Certainly NOT. That would be like ALI retiring without fighting Norton, Forman or Frazier because he fought Sonny Liston. Ali was past his prime when he met each of them DURING their primes and he still boasts a better Win-Loss record against them.
Tyson would have to fight the best of his generation. If he retires before Douglas, who do you have? Spinks? True, Tyson did beat some useful heavyweights but there were still some he avoided. He never fought Tim Witherspoon, who was still useful at that time. He also CLEARLY avoided Oliver McCall. I saw them spar live and I can see why Team Tyson politely asked Olive to leave.
The Top 4 heavyweights of the era are Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson and Bowe. Lewis and Holyfield answered the call of combat. Bowe missed 2 out of three, running from Lennox and never having the chance to fight Tyson. Tyson is 0-3 against Lennox and Holyfield.
Had he never fought these fighters, he MIGHT be viewed in a brighter light. However, unless Holyfield and Lewis are somehow NOT around, I can't see giving Tyson much credit in comparison to the other greats.
If Liston and Patterson had come a few years earlier, I'm sure Rocky Marciano would have faced them. Some have accused him of ducking Liston, who was closer to Rocky's age than reported, but Rocky can't be blamed for that. He would have had to wait around another 3 years at least, to fight Sonny. With his management problems one can't blame him for getting out.
Wanna call Tyson great? You have to exclude Lewis and Holyfield from history. Unless you have a time machine, that's not possible to do.
Tyson is good. He's even in the Top 12 if you consider IN THE RING greatness. But he's NOT in the upper echelon.
Thumbs up to Norman Bates, quality of competition & longlivity play significant roles in a historical legacy. The answer to your question is "no". Mike would no more be remembered as an all time great than Ike Ibeabuchi will be remembered as an all time great. Ike had a great start to his professional career, but circumstances ended it prematurely. Some consider Ike an extremely talented and hard punching heavyweight, but few would consider him an "all time great".
The same would have held true for Mike Tyson had Tyson's career ended before he faced a top contender. As it stands, both Mike and Ike were plenty good (pun intended), but neither will ever be considered "Great" in the classic sense. The both had the talent to dominate their era's but failed to do so against the elite of the day. Historical greatness takes into account the manner in which a champion conducts himself outside the ring as well as who and how he fought in the ring, and with all due respect, there is a great deal of negative controversy that tarnished both fighters legacy's. Tyson retiring unbeaten prior to Douglas wouldn't have changed much by way of how Mike will be remembered.
To be considered an All-Time great you have display longevity. One thing people forget about Mike Tyson is that his prime was only about 3 years. Anywhere from 87 to 90 defending his title about 9 times.
IF he retired before the Douglas fight that means no show down with Lewis or Holyfield. Even though Mike lost those fights he still gets credit for taking those risks. IF he retired without fighting either one of those guys NO he wouldn't be considered great. I don't really consider Mike great now. He was a good fighter in his prime but not Great because didn't have longevity that some of Boxings great champs have.
Tyson went to jail, at about the time of the most competitive points in heavyweight history...only paralleled by the fights in the 1970s.
Now before anyone goes nuts and disputes that, keep in mind I am not talking about skill levels. I am talking about the belt being passed around from hand to hand because of the LEVEL of competition. Think of the boxers that Mike missed out on..and likely would have never fought, during this highly competitive period.
Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, Evander Holyfield, Michael Moorer, Tommy Morrison (Yeah I know but he was there), Razor Ruddock, George Foreman, John Ruiz (yeah I know again, he was there). Like it or not...the 1990s were the last hot craze the heavyweights ever knew. This is only a few of the names that were there, not including some of the just out and out wild names that jumped into the heavyweight division thta made it great and fun to watch.
And Tyson spent the entire era that he should have been champ, in a jail cell.
Had he fought and beaten all of these people, he would have been a name to put in the hall of fame ABOVE ALL OTHERS....the loss to Buster Douglas would have been overlooked.
But he wasnt even there. Almost every name mentioned...almost...are going to be hall of famers.
And because he would have no part of them, or lost to his stiffest competition, he wont. He was a flash in the pan that when truly was tested, folded. He never rose to his challenges.
"I must add my viewpoint regarding Mike Tyson's greatness......for those who regard him as such... Whether it be his greatness, infamy or any other description that he may be labelled with, Mike remains to be the youngest fighter ever to win a World Heavyweight Championship!!..
His speed and power as a shorter heavy-weight during his era, is what made him a phenom, regardless of who he did and didn't fight. And while I was never one of his biggest fans, like me..you gotta give credit when credit is due..You can't fault him for never fighting the best during his era..We all show up on this planet when we do and just go from there... Just a reminder to those of you who continue question all the dream fights that will never materialize like those of "Roy Jones".. or Osac De La Hoya...(after his/their respective primes)...
So in conclusion, while Mike Tyson may never reach "All Time Greatness" in the minds of many including myself .....he will still be remembered for a long time to come.. That's why people still compare and talk about him today.
Lets look at it this way before Cus died Mike Tyson was a great fighter and before he went to jail he was a great fighter the youngest heavey weight champion in the history of the sport. Mike Tyson will always be rememberedas a great fighter
No, because he NEVER did beat a top prime heavyweight. You don't become an all-timer by beating up cab drivers and interior decorators.
Absolutely Yes.. He will still be remembered as one of the all time great. IMO nobody has ever dominated the ring like Tyson in his prime.
i think yes because he is the youngest heavyweight champion and the first to unify the major titles in heavyweight division
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