This is a goodd read on it.
Holyfield is a warrior. I think these events might have given him a mental advantage over tyson when thry fought.
As a boxer, Holyfield was more skilled. I think the frustration of that got to Tyson and hence the ear biting came out when he couldn't out box him.
I do think though if they fought when it was first proposes before Tyson went to prison that the young Tyson would have beaten the young Holyfield.
That Tyson was far better than any other Tyson and was a proper heavyweight.
Holyfield was a cruiserweight and might have not been ready for Tyson then. By the time they did fight, he had grown into the division.
If only Tyson didnt go to jail and Bowe didn't duck Lewis and quit. Imagine how golden an era 90's heavyweight could have been if these 4 guys had all been able to fight in the 90's.
Yep, Evander had Mikes number since they ere teenagers. Evander got inside Mikes head during the Olympic trials when he refused to let Mike bully him, and stayed there until Mike tried to bite his way out during their second fight. I wasn't actually in the room for the face off over the pool table but I heard about it from a couple of reliable sources. Psychology plays a serious part of the game, especially at the upper levels where everyone is in top physical shape, and if a fighters confidence gets shook, it effects the outcome of a fight.
i think so a bit. i think his style suited holyfield as well. holyfield had trouble with big, tall heavyweights (Bowe, Lewis) but tyson was not that much bigger than holyfield. tyson had also declined by the time he fought holyfield as well and would just go looking for the one big shot leaving him wide open to holyfield's counter punches. but yes, holyfield was definitely not intimidated by tyson.
Look at Holyfield's performances, between the time the Tyson fight was first postponed -later cancelled due to Tyson's incarceration- and the time he actually fought Tyson. Holyfield once said that Tyson was his purpose for ever becoming a heavyweight.
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The one thing Holyfield always had in common with Joe Frazier is his overwhelming pride in himself and his fearlessness. Sometimes it was actually annoying because you could never get either man to admit defeat, even when it was unquestionable.
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At his best, the one thing needed to beat Tyson was fearlessness. I don't think Holyfield ever remotely feared Tyson. In fact, I always felt that he made Tyson feel a bit uneasy.
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During the press conference for their first fight, Tyson and his thugs had to make up accusations of things Holyfield supposedly said about Tyson's incarceration. It's so out of character for Holyfield and no one else bought it. It was as if Tyson was looking for a reason to dislike Holyfield for the fight. That spells either enormous respect or fear.
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In the rematch, Tyson tried to take Holyfield out with the first shot he threw. Again, it indicates that Tyson wanted it over with ASAP. We all know about the blatant foul Tyson committed. It's something he will never live down.
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To say that a fighter has another fighter's number is one thing. But when "Fighter B" never fears Fighter A, that alone could be the deciding factor as to whether or not he has his number.
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In that regard, Holyfield has always had Tyson's number, long before they ever fought in the ring.
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Merchant: Do you think you'll beat Mike??
Evander: Yes i do. I have power, stamina, everything. Im gonna beat this guy
Merchant: Do you think you'll have the power against Iron Mike?
Evander: I have the strength through God.
(Hence the Phil 4:13 verse in his Holyfield's robes in the first fight w/ Tyson)
Did Evander Holyfield always have Mike Tyson's number?
I always believe The Real Deal feared no one. Not Tyson, not one who's relatively shorter then him. Evander fought bigger guys in his heydays, Bowe, Foreman, Lewis to name a few and Holfield just simply wont be intimidated. If Evander fought Mike 10 times, he'll beat Tyson 11 times. That includes the Mike Tyson that became the undisputed HW champion in the 80's.
I heard that when Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson where at the olympic trails Mike Tyson walked in and took the pool stick and somebody and everybody backed off but Evander Holyfield. Evander tole Mike Tyson that he would have to wait his turn or catch a beatdown and Mike Tyson dropped the poolstick and left the room.It takes much guts and heart to say something like that to Mike Tyson and Mike just backed down.Like they say if you stand up to the bully you can beat the bully. It seemed like Evander Holyfield never feared Mike Tyson. In their first fight he came out completely not intimidated at all by Iron Mike and just beat him up. Same with the second fight.Mike's biggest weapon was his Intimidation. He beat so many fighters before they even stepped in the ring because they were so scraed of him. Evander Holyfield was never intimidated by Mike Tyson.Do Y'all think Evander Holyfield always had Mike Tyson's number?
