Let´s talk K-1. Tyson has signed. Your thoughts?

[Drosselmeier]

Let´s talk K-1. Tyson has signed. Your thoughts?

Mike Tyson has signed a deal with K-1 after ages of rumors, speculation and anticipation.

http://www.so-net.ne.jp/feg/k-1gp/top595.htm

What are your thoughts on this? Will it be good for the sport or is it another step towards turning K-1 into some sort of freakshow full of talentless giants, washed up boxers and sequenced robes with down lining? Will Tyson be good or bad for the image of K-1?

Who would you like to see him fight?

I hope to god they don´t put him up against Sapp. That would suck so bad.

 

[maccool]

I'm not real clear on a couple of aspects of K-1

1) It's like a boxing match, but with kicking and no knee or elbow throws?

2) 3, 3 minute rounds?

3) All fights in one night? That is, you win, you fight later, so you can fight maybe 4 times in a night?

I didn't know it was so popular. Looks neato.

 

[Drosselmeier]

Yeah. It´s huge. I´m pretty sure it´s the biggest fightingsport outside of boxing audience-wise. It also doesn´t suck to watch, like boxing does, so it will probably keep growing.

Your questions...

1. Knees are legal in Japan but illegal in the US and Europe, I think. They might be legal in the states. No elbows or throws.

2. Rounds are sometimes 3x5 minutes, but tournament rounds are always 3 minutes long.

3. Yeah. Not sure it´s like that in all events, but most of the time I think that´s the case.

You should check it out. It´s fun.

EDIT: Found the rules.

http://www.so-net.ne.jp/feg/k-1gp/etop.htm

a) One-match fights:
Each match consists of three (3) minutes X five (5) rounds or three (3) minutes X three (3) rounds.

b) Tournament fights:
Each match consists of three (3) minutes X three (3) rounds.
In consideration of fighter safety, no fighter shall participate in more than fifteen (15) rounds in one day.

The following fighting techniques are authorized.

Punches: Straight punches, hooks, uppers, and backspin blows.
Kicks: Front kicks, low kicks, middle kicks, high kicks, side kicks, back kicks, inner thigh kicks, jumping kicks, and knee kicks.

 

[Crispyknight]

Tyson will get pounded. He's a brawler, with amazing strength, but poor speed and bad reach. He'll be a minor player in K-1. I dont think he'll hurt the image of the sport unless he pulls another eating incident and calls it "sushi" because they're in Japan.

Edit: Aren't scissors takedowns legal, too? I thought they were.

 

[Drosselmeier]

Tyson will definitely not get pounded by some of the guys in K-1. If he goes up against Sapp my money is definitely on Tyson. He´s got a real good shot against Musashi too. LeBanner would definitely take him, I think.

Scissor-takedowns are illegal unless they are specifically allowed. I saw Cung Lee pull one of those a couple of times in a fight about a year ago. That was just some sort of exhibition fight to show the audience that weird style that Cung trains and I can´t remember the name of.

EDIT: San Shou. That´s what it´s called.

 

[Crispyknight]

Really? In a Sapp/Tyson showdown, my money is definetly on Sapp. That man is a monster. Tyson's what, a foot shorter? fiftyish pounds lighter? Both brawlers with equivalent strength, Sapp with K-1 experience and reach. Hopefully, this wont be an academic question, and we'll get to see it live!

 

[Drosselmeier]

In my mind, Sapp is a brawler while Tyson is a boxer. Sure, Tyson is way past his prime, but I bet he at least knows how to land a punch. I don´t even want to know what percentage of Sapps punches actually land. Even counting those who go straight into the guard he´s less than accurate in his punching. It´s mostly wild swings. He doesn´t even have a fast punch. Seems to me he´s mostly counting on outweighing his opponent and forcing his fist through the guard by the shrred momentum and weight of the punch. That won´t work against Tyson, who has fought plenty of hard punchers in his career and knows all about the guard.

Sapp can´t kick. His kicks and knees are pathetic. Sure, he has experience fighting with K-1 rules, but has he learnt anything from it? He can´t get his knees above his waist and his kicks are way to slow to land.

Back in the day it seemed like Sapp couldn´t be taken out by shots to the head, but ever since Cro cop popped his eyeball he´s gotten soft. He´s always gone down easy from hits to the body.

I´m sure Tyson will knock him out. Probably early in the fight... round one or two. It will be from a shot to the liver.

 

[Crimh]

I think Tyson will be Hard to beat at first. Tyson can hit really hard and he can take a lot of hits as well. BUT, once the other fighters get over the initial 'shock' of facing Tyson, chances are they'll win. And most surely, will the smarter fighters stand a very good chance vs Tyson. Only an idiot would go in on armlengths distance with Tyson, at least in the first round when he is fresh. Just look at anyone fighting Sapp now. Sapp is a shitty fighter who hopes to win the fight by luck in the FIRST round. He has no stamina, no fighting skills whatsoever..He is big, that's it. Smart fighters have no problem vs Sapp, just look at Bonjasky or Crocop.

As for Tyson vs Sapp. Sapp has no chance at all because of three reasons mainly:

- No stamina
- No techniques
- No tolerance for pain, can't take hits at all..really.

But yeah, I do believe Tyson will need to work a lot on taking/blocking/avoiding kicks and especially knees.

 

[Drosselmeier]

He will definitely need to work on taking kicks. Knees will be no problem as there is no way in hell he will fight under rules allowing knees. Any fighter who knows how to knee and kick would be way too much for mike to cope with. The knees would cancel out Tysons huge advantage in the close quarters and he´s at a disadvantage for sure outside of that. I bet my not so good OTF name that the fight will be without knees.