Who would win in a (hypothetical) battle between Bruce Lee and Mike Tyson? Defend your answer.
I think manhattan would kick both their asses if they posted in the wrong forum…this is more of an IMHO sort of thing.
(Assuming we’re in IMHO) If anything goes, I’d have to go with Bruce Lee - he trained in martial arts, not sport - where the goal is to kill by hitting weak spots, exploiting vulnerable parts of the anatomy (a lot of which are forbidden targets in boxing). If they are constrained by the rules of boxing, then my money’s on Tyson.
I’ve had this exact debate many times (using the two examples you gave), and while I’m inclined to think a strike from Mike Tyson would be devastating, most people disagree and say Bruce Lee would win without breaking a sweat due to his ability to exploit vulnerabilities (as DarrenS said).
A friend’s father used to be boxing commissioner of Orlando (when they had boxing). He said one time they pitted 3 boxers against 3 kickboxers. The boxers absolutely annihilated all 3 martial artists, but I’m not sure if kickboxing is considered a martial art. But in those Ultimate Fighting competitions the grapplers always seem to win.
Boxers have the best hands, even compared to kickboxers and muay thai fighters. The outcome would depend mostly on the rules; if it’s stand-up hand striking only/no hitting or throwing while clinched/walk away after one guy goes down (in other words boxing rules), of course Tyson would win, especially being so much bigger.
The more you relax the rules, the less certain the outcome, and there’d be a certain point at which the martial artist could win (like allowing knees/elbows, take-downs/grappling and of course joint locks and chokes).
Another factor is whether the fighters are trained soley in one art or style, or whether they round themselves out before the fight (even a few months in a different style can help a lot, if nothing more than learning how defend against a different style of attack). Pure artists can be beaten fairly easily - watch the first few years of the UFC when it was almost pure style VS style, and you’ll see which art was most effective… those days are of course over now for serious fighters.
I won’t give a prediction for the winner of your question since this is the wrong forum and since the answer in all practicality is “it depends”.
Well, my Hap Ki Do instructor - a 4 degree black-belt dan - has suggested that a really good boxer could kick his ass anyday.
I think it has to do with hand power and speed. It doesn’t take a whole lot of really good shots to the head to bring down even the toughest fellow.
If lee could evade tyson and get some head kicks in he might win. But tyson would only have to land one solid punch and it would be all over, IMHO.
I’d say Bruce (but then again, I’ve studied JKD, so of course I’m biased!). He would avoid going toe-to-toe with Mike and probably focus on taking out his knees. BUT, then again, we are talking about a psychopath boxer who grew up on some mean streets…he might just go loopy and ignore a broken knee! A lot would depend on situation and setting, though- in a ring, on the street, rules, etc.
That said, I think my ability to defend myself doubled in one afternoon of learning how to do proper basic jab, cross, hook combos from both sides. It’s pretty difficult to get past those.
I would say that the average boxer will win against most average martial artists. This is based on the observation that most martial artists, even ones who compete, only train twice a week for an hour and a half. The average boxer, on the other hand, trains more, and their training is in the ring for a lot of the time. Another way to put it (said with a smile): It seems to me that many black belts need a beer gut to keep that belt from rising to their head. Ever see an overweight boxer?
-Tcat
Let me just throw in a smartass driveby and say that boxing IS a martial art.
You say battle not boxing match. Bruce would break both of Tyson’s knees in the first split second of the match. then it would be all over.
That said, don’t ever try to outbox a boxer
Both Space Vampire and China Guy are correct.
Boxing is just as much a martial art as any Karate or Kung Fu class you go into. Boxing is just more “modern” and “western” than most of the others…
And China Guy got in a good point… if it’s a match, like a controlled setting wherein they were going for points or a KO, then it all depends on how loose the rules are.
If it’s a life or death battle, I would put my money on a martial artist, if only because they are trained (in theory) to deal with more than just a stand up fight.
