SteemSports Presenter:
SteemSports Editor:
"I just want to conquer people and their souls."
Arguably the most prolific and devastating heavyweight of all time, Mike was a culmination of Cus D'Amato and Kevin Rooney's garnered style for their amateur phenomenon. We have never seen a puncher as accurate with his speed as Mike, his power was tremendous...but it was his deceptive ability to cover distance that truly ended so many men he faced. Tyson was a gazelle in plated armor, with the intention of a staggering demon. He felt no remorse or fear in the ring, and his harsh upbringing in 70s era Brooklyn morphed him into a complete savage.
The sensitive slugger had a temper, but his way with words was always so oddly eloquent. His allusions to Jack Dempsey and being cut from legend's cloth came with the same words as eating his opponent's children...he was a loose cannon and let loose on any oppression in his life. Tyson was a superior athlete and harnessed incredible flexibility in his hips to generate such awe inspiring speed. Kevin Rooney was a close, and personal friend to Tyson along with being his trainer...he was also a solid featherweight and fought legends of his day such as Alexis Arguello. There was a trust in the Tyson camp, but when D'Amato died in 1985.. Tyson turned himself loose to the pain. Tyson still went on a hellacious knockout streak accruing 37 straight wins with no losses, but he took fight so few and far between...he never really trained for each man like a professional.
When James 'Buster' Douglas created the biggest upset in sports history the night of February 11th, 1990..nobody really expected Tyson to be the same. The man never trained like a pro-boxer, and amidst his wild drinking and partying...many still wonder what could have been if he took a slightly different path. I never wonder, I know it was the anger that fueled Tyson's power, and sometimes a man just meets a style that doesn't suit him.
Even Holyfield beat Tyson twice, and it was no more due to having the sturdiness to eat his shots than it was because Mike had faded. Evander was a cagey and clever fighter who used headbutts, elbows and blinding handspeed to confuse and dominate opponents. As dastardly as Mike was in his prime, he was always fair, and he would always adhere to the Queensbury rule set. The frustrated Mike Tyson was never as powerful as a young man hungry to prove to the world how bad he truly was. Never forget his demolition of Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno, and Trevor Berbick...that era held and unleashed the fastest and ferocious heavyweight of all time.
