best all time.

very agressive boxer

All Hype he never beat another great fighter or champion

I believe he would have dominated no matter what era he was in, but when he was at the top of his game he was pretty much the only thing going. It's a little like talking about baseball's greatest power hitters of the 1920s. There was Ruth hitting 50+, then there were a few people hitting 10 or 12.

Pretty simple style, just walk forward like a tank and knock the stuffing out of someone, but the fact that he could deliver such punishment ranks him high. Too bad he had to turn into a psycho.  

ggfgfd

5 stars for his exploits inside tha ring - dont get me wrong here! wasn't around to see Ali so for me he's tha gr8est! iron mike!...guy was a slugger, made boxing worth watchin...i wish he'd bitten lennox's ear instead!

People have to understand that Mike Tyson is a individual who came from an impoverished upbringing, and from that brought himself to a level of lengendary status. So give the man some damn respect, for at least accomplishing that. Sure he's done wrong, and who hasnt really, who wants to talk bout some of your heroes? Who did they screw? or rape or do drugs, or whatever, you really dont know. So let the man be. As far as his fighting is concerned No man could really do what hew could and matai that degree of excitement, Tyson is a phenom. Abnormal strength, all natural, and he was a great boxer. and will never be replaced. Heres something for everyone that dislikes Iron Tyson, you can hate him all you want, but you'll always remember, your kids will always remember, and so on and so forth, cause he was a memorable. and at least he left an impression in your life. and that alone set the tone of how much he is really liked or disliked,  Ill never forget the moments he gave me, watching him rule the rost for so long. and forever

No doubt this guy could fight, but when he abuses women, and pulling that stunt with holyfield, no! this guy don't impress me, and he is crap!

Tyson was a good fighter, but he had neither the power nor skill of Sonny Liston

What does it take to become the best? How do fighters become champions? It does not matter if you like Tyson, Ali, or Marciano, one thing is for sure when all of us are dead and buried, people will stil be talking about these great fighters and other fighters alike. As for what people think of Tyson, let me put it simply... In the Tyson years of boxing his name is reference to every other boxers name during his reign, e.g my friends dont watch boxing but know of Mike Tyson. Now go down the street and find a random person and ask them who kevin mcbride, mitch "blood" green or any other boxer of that time are? If you like or hate Tyson, the fact remains he dominated the ring during his years in boxing. MANY MILLIONS paid pay per view to watch him. As for the rest of us we're just opinionated. SO what does it take to become a great fighter or a champion, i guess the rest of us will never know...

Say what you want. In his prime, Tyson was a dominant monster who forced then entire fight league to re-examine 'how' they work against fighter, boxers and brawlers alike...as you never can be sure which you will face in the ring.

in his prime he would of ultimately taken down any fighter

He was the monster. Everyone else in the past or present were great boxers, but no monster.

21st youve got to be kidding. In his prime and on his day the incredible hulk couldn't have touched him

I have never been a fan of Mike Tyson. I don't like his lifestyle and I don't like his personality. Jerry Quarry once said No coward ever climbed into the ring, maybe so but Iron Mike Tyson was one of the least bravest champions to ever do so. I am adamant when I say that Tyson avoided the tough competition throughout his career, which now appears to be over after his surrender to Kevin McBride (it was reported that Tyson bit McBride on the nipples). I challenge any Tyson fan to name one great fighter, other than Larry Holmes, who was past his prime when they fought, that he beat. I guarantee you, you will not find one! Don't take my word for it, look it up. I'm right. Tyson avoided George Foreman (wisely), Ray Mercer, Lennex Lewis (they fought later in his career, when there was no other choice), Riddock Bowe and Michael Moorer, to name a few. Could he have beaten these guys? Sadly we'll never know because Tyson never took a chance. But he was a professional boxer and he was a champion, and he did climb into the ring (no easy task), and as such, he does deserve some iota of respect, and that's exactly what I'll give him.

Mike Tyson is by far the most dominant boxer to ever step inside the ring his KO record is outragious, to call him the gretest fighter of all time is a big difference everyone argue's that Ali would beat Tyson, Marciano would beat Ali but really no one will Ever know who is the real champ we all know the were they greatest of their time to say that one of them is better then the other is on fair everyone has their opinion but then again we all have assholes too.