Also, as a semi-hijack…
Grapplers win UFC because the rules pretty much dictate that’s what will happen. AFAIK, there is no such thing as a true “No Holds Barred” match anywhere in the US.
example: Most of the techniques that I have learned over the years, if applied correctly, break joints in such a way tha surgery is required. I’ve seen that happen with my own eyes.
And yet, I’ve yet to see an eye-gouge in UFC, or anyone get their necks broken. Hence, it’s just a more brutal form of wrestling, IMO.
Bruce was also an accomplished boxer, an intercollegiate champion while at the University of Washington, and incorporated a lot of Western Boxing into Jeet Kune Do. I think he could slip and weave enough, if necessary, to give him time to come up with a fight ending blow…knee breaking kick, groin kick, eye gouge, etc. So I too second China Guy. Boxing is an effective martial art, but is constrained by the rules that make it into a sport. This is a good thing; it keeps people from getting maimed or killed in the ring (much), but makes it somewhat less effective in a real no rules fight.
Remember Mike Tyson’s Punch Out for NES? If you could manage to not get hit by Tyson’s lightning punch, you’d be able to wear him down. I imagine a fight between Bruce Lee and Mike Tyson would be pretty much the same.
Well, Bruce’s reflex’s are quick enough ,when Mike wiggled his eyebrows Bruce could probably throw a star-punch.
Man, I’ve got to get out more.
Look at the old Ultimate Fighting Championship, (now much more glitzy). The winner? He who wrestled best. I think Bruce Lee is the man as much as the next fellow, but once Mike locked up with you, I dunno…
First, boxing is a martial art. Second, I know many practitioners of Asian martial arts who would get torn to pieces by amateur boxers who had the same amount of experience. Likewise, I know guys who study the Asian martial arts who could use most boxers as a floor mop. Believe it or not, boxers can defend their legs. They would do so with control of distance. Most boxers don’t practice this, and the school of boxing that says “wade in no matter what” would be at a disadvantage, but there are boxers out there who would get the point very quickly.
Anybody who thinks that boxers have wimpy legs has never trained with a boxer. A boxer’s Sunday punch starts from his legs. Likewise, they train legs constantly–fatigue is a boxer’s greatest enemy, and any endurance training involves the legs to a great degree.
Back to the original question, it would all depend on who got the first crippling blow in. Bruce Lee was himself a boxer and a streetfighter, with a great deal of skill. Iron Mike is a psychotic combat machine, who also has a great deal of skill. He could be “beaten” and still not realize that he’s supposed to stop fighting.
Ultimately, victory would not depend upon their techniques.
And if Mike noticed? Pounding a psycho rhino might only serve to irritate the rhino.
I pity the fool!
I disagree with Dogface. It depends on your definition of “beaten”. Do you mean fight-to-the-death-and-Mike-Tyson’s-got-his-left-leg-chopped-off-beaten, or both shoulders pinned down to the mat count 1-2-3 beaten?
I think technique has a lot to do with it. Bruce Lee should definitely know how to avoid being beaten by just brute strength alone.
And this kinda hypothetical battle would pose other questions regarding legendary fighters against each other.
For example:
Who would win in a hypothetical swordfight between any combination of: a Japanese swordmaster (samurai, ninja, kendo, other different schools), a Chinese swordmaster (Wushu, Shaolin, etc), a French swordmaster (fencing, whatever the Three Musketeers used 
), English swordmaster (knights), and others?
There were more French knights than there were English knights. France was far more of a center of Knightly combat skill than was England, a mere backwater nowhere of an appendage to the lands of the Normans. Indeed, England has never distinguished itself in the field of personal combat. In European history, the mantle was first worn by the Germans, passed to the Italians, and finally rested with the French and Swiss.
Didn’t Ali already do this several years ago? Seems like he kicked ass IIRC. I’ll be right back w/ some info…
The one big, huge advantage that boxers have is that they train constantly to take a lot of punishment. For an Eastern Style marshal artist to win he’d need to use some type of hold-if it comes down to trading blows the boxer will absorb the best the marshal artist has to offer and still deliver blows of his own-something most marshal artists aren’t equiped or trained to handle.