Is Bobby Fischer the Mike Tyson of chess?
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Great comparison! I’d says yes. But you forgot one.... both were absolutely feared by their contemporaries. You kind of touched on it saying they had an aura of intimidation, but it was greater than just being intimidated. Other boxers/chess players weren’t just afraid of losing, but being embarrassed while doing it.
Apr 27, 2021
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#3
harrytipper3 wrote:
-For all their hype, both have exactly zero wins against all time great opposition...
That's because they WERE the all-time great opposition.
Name someone in the same field, same time-frame, who was greater than either.
Apr 27, 2021
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#4
Viznik wrote:
^^Spassky. The only way Fischer could beat him was mind games and forcing them in a small ping pong room.
Spassky won TWO games over the board out of the 20 game match.
Apr 27, 2021
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#5
50Kittens wrote:
Great comparison! I’d says yes. But you forgot one.... both were absolutely feared by their contemporaries. You kind of touched on it saying they had an aura of intimidation, but it was greater than just being intimidated. Other boxers/chess players weren’t just afraid of losing, but being embarrassed while doing it.
Yes. I did put it rather mildly there. Opponents were terrified of them.
The greatest similarity is that they both have the biggest 'what if!' hanging over them in their sport. What if Fischer had carried on playing another 15 years. What if Tyson hadn't made bad career choices after becoming Unified champion.
Apr 27, 2021
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#6
Oh please god! Let some American win the world championship so we can stop hearing about Fischer from the Americans 🙄 Fischer ran away from Karpov. End of discussion.
Apr 27, 2021
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#7
blueemu wrote:
harrytipper3 wrote:
-For all their hype, both have exactly zero wins against all time great opposition...
That's because they WERE the all-time great opposition.
Name someone in the same field, same time-frame, who was greater than either.
Fischer stopped playing before ATG opposition appeared. Spassky is a tier below that level, he's on par with world champions like Tal, Kramnik, Anaud etc.
Tyson got too close to Don King before some ATG opposition emerged in the 90's. He was about the third or fourth best heavyweight during that time.
Point is they both were at ATG level for a short time, but they subsequently failed to show it against ATG opponents.
Apr 27, 2021
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#9
Bumvinnik wrote:
Fischer ran away from Karpov. End of discussion.
Hardly.
Even Karpov himself predicted that he would lose to Fischer in 1975. He felt that the experience he gained might give him good chances in the NEXT cycle, in a 1978 match.
Fischer stopped playing because his entire focus, from age 13 onward, had been to "beat the Russians" and win the world title. He put everything he had, body and soul, into that effort.
Once he accomplished his goal he was left without direction, deserted by his enemies, and suffered a mental and emotional collapse.
Is HarryTipper3 the Leisure Suit Larry of chess.com?
I concur on Fischer...he didn't run away from anything. He just had no motivation left after achieving a goal he obsessed over for far too long...which was good for chess, but bad for Fischer personally.
120 ratings points over his nearest competition with a rating in 1972 that would not be equaled until two full decades later. The stats that naysayers will never overcome. Carlsen has been a dominant champion, but has never been more than about halfway to that gap over his peers.
I can/will accept arguments that Kasparov is the greatest of all time. But arguments that Fischer is a "tier two" champion in the chess world are ludicrous.
Many Fischer detractors are driven by some chip on their shoulder about the USA. Some are reviled by his off-board behavior (as am I), and that affects their opinion of his chess...
Apr 27, 2021
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#11
Nope. Unlike Fischer, Tyson wasn't afraid to defend his title. In fact, I no of no other champion that demonstrated the cowardice Fischer did as a "champion." A great champion MUST defend his title at least once for Christ sakes.
Apr 27, 2021
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#12
btickler wrote:
Is HarryTipper3 the Leisure Suit Larry of chess.com?
I concur on Fischer...he didn't run away from anything. He just had no motivation left after achieving a goal he obsessed over for far too long...which was good for chess, but bad for Fischer personally.
120 ratings points over his nearest competition with a rating in 1972 that would not be equaled until two full decades later. The stats that naysayers will never overcome. Carlsen has been a dominant champion, but has never been more than about halfway to that gap over his peers.
I can/will accept arguments that Kasparov is the greatest of all time. But arguments that Fischer is a "tier two" champion in the chess world are ludicrous.
Many Fischer detractors are driven by some chip on their shoulder about the USA. Some are reviled by his off-board behavior (as am I), and that affects their opinion of his chess...
Fortunately i am with an attractive woman, so i don't need to go all Larry Laffer on women with my cringey chat up lines 
And i haven't started going bald, yet 
I personally try not to let my personal feelings of someones behaviour get in the way of judging anyones skill, otherwise i wouldn't acknowledge the amazing genius Fischer had for chess. He was obviously mentally ill, i wonder if psychological treatment could have helped him.
Apr 27, 2021
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#13
batgirl wrote:
Perhaps Mike Tyson was the Bobby Fischer of boxing?
bobby never really had the ear of his opponent
Apr 27, 2021
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#14
blueemu wrote:
Bumvinnik wrote:
Fischer ran away from Karpov. End of discussion.
Hardly.
Even Karpov himself predicted that he would lose to Fischer in 1975. He felt that the experience he gained might give him good chances in the NEXT cycle, in a 1978 match.
Fischer stopped playing because his entire focus, from age 13 onward, had been to "beat the Russians" and win the world title. He put everything he had, body and soul, into that effort.
Once he accomplished his goal he was left without direction, deserted by his enemies, and suffered a mental and emotional collapse.
why does "end of discussion" always mean otherwise?
Apr 27, 2021
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#15
MACchessSA wrote:
Nope. Unlike Fischer, Tyson wasn't afraid to defend his title. In fact, I no of no other champion that demonstrated the cowardice Fischer did as a "champion." A great champion MUST defend his title at least once for Christ sakes.
sometimes the journey has to be enough
Despite competing in sports that are polar opposites of each other, their careers had a number of similarities.
-Both were regarded as huge prodigys from a very young age, setting multiple *youngest ever* records
-Both were known for having an aura of intimidation, with opponents beaten before the game/fight started
-Both were utterly ruthless at pressing any advantage they had. Tyson never lost a fight from a winning position, it's hard to recall Fischer ever losing a game when he had an advantage.
-Both transcended their sport, everyone in the world knew who they were.
-For all their hype, both have exactly zero wins against all time great opposition. Fischers best win was over Spassky. Tysons best wins were over puffed up light heavyweight Michael Spinks, British "nearly man" Frank Bruno and an Ancient Larry Holmes.
-Both famously ducked an ATG opponent, for Fischer forfeiting the world title to Karpov, read Tysons ducking of Lennox Lewis in the 90's
-Despite their lack of ATG wins and short time as world champion, many people believe they were the greatest of all time in their respective sports.
-Both went off the rails as soon as they become world Champion. (in Tysons case, unified world Champion.) Fischer stopped playing. Tysons skills notably began to decline as Don Kings influnece negatively impacted him.
-Both are probably the most controversal Champion in the history of their respective sports.
-Ironically while Fischer was very paranoid, Tyson was the opposite, trusting people too easily who took advantage of him. That is one notable difference.