Tyson was not as bad a fighter as some have made him out, but no way could he have stayed in the ring with Ali.

Anyone who thinks that this thug bully was the best of all time is "ludicrous."  I'm not too "estatic" about that idea.

iron mike was the best, i would beat ali too

Many people have bought into the Tyson hype. When he was knocking out tomato cans like Michael "Jack" Johnson, Donnie Long and (gulp) Marvis Frazier in the first round, people were calling him the greatest. Besides champions like Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, and Joe Frazier...all of whom I believe would wipe up the map with Tyson, I can arguably name several NON champions that I think would give Tyson trouble. George Chvala, Earnie Shavers, Ron Lyle, Randall "Tex" Cobb...I'd even say that Chuck Wepner would give Tyson a heck of a fight. Now before you crucify me, here's why I say this. Chvala has NEVER been knocked out, not by Ali, not even by FOREMAN, and never even been knocked DOWN. I honestly don't think he'd be bullied by Tyson. Earnie Shavers was big, and was said by many boxing enthusiasts of being the hardest puncher in history. Ron Lyle was tough, and had a heart of steel, and knocked Foreman down three times. Tex Cobb was beat up mercilessly for 15 rounds by Larry Holmes, and never hit the canvas once. And even Wepner took Ali to the 15th round, taking punches that would have knocked out a bull. The key to all the defeats that Tyson suffered, his opponents were not afraid of him, and would not let Tyson bully them. Everyone knows that a bully could get his butt whipped by someone who isn't afraid of him. The bully relies on fear and intimidation to overcome opponents, which is definitely true of Tyson, and I honestly believe that all of the aformentioned boxers would not allow Tyson to intimidate them.

mike tyson is not the greatest heavy of all time.He is not even great.He never did what the greats of the past did.Never came back from the brink of being knocked out to win.he never showed the heart the great ones showed.Yes he could fight great and had great power but what would he do against the great heavys of the past if he could not knock them out in the first couple of rounds,he would loose.Marciano,Louis,Frazier,Ali,Dempsey,just to name a very few were the type of fighter that could dig deep into that special something that Tyson lacked.Thats why they are considered the greatest fighter of all time and Tyson should not be.I don't remember who said it but I quote "Joe Frazier is a mile wide and a mile deep,Mike tyson is a mile wide and an inch deep".Just thought I would mention im a big Tyson fan.He's the fighter I first started watching when I was 16 yrs old.

in his prime he would have knocked out almost any of the mid sized heavyweight greats. If Frazier gave Ali a hard time. imagine what a young, head moving, uppercut swinging, nail eating Tyson woulda done. Mike had issues with the big guys...but none of the earlier guys other than Foreman, were like Lenox Lewis, even holyfield was a freak of nature at the time a diminished tyson faught him.

Knock out machine with lethal right hook.Had all the makings of a great fighter but it is sad to see him reduce just a stooge in the hands of Don King who actually runined his career.Should have concentrated more in the ring thant outside it.

One of the biggest myths in modern boxing history. Any fighter that had the courage to be aggressive with him in the ring beat him handily. It boggles the mind to see how he got so much mileage out of so little real talent. Even after his latest crushing defeat the apologists will be out in full force defending iron Mike.

Tyson, in my book, is one of the top heavyweights of all time hands down. People are way too concerned about his personal life...it seems as if people love to hate the guy and give him a bad name and at the same time, they fail to acknowledge the advances he made in the heavyweight division. He was scientific (despite what some people may think) he was accurate, and he was fearless; he had all the qualities of a champion...As for the competition that he faced? He fought everyone that he could fight, it's not like he was ducking anybody, he was fearless...watch some of his earlier fights when Cus D'Amato was training him and the fights after that (before he was corrupted by the media and Don King) and you'll see what I mean. WOAH WOAH WOAH Chief, Tyson was most definately not in his prime when he went up against Buster Douglas. I'd say that it was his training camp's fault for telling him that Douglas was a push over and so he should go out, drink and have a good time. Tyson didn't have the guidance that he needed in his corners, he had a brand new trainier who knew nothing of the teachings of Cus D'Amato AND he forgot to bring an endswell with him to the corner so he decided to use a bag of lukewarm tap water. I say shame on the Tyson Camp not on Tyson. You fail to realize how many people spent a majority of their time making him look like a monster which took an enormous toll on his skills inside the ring and his emotional stability outside the ring. Also, the physical damage that Tyson underwent due to his on and off cycle on his anti-depressants should not be overlooked. Lastly, what opponents has Tyson ever turned down? Can you think of any? I didn't think so. As for Larry Holmes knocking out Tyson in his prime....gimme a break chief, Tyson would've curved him out. I love Larry Holmes too but...cmon..Tyson? -Dobie Wan Kanobie

