Many times when youngest heavyweight champion in history Mike Tyson’s name comes up often fans like to talk about two sides of his career.
His younger days before going to prison and then the latter half of his career.
In the beginning, under the guidance of trainer Cus D’Amato, Tyson appeared to be the perfect fighting machine with the fight style instilled in him coupled with his physicality.
Respectfully, as time went on however the spiritual open heart warrior that once existed resorted to a more closed off gentleman.
A fighter not enjoying his work as much and more of a one punch knockout merchant just looking to land that one big dig.
Nor that brilliantly conditioned, supremely mobile, defensively sound, boxing genius that he was in his younger days for a heavyweight.
He did have a lot of external forces not his fault go against him, mind.
Indeed, one of his former rivals admits as much about him back in the young days.
Speaking on social media Evander Holyfield said:
“I would admit that no one would out work Tyson in the gym back in his younger days. I watched him and I say man, gosh, man, he is good. He can do everything good and he had the punching power that he knocked all the people out. I didn’t have that kind of power but I was a skillful boxer.”
Praise from your own competitor like that says it all.
Here’s a look back at when the two fought the second time:
