can be dirty, head butting, etc. but, in a number of his fights
he ends up fighting some really dirty old pros, and surviving. Agapito Sanchez in particular, head butted to end the fight, threw him on the ground and kneed him in the leg, along with many low blows. School of hard knocks fighting in the lighter weight classes, and, he's got a lot of miles on those years...

For heavyweights, I'll still go with Cassicus Clay as the best of all time, before the draft stuff, at least for flash, speed, power, great chin, just an all around gifted guy. Marciano would have given him
something to think about, with his awkward style, and some of the old guys, Jack Johnson, Louis also.

Pacman has fought a lot of really good fighters. Reminds me a bit of Duran, but doesn't appear to have the quality of fighters Duran fought against.

It also appears he has other things on his mind besides being one of the best in history.
 

LunarMist

I can't believe I'm a Fixture
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
16,730
Location
USA
I had no idea those two guys fought back in the days. Fighting makes me sick now though. Are they on some ESPN oldies channel or something?
 
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