Is this one of those cases where it's only a matter of time before the larger guy with the big punch lands the fatal blow, or is there more to unpack here?
Mike was so shot by 2003 that I think Roy wins. Mike had NOTHING left after the Lewis fight. 2000 was literally the last year that Mike had something left. The Savarese and Golota fights showed that Mike still had a BIT left in the tank in 2000. If they fought in 2000 Mike still KOs Roy.
Tyson would still have been dangerous for two rounds but knowing that, Roy probably would have been able to avoid him and win on points
First 3 Rounds LITERALLY Determines the Fight... Though CLEARLY Diminished, Tyson Was Still HELL to Deal w/Early Doors... The Version of Tyson That Exploded Out of the Gates vs. Etienne and Danny Williams Could and WOULD End Roy w/Any CLEAN Shot He Landed...Roy Would Have to AVOID Getting Hit Altogether OR Pray He Can Parry Some Shots and Clinch Until the Ref Resets Them... If Roy Survived to Round 4, Mike Would Be Frustrated Mentally and His Lack of Proper Conditioning Would DECREASE his Power and Punchrate...Not to a Point Roy Could EVER Afford to Play Mike Cheap or Stand Toe-t0-Toe, But the THREAT of Mike Would Lessen for Sure... Here's the WEIRDEST Prediction Ever... There's an 85% Chance Tyson Stops Roy in 3 or Less and a 75% Chance Roy Sticks, Moves and Outpoints Mike if he Makes it to the 4th Round... REED
Mike's speed was shot by 03 and his skin all of sudden became brittle. Roy would have had no trouble avoiding his shots, and cutting him up. Like I said, in 2000, Tyson still had a TINY bit left. He was still fast and explosive by heavyweight standards, even if he was slow by 80s Tyson standards. That was probably the last year he could KO Roy.
Tyson looked AWFUL against Ettiene, even though he blew away the bum in a few seconds, he didn't look good. The Savarese fight was the last performance where Mike showed flashes of vintage Tyson. He was still very fast then, and would have brutalized Roy at that point.
I'd say the Golota fight, it was only one fight after so this is nitpicking, but Golota was obviously much better than Savarese.
"Awful"???... What Did it Take, 70 Seconds???...Ended the Fight w/Basically THE 1st Flush Punch He Landed...Obviously Not VINTAGE Tyson, but He Was STILL Very Dangerous Early...And Mike Beat the Brakes Off Danny Williams in Round 1 of Their Fight... Roy TOOK Some Shots vs. Ruiz; Not to Prove a Point, But Because the Extra Weight COMPROMISED his Mobility a Bit...Even the WORST Version of Tyson Had Better Handspeed, (Slightly) Quicker Footwork and Considerably MORE Punching Power than Ruiz... Totally agREED Mike was FINISHED By that Point, But Roy Would Literally Have ZERO Room for Error and Need to Be Absolutely PERFECT To Win... REED
Yeah, he looked terrible. Ettiene hit him with a couple of shots and cut him. Of course Mike took him out w/the first punch he landed, but what does that mean? Tyson could be on his death bed and KO Ettiene. Mike had no legs at that point, bad balance, and brittle skin. Roy would have cut him in 03.
Tyson wins by ko in 1 or 2. Tyson was shot by then but Roy wasn't a clincher and Tyson would maul his way in and land something short and sweet and goodnight roy.
