Cus D’Amato, Mike Tyson’s coach, was an expert at utilizing head movement to make his fighters difficult targets. This put Tyson in the perfect position to land his counter punches, which most often turned out to be knockout punches. D’Amato realized that implementing the peek-a-boo style in Tyson’s fight game would increase his already devastating power.
Speed
Throughout his career, Tyson has studied many boxers with quick hands. If you’ve ever watched Tyson shadowbox, you’d know the incredible speed he possessed, which is unusual for a heavyweight boxer. Unlike other boxers, his speed wasn’t in his footwork, it was in the way he slipped punches and went straight for the counter without hesitation.
Explosiveness
To Tyson, the leverage in which he had the shoulder snap helped him land the knockout punch. His shoulder pop gave him extra power and speed. Instead of simply swinging blows, Tyson aimed to snap his punches, which gave them explosive power. This is what made Tyson different from other heavyweights, and also the fact that he channeled a lot of his weight into his punches.
Land The punch They Don’t See
Tyson always used his opponent’s jab to his advantage. He would draw his opponent to throw a jab, slip them, and immediately retaliate with hooks and uppercuts. “When you throw punches, you keep his mind preoccupied with the body punches, and then the next two punches that come to the head are the knockout punches,” says Tyson.
The Ability To Switch Stances
In this fight, you’ll notice Tyson’s ability to switch stances. Throughout his career, Tyson was known for his famous shift, throwing the left straight or hook while stepping forward with the right. Tyson would enter a stance to choose the angle of attack depending on the openings his opponent would show. If you’ve ever watched Tyson on the heavy bag, you’d also notice how his left hook is one of his stronger punches, which would probably explain why Tyson was so comfortable switching stances.