Mike Tyson vs Bob Sapp.

[RAYNYSC]

It's official Mike Tyson will be facing Bob Sapp at K-1 this should make for an interesting fight what do you guys think?

[Merryprankster]

Pros:

Publicity.

Cons:

It's a freak show, everybody knows it, and Tyson will beat Sapp like an ugly, redheaded stepchild. This is a problem since MMA/K-1 is already a fringe sport. Getting pounded by a boxer will just legitimize that viewpoint (that MMA/K-1 is just a brawlfest) in the eyes of many.

[old jong]

If!... Tyson is in good shape and well prepared mentaly ; it is just a question of a few punches. If!... he's not, he could be pile driven through the floor!...
Kind of King Kong vs Godzilla match!...;)

[BentMonk]

I hope Sapp beats the snot out of Tyson. It's more than likely not going to turn out that way, but it would be good to see. I have zero respect for Tyson. I feel that he is an offense to any sport he participates in. MP - out of curiosity...if you could, what MA fighter would you like to see Tyson fight?

[MasterKiller]

Tyson is crazy, but he doesn't suck. Even if he's only the 6th or 7th best Heavy-Weight in the world, that means only 6 or 7 guys are better than him.

I'd like to see Tyson vs Tito.

[Chang Style Novice]

I'd like to see Bonobo Joe vs. Tyson. After all, Iron Mike has never even heard of Qi, Jing and Shen, much less gone to the trouble of cultivating them. Dude should be a pushover.

[Ford Prefect]

If it's under K-1 rules, Sapp will be KTFO very quickly.

[BentMonk]

MK - Sure Tyson can fight. I think he sucks because of his attitude. My oppinion of Tyson is that he is a common street thug w/marginal boxing skills who was lucky enough to hook up w/one of the best boxing trainers to ever grace the sport. Yes he could kick my skinny a$$. (not that kicking my a$$ is difficult by any stretch of the imagination) lol I just think it takes more than hard punches and a big chip on your shoulder to be a champion. Tyson lacks class. Just my 2 cents. I like CSN's idea too. Birds of a feather...

[Ghostface]

Originally posted by Chang Style Novice
I'd like to see Bonobo Joe vs. Tyson. After all, Iron Mike has never even heard of Qi, Jing and Shen, much less gone to the trouble of cultivating them. Dude should be a pushover.

Don't be so sure........

I know he seems like an idiot....but whenever someone introduces the subject of fighting...Tyson says some insightful things. He looks like nothing more than a brawler......but you should hear him break down some of his concepts and strategy's.....then again we should really expect this from him....fighting is all he knows. The fact that he endures this much punishment instead of exploring other alternatives to gain wealth proves it. It wouldn't surprise me if Mike had some knowledge of Qi, Jeng, or Shen.

[Kristoffer]

Common.. Sapp? Of all fighter's they pick this clown. I'd like to see Tyson fight Lebanner or Hoost under K1 rules. THAT'S a fight

[Merryprankster]

In K-1:

Lebanner
Hoost
Filho
That Dutch Guy who just beat Vernon White in K-1 USA

In MMA:

Any guy with a strong grappling background.

Iron Mike used to be an amazing boxer. Now he's just a puncher. He still KNOWS how to do it, in his head, but sure doesn't execute.

[norther practitioner]

, but sure doesn't execute
He hasn't really had to though. Most of the guys he's faced couldn't fight a lick. All he needed to do is land a few punches to knock them out, and thats what he did. Lewis is the only decent boxer that he's faced since he munched on Holyfield's ear.

[TonyM.]

Tyson was a good fighter. He was never a good boxer. His boxing skills are now better than they have ever been and are only fair at best. Now that he can no longer use PTSD or steroid rage he's no longer a real threat to any decent fighter in his weight class.

[Ford Prefect]

IMO, Tyson was a great boxer. He used his attributes (power, speed, evasiveness) and created a great style around them while training them to an elite level. I think most people think of Ali type guys as great boxers. They have good footwork, work off their jab, etc. That's all well and good, but try working off your jab when you are usually 6" shorter and lighter than most of the competition.

[TonyM.]

You may like the guy but I've watched every televised heavyweight fight starting with Ali and only Gerry Cooney and Leon Spinks have less legitimate tricks in their bags than Iron Mike. I think he boxes better now that he doesn't have rage attacks in the first or second round. He also has less chance of winning. Most of the smart heavyweights know this now and plan to stay away from him until the later rounds so they can out box him. I think this is precisely what Holyfield(my fav) and Lewis did.

[old jong]

Funny how opinions can vary on Tyson's boxing qualities subject!

He was a very tough kid when Cus D'Amato took him under his wing. Cus created a boxing style specific to his protege ,using all his strong points and compensating for his weakness. His style was "very defensife" even if it's hard to believe. Mike was rarely hit because of that and his punching power was doing the rest.
Give him good guidance and he could still be among the best in his field. He is nothing without a good coach.

[Kristoffer]

He is nothing without a good coach.

..is any boxer? ;)

[TonyM.]

I'll agree with that. He does seem trainable and he does have heart.

[brothernumber9]

once tyson got rid of rooney and surrounded himself with a bunch of yes men his career fell off. The death of Cus really was where the leash was broken and he no longer had a guiding figure that he was sure of. He was the best heavyweight of the modern age but that is not saying much, the heavyweight division is a joke since the 80's and even a little before then. When I watch old fight tapes I'm astounded at the level of competition that was. BET replayed the documentary of the Ali Foreman fight and ESPN classic recently replayed the Ali Norton fight and the Foreman Norton fight and all I got to say is DEEEYAM those cats were vicious, I couldn't see any heavyweight today getting past the 3rd round with any of those guys much less Liston, Patterson, Lewis, Frazier, Fitsimmons, Thomas, Ellis, Shavers, Dempsey, Johnson, on and on.

[jun_erh]

I predict he will have a gracie in his corner,literally, and the fight will cut whatever the record for shortest bout ever is in half.

[brothernumber9]

excuse me that was supposed to be Louis not Lewis. Lewis still has to prove himself a little more although outside of a klitchko rematch there's virtually no one to test him.

[Merryprankster]

What old jong said-- he was an excellent boxer. Slipped a lot of punches, moved forward, got inside and beat the stuffing out of you.

Very very good.

brothernumber9 has caught a horrible case of the incorrect. Why must we romanticize the past?

[fa_jing]

I'll second BN9's thoughts on Ali, Frazier, and Foreman. I don't know about the others, although I've seen most of them fight. What I mean is that I'd put at least even money on them against the top heavyweights of the modern era in their respective primes: Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis. 3rd round is a bit of an exaggeration, though.

[brothernumber9]

I understand what you are saying (I think) about how things in the past get over glorified and often grossly exaggerated. I didn't mean to say that tyson is not a great fighter, only that the last several years and bum competition has severely tarnished what would have become one of the greatest heavyweight monarchys (sp). His latteral movement used to be phenomenal and he threw a hell of a lot more straight punches, even right hand leads. You could argue that he could go the distance without much trouble either a la tony tucker. But being in jail and losing the team that helped develop him, there's a noticeable difference now.

[Merryprankster]

#9,

No argument there!

[RAYNYSC]

I just hope that the hype doesn't outshine the actual fight itself if you know what I mean.... ;)