Although the fight has not been confirmed, the bout could prove to be a rare crossover spectacle in heavyweight combat sports. At first glance, one could have predicted Tyson’s victory due to his huge advantage in experience, boxing skills and knockout power. But now Tyson is far from his prime: he has long retired. Therefore, Emelianenko already looks like a favorite due to his age.
Tyson is one of the most recognizable boxers of all time thanks to his terrifying attitude and incredible knockout power. Mike was, basically, a boxing genius.
“Iron Mike’s” goal was to use stance changes and aggressive head movements to close in on his opponent, where his short stature and stocky build made him nearly unstoppable in close quarters combat. His tactic was to apply pressure and cut off the enemy’s escape angles with powerful, sweeping strikes.
Tyson jumped up and got into a fighting stance where his short uppercuts and hooks allowed him to land punches to the body and head.
Unfortunately, Mike’s style proved extremely ineffective when it came to endurance. If Tyson failed to knock out his opponent early on, he would often fade away. His approach to boxing relied largely on his athleticism and physical qualities, which fade with age, and Tyson is now 57 years old.
Additionally, his style was designed for tall opponents. Fedor Emelianenko’s height is 183 centimeters, Tyson’s is 178, the difference of 5 centimeters is insignificant.
Emelianenko was a sambist, so many of his techniques make no sense in boxing. However, what would make a big difference in a potential fight with Tyson is the clinch.
The legendary Russian often attacked with his right hand, and to avoid a counterattack when he approached his opponent, he stalled immediately after striking. He was taking away his opponent’s punches, which would be crucial in a fight against Tyson.
As previously mentioned, “Iron Mike” is 57 years old. Despite his legendary exploits in the ring, he is almost 60 years old, while Fedor Emelianenko is a decade younger, at 47 years old. Age will almost certainly play a role in a possible fight.
Tyson’s body can no longer handle the grueling demands of his style, especially if he can’t quickly knock out an experienced opponent. An important factor is not only age, but also physical fitness, as well as the fact that Tyson has not competed professionally in any form of martial arts since 2005, when he retired from boxing .
His only fight in 2020 was against boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. Unfortunately, one fight in 19 years is more than suboptimal. “Iron Mike” is unlikely to have the fitness level, timing, etc. desired, which can only be achieved through constant competition and struggle.
Tyson does not work out regularly or work out at the gym. Meanwhile, Emelianenko, in addition to being 10 years younger, will not have such problems, since he retired from MMA on February 4, 2023 and competed in Bellator at a fairly high level, even challenging Ryan Bader for the promotion’s heavyweight belt in his final battle. Emelianenko is inexperienced in boxing, but he recently retired and is ten years younger. This will certainly play a role in the event of a boxing match between Emelianenko and Tyson.
Vyacheslav Gorbachev/Athletistic
Source: Sport
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