the most overrated fighter ever he lost to a garbage fighter buster douglas in his prime got destroyed by holyfield and lewis, got knocked out by two crappy fighters who weren't even in the top ten danny williams and kevin mcbride and he quit in the mcbride fight he was good in his first 5 years in boxing but had know one to fight he beat a washed up larry holmes and holmes would've ko'd tyson in his prime the only good fighter he beat was spinks.

In his prime Tyson was a superbly trained, focused, and talented fighter. He was a great student of the game and possessed the possibly the greatest one-punch knockout power of any boxer in history. He was also a fighter who fought in an era nearly completely bereft of any serious talent amid boxers whose major talents seemed to be parroting old Ali pre-fight banter and behaving before cameras as if the upcoming fights were the staged productions of WWF wrestling matches. We had already witnessed the changing of the guard in the sporting world were style took precidence over substance, rules were manipulated or overlooked entirely in order to sell an inferior product, and hyperbole outstripped the truth in the building up process neccesary to sell such second rate fairs. So, in walks Tyson with his psychotic tendencies and his drooling bully persona and the public lusts and fawns over him as quickly as the stiffs that he fights look for a safe place to land every time he as much as prepares to swing his, undoubtedly deadly fists. With a vast quantity of tomato sauce to keep them lining up for years and a public riddled with P.T. Barnum's favorite kind of customers, we bought into this hype like like we were watching Sampson before he got his haircut. A funny thing happened on the way to the forum, however. Sampson met Delilah, then he met Buster, then he met Evander, and then we found out the truth. And the truth was, Tyson was a ruthless thug who folded (as all bullys do) under the pressure of the first guy that actually stood up to him. Thus exposed, became the next key ingredient for the pizza's of nearly anyone of substance who fought him. He wisely ducked Foreman for years, beat an out of shape Larry Holmes, and shied away from any match that he thought he might lose. Foreman, Liston, Frazier, Holmes would have all devoured him in their prime's. He didn't like to deal with power which would have had him trembling against Liston, Frazier, and Foreman. He couldn't handle a good jab or lateral movement, which would have crippled him against a younger Holmes. Lastly, none of these fighters, while all great, were in ther same league as a young Cassius Clay, who as the lion-hearted Muhammed Ali would have destroyed Tyson both psychologically and in the ring.

Tyson is one of the most dominant fighters in the history of the sport, his knockout ability is maybe the best in boxing history. Although Tyson had just 5 great years, in his prime, he is one of the best boxers of all time. Although Tyson is pretty much a big dumbass, he definitely deserves to be in the top ten boxers of all time. At his prime, I consider him the second best boxer of all time, behind Ali. I believe that he couldn't have caught Ali, but for a knockout fighter, he was maybe the quickest there has been. So in conclusion, fantastic fighter, but probly 2ond to Ali as far as prime goes.

THIS GUY ROCKS HE WOULD SMASH ALL YOU WANKAS TO PULP AS WELL AS ANY JUDO BUM LIKE JUNG SUN YONG OR THE CRAZY WITCH DRIULIS GONZALEZ. SHE IS UGLY ARRRRHHHHHHHHHH. JUDO SUCKS

Finally got what he deserved, a gooding beating that put him in his place finally. It was nice to see some one abusing him for change. Who says there is no justice. Now he is just a has been ex-con.

