[Chairib]

Originally posted on 07/11/2011:

Looked great against bums, not so much against real fighters like holyfield/lewis.

What the hell are you talking about?

Mike Tyson's success had little to do with fighting bums, or his prison time, and EVERTYTHING to do with his technique. All you have to do is watch his film, as it becomes obvious that his boxing style changed after he left Kevin Rooney.

Simply put look at his head movement, before and after Rooney.

Tyson's head movement, especially in his early fights under Rooney, was amazing. He was constantly moving side to side, as well as bobbing up and own. Mike was using the peek-a-boo style that Cus D'amato taught him. His defense was as impressive as his offense in the ring back then as well. His opponents couldn't hit him, and Mike would just weave the jabs or straights to get inside where he where could use his speed and power to land those nasty combinations.

After Rooney, you saw less and less head movement with each fight, the essential characteristic that made Mike Tyson a feared boxer. He started getting hit and the bigger heavyweights were able to land their jab, meaning Tyson couldn't get inside and throw his combinations. Not surprisingly that's when he started to decline as a fighter, changing from a boxer to a headhunter relying solely on his power to win fights.