Mike Tyson Has His Say On Where He Would Be In Current Heavyweight Division

Mike Tyson believes he would sit atop of today's heavyweight division if he was in his prime.

Brits Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury currently have the belts in their possession and while Tyson is fan of both fighters, he reckons he'd be the undisputed heavyweight champion if he was competing now.

"Yes!' he replied to a fan's question on YouTube.

"Listen, if you're asking me if I was 20 years old, Yes.

"There's no doubt. They're really good fighters and I respect all these skills. It would have been very tough fighting them."

After a rapid ascension inside squared circle, power puncher Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion of all-time when he stopped Trevor Berbick inside two rounds to win the WBC world title aged 20 years, four months and 22 days back in 1986.

'Iron' Mike, who won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, would then go on to become the first fighter to unify the division and hold all the titles when he bested both James Smith and Tony Tucker the following year.

Tyson lost his first fight to Buster Douglas in 1990 and after spending three years in prison following a rape conviction, regained his WBA and WBC titles in 1996 with wins over Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon.

Image: PA

Back-to-back losses to Evander Holyfield followed, before Tyson was knocked out by Lennox Lewis in his final world title shot and then beaten consecutively by unknowns Danny Williams and Kevin McBride in a disappointing end to a nonetheless superb career.

Still, he was utterly sensational in the prime of his career - so much so that current world champ Joshua has admitted he wouldn't have stood a chance if they squared off.

Image: PA

"Mike Tyson would have battered me!" Joshua said in a 2017 interview, laughing as he said it.

"There was no way I could have taken on that guy. I would have taken that pay cheque. You know what I done against Klitschko in that 6th round when I took that dive? I'm joking.

"I would have taken a dive against Tyson. He was a beast. I give all credit and respect to Tyson. Even though Tyson is going on like 50 now, I still remember Tyson as the young, young 21-year-old.

"He was that good and made such an impact in the sport of boxing."

Topics: Mike Tyson, Tyson Fury, Boxing News, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Deontay Wilder

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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