"1965 Swedish Candy Clay" now "1968 Dutch Gum Clay"??

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Yeah, Clay/Ali and Tyson are probably the two most bankable fighters, with Pacquiao and Canelo not quite in their class but close behind.

1965 or 1968, it is still one of the nicest looking Clay/Ali cards of the era.

How do you explain Tyson, with all the personal controversy, plus in the end he certainly did not achieve what he might have? Why are his cards especially the rookie so popular?

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

How do you explain Tyson, with all the personal controversy, plus in the end he certainly did not achieve what he might have? Why are his cards especially the rookie so popular?

It's mostly because of the controversy, the charisma, the personality.

People are still fascinated by his aura of invisibility when he was first coming up, same as they were by Sonny Liston before him.

Tyson had much more charisma then Liston outside of the ring however, and that's translated into interest, while living boxing fans still remember Tyson's first big run of dominance.

[Exhibitman]

He's also vocal, interesting, and starting with The Hangover



did a great job of building his brand. He used to do the National but hasn't since his other ventures took off.

The other thing with his RC specifically is that it is available in very large numbers relative to the 1960 Hemmets Clay. You can buy both today, but you have your choice of Tyson cards.

[JustinD]

I think Tyson is one of the greatest redemption stories in sports and his speaking tour was fascinating.

I collect in this order -
1. Tyson
2. Clay/Ali
3. Louis

I consider Tyson and Ali the greatest of all-time and give the nod more to Tyson, his demons kept him from fighting for what would have likely been the cement of his prime. I watched his entire career, and I think his view to the youth of America now and what he has become post-career will give him the pantheon of top of the charts to youth collectors. Only he has the ability to derail the freight train his popularity has become.

With the death of US heavyweight boxing as the other sports now meet and exceed the income for elite athletes, the heavyweight class will stay in the hands of foreign fighters barring a drastic change. He will be the last of the US Heavyweight World Champs of any historic meaning.

Even as it sits, without a current united belt and with no chance of one as Oleksandr Usyk is currently defending his country only the past has a real focus. Tyson is the master of the living past champs and it's not close.

[Republicaninmass]

More speculation

[Peter_Spaeth]

He is not a man I would have picked for redemption. It is indeed fascinating.

[Exhibitman]

Ali was also deprived of the prime of his career, 1967-70. For my money, prime Ali beats prime Tyson every time, just the way he handled Liston.