Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has left two-time world champion Tyson Fury off his list of top-five current favorite boxers.
Tyson, during his professional career, became the youngest champion in the division’s history by defeating Trevor Berbick for the WBC title in 1986 at just 20 years old. The American, with a professional record of 50-6-2, boasts victories over notable names such as Marvis Frazier, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, and Frank Bruno.
Widely recognized as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the heavyweight division, Tyson isn’t finished yet. Despite retiring from the sport in 2005 after a loss to Kevin McBride, he made a comeback to the ring four years ago in an exhibition match against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr.
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The 58-year-old is currently wrapping up his training camp as he prepares to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on November 15. In the lead-up to his bout with ‘The Problem Child’, Tyson recently featured on the Pound-For-Pound podcast with former UFC champions Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo.
While the primary focus of the conversation was Tyson’s upcoming fight with the 27 year old, he was also asked to name his top-five favorite current boxers.
In a surprising turn of events, there was no mention of Fury, Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, or even superstar Canelo Alvarez in Tyson’s top-five picks. His official selection includes David Benavidez, Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson, Terence Crawford, and Errol Spence Jr.
Benavidez has made a name for himself as a major player in the super middleweight division. However, he chose to step up a weight class in his most recent bout, defeating Oleksandr Gvozdyk to claim the vacant WBC interim light-heavyweight title. There are whispers of a potential showdown with Canelo, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Tyson Fury was among the big-name omissions from Tyson’s list (
tysonfury/Instagram)
Lightweight prodigy Davis is known for his powerful punches. Boasting an undefeated record of 30-0, the American has only had to go the full distance twice in his career.
‘Iron Mike’ expressed his desire to see ‘Tank’ face off against Shakur Stevenson – who he ranked third on his list. An Olympic medalist, Stevenson has maintained an unbeaten streak since turning pro in 2017.
The legendary Tyson included Terence Crawford in his list of top boxers. Acknowledged universally for his superior skills, the 37 year old boxer has secured world titles across four different weight classes.
Many fans consider the American to be among the elite pound-for-pound warriors of the ring. Nestled at number five is none other than Crawford’s previous rival, Errol Spence Jr.
Despite being bested by ‘Bud’ in their last encounter and taking a hiatus from the sport thereafter, Tyson eagerly anticipates Spence’s return to boxing glory. He expressed his belief in an underdog comeback: “I think Spence can come back and still get his title back. I think Spence is an underrated fighter,” Tyson remarked.
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