Mike Tyson was one of the greatest boxers ever lived and it is sad to see the way things turned out for him

Don't get me wrong, Mike Tyson was a good fighter in his prime. Although if you look at the level of competition he faced, minus Michael Spinks, who wasn't even a true heavyweight. The competition was gargage, Bonecrusher, Berbick, Tubbs, Thomas, I mean cmon now, is this the modern version of Joe Louis's bum of the month club. If Ali would've fought in this era, he would've retired undefeated. The state of the heavyweights in the 80's was far worse than that of today. The media made and his promoters made him a star, by showing his spectacular knockouts of tomato cans. Tyson was good not great. I'm sure he'll be able to squeak into the Hall of Fame, because there already are some good not great fighters in there. Plus, some of the general public and media would consider it a travesty if he wasn't a hall of famer.

For a so-called great fighter, Iron Mike held up a lot of tomato cans. I realize that everyone on this list has fought a palooka or six, but much of Tyson's career is composed of that ilk. Largely a product of Don King's promotional abilities.

He was a beast in his prime and virtually unstoppable. He has since given himself a bad rep and thats sad coinsidering all the tallent he once had, and come on that ridiculous tattoo is just way to much. A great boxer nevertheless but not Number 1, I'd say in the top 10 or 15 thought

hate can be a strong word but in this case i hate him and ihate him some more. good riddance boxing is better without him!!!

Mike Tyson is a sad tale in sports. But is top 10 best heavys of all time because of what he did before prison not after it.

Mike is The Greatest heavyweight of all time. Earlyer I read that somebody thought that Holmes could have beat Tyson, this fight already happend and Tyson KO'd him. As for Frazier he had alot of heart but heart only helps when you are still concious. Marciano was a great fighter but he was much smaller than Tyson and realisticly had never faced the kind of power that Tyson has. Foreman was just to slow, and that brings us to Ali. Ali was a master at mind games, but his cockyness offen left him open to big punches like the one that floored him against Cooper. We all know that if that hook would have come from Iron Mike Ali would never have beat the ten count. Tyson was the perfect blend of speed, power, and grit makeing him without a doubt the baddest man on the planet.

The Box Office receipts don't lie.The most entertaining fighter since Ali.He didn't get to where he is on luck.He really is that good.Besides,who else is there out there that can entertain the masses as much as he?Boxing is on a decline because of the STALE fighters out there.People like watching Tyson either to knock opponents out or get knocked out himself.

Should have been born a Pit bull terrier, turned out to be a rapist. As a boxer, got to be one of the all time worst, no style no anything, got to be a 1...........

I heard hes a nazi!!!!!!!!!

its crazy to judge mike tyson after prison,between 1986 and 1989 the only fighters who could have beat him where ali,forman and holmes,maybe jack johnson.dont criticize the opposition,who did maraciano beat?

Iron Mike was a good fighter what made him look great was the lack of quality opposition he faced.I'm not disputing the fact that Tyson was entertaining and explosive and that he had some good victories,and that he was sticthed up.If were talking facts then i have to say that Tyson has never avenged any of his defeats and in times of adversity in the ring he has never turned it around.The words great and legend are given out far to easily theese days,greats and legends are made of rare ingreidents even though Tyson was tough i mean real tough he is no legend, i know this may be a hard pill to swallow but if you match Tyson with the likes of Ali or Fraizer i feel he would have lost.Ali would have frustrated him,exposed him then stopped him late on and Fraizer would have shown more courage.Another boxer who i feel would have given Iron Mike problems would be Rocky Marciano.

Hes the MAN;;;

The best of all time. Good street fighter.

The second best of all time behind prime Rocky Marciano.

GOOD, BUT MARCIANO IS BETTER.

He wouldve been the greatest fighter who ever lived. He was framed for the rape fools.

What happened to this great boxer. I mean, how can you bite the ear of your opponent and take a chunk off and still be taken seriously. This thug should have been charged with assault and sued in civil court. Sports is not excuse to purposely hurt another and get away with it. I am starting to think he really raped that woman. This pathetic moron was given the world, and he blow it by being himself. He should be banned from professional sports.

Great brawler with tremendous power. Just his downfall made evrything go wrong in the end.

A great combination of speed and power back in his prime. Hes one of the best.