Okay, let’s talk about Mike Tyson’s handedness. This question popped into my head the other day, I think I was just watching some old fight highlights, maybe trying to settle a small argument I had with a buddy down at the gym about power punches.
My Digging Process
So, the first thing I did was just pull up some of his classic fights. I sat down and really watched his stance, you know, how he sets himself up. Pretty much every time, I saw him in the orthodox stance. That means left foot forward, left jab, right cross. That’s usually what right-handed boxers do.
But then I started thinking about his punches. Tyson wasn’t just any boxer. His power was insane from both sides. I specifically focused on:
- His right hand: Yeah, it was a bomb. Knocked out plenty of guys cold. That classic right cross or uppercut.
- His left hook: This is where it got interesting for me. His left hook was just devastating. Body, head, it didn’t matter. It looked just as powerful, sometimes even quicker and more surprising than his right.
I remember reading somewhere, maybe an old boxing magazine or some forum online years ago, people debating this exact thing. Some pointed out he writes with his right hand, which usually settles it for most folks. But in boxing, things can be different. He learned that peek-a-boo style, taught by Cus D’Amato, which relied on explosive power from close range with both hands being super dangerous.
So I watched more footage, specifically looking if he ever switched stances, went southpaw (right foot forward). Honestly, I rarely saw it. He stuck to orthodox almost religiously. That’s a big indicator.
What I Reckon
After going back through the tapes and thinking about it, here’s my take based on what I saw:
He fought orthodox. That’s the stance for right-handers. It lines up the power hand, the right hand, for the big shots.
BUT, his power wasn’t just in his right. That left hook was legendary. It suggests maybe he wasn’t strongly dominant with one hand, or maybe his training just made both hands absolute weapons. Some guys are naturally right-handed but develop a killer left hook, and vice versa.
So, did I settle it? For boxing purposes, he fought like a right-hander (orthodox stance). Does that mean he couldn’t knock you out with his left? Absolutely not. Both hands were pure danger. My final thought is he’s likely a natural righty who just developed monstrous power in both hands through relentless training. That orthodox stance was his chosen method of delivery.
