88 Tyson vs. 67 Ali, who wins?

Tyson was slipping by the Bruno fight. Are you telling me Spinks, Tillis, Biggs, Williams, Thomas, Tubbs, Holmes, etc. don't fit the bill of what you're saying? Tyson toyed with those sorts of fighters, and that's why I'm picking him. The evidence is on his side other than the Douglas fight, which I think is more on his state going in than anything.

 

The funny thing is that we probably never saw Ali in his actual prime. The closest we did see him in his prime was the Williams bout and he looked pretty damn near unbeatable. Granted Williams was shot...figuratively as well as literally...but Ali looked like the perfect fighting machine that night combining hand speed, foot speed, reflexes and combination punching. As dangerous and deadly Tyson was at his best, I don't see him beating that version of Ali. Would he give him more than a few anxious moments? Of course. But Ali's foot speed would keep him out permanent danger and Tyson would resort to lunging after him which would play into Ali's hands. Plus Mike wasn't a swarmer in the Frazier mode. He was a stalker who liked to get close and lash out with a fast combination. Frazier was in your face all night long while Tyson fought in spurts. Tyson hit harder but wouldn't land as often as Frazier and that wouldn't get it done against a prime or near prime Ali.

 

Williams sucked by that point. Frankenstein with cement feet. I wouldn't gauge a fighter based on a fight with him.

 

I wasn't. But I was pointing out the physical attributes that Ali posessed that I feel would've enabled him to beat Tyson. The Williams fight displayed those attributes perfectly. Williams was shot...no doubt about that but you can't help but be impressed with the way Ali moved and threw punches that night. Combine that with his chin and unwavering belief in himself and I think he beats Tyson.

 

Anyone who thinks, Ali would have a chance against someone who fought in the 80's till today, especially a Prime Mike Tyson, don't have any idea about boxing.

Tyson by brutal K.O in round 1!

 

Tyson never once got up off the floor to win. He was finished in his prime by the time he was 23. And the only significant thing he did during the 90's was beat Frank Bruno to regain the title.

Ali was extremely fast in his prime and virtually unbeatable. He got off the canvas twice during the 60's to comeback and win. Even when past his prime he fought and won great fights with Frazier, Norton, Foreman and won his rematch with Spinks when he was 38 years old.

The difference between them is astonishing.

 

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/5860

 

The Ruddock and Seldon wins were also in the 90s. The knockdown **** is a nonpoint. Lewis and Vitali also never got off the canvas to win. Personally, I don't think Frazier, Norton, or Foreman would beat Tyson. I don't even see the former two presenting much of a challenge.

 

Getting up the canvas to win is a nonsense point that doesn't mean anything. And what Tyson did in the 90s is completely irrelevant. This is 1988 Iron Mike Tyson vs. 1967 Muhammad Ali.

The only thing that is worth replying to in this post is the fact that you think Ali's speed was something special in comparison to Tyson's. It's not. Tyson had very good foot speed (could close distance like no one ever) and his hand speed is right up there with Ali's (except for the fact that he carried monstrous power in his hands). This notion that Ali was so fast that he never got hit is preposterous. The fact that you mention that he had hit the canvas destroys that point.

Ali looked very good in terms of speed against the slower opponents of the 60s, but Tyson is a completely different animal from a shot Cleveland Williams. Ali would be going up against a super version of Frazier, one that was much more explosive and could avoid punches much better.

And I'd really like to see Ali get up off the canvas from a Tyson attack and come back to win.

I rank both Ali and Tyson as the best heavyweights ... Tyson being the best H2H and Ali being the best overall.

 

Here is a great video comparing the two fighters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN2orMBI850

Ali takes this one though in the 9th or 10th rounds. Ali would frustrate Tyson and force him to tire himself out. Ali might go down once or twice but as it's been stated before Ali always got up. After the 3rd or 4th round Tyson would start to become really angry that Ali was still there and taking his best shots. Ali would make Tyson fumble around with his punches like he did Foreman making a lot of them useless. Tyson soon starts looking for the one punch and becomes inactive at which point Ali would take total control of the fight. After Ali knocks Tyson down Tyson is too tired and doesn't make the 10 count.

 

Ali doesn't win this before the bell nor does he frustrate Tyson into throwing in the towel either. Those are really stupid arguments when it comes down to a prime battle between the two. I happen to agree with those that say Tyson went to the "How to beat Ali style fighters" school of relentless pressure and left hooks. I'm not sure Ali has enough power to keep Tyson at bay either. And I do remember seeing somewhere that the movers actually embolden Tyson and give him more confidence coming forward.

I think Tyson takes this one.

 

Do you honestly think he could KO Ali. Ali was never knocked out not even when facing guys like Shavers and Foreman who hit harder than Tyson. Tyson had relentless pressure for 5 rounds or so rounds. Frazier could apply pressure for a full 15 rounds. He surely had enough power to keep Frazier and Foreman at bay. Both guys who had similar chins to Tyson

 

This ALI beats all heavyweight. Tyson leads with his face. Ali by KO inside 3 Rds.

 

The evidence of Tyson's destruction of Holmes does not bode well for Ali. You can say that Holmes wasn't prime and never moved as well as Ali, but I think the point still holds. Tyson can dart in on Ali without a jab and he has the hand speed and foot speed to catch up to Ali. I think Tyson's mobility and foot speed make it very difficult for Ali to fight his fight. It wouldn't be the usual scenario with Ali circling some plodder in the middle of the ring. Ali would have to clinch for his life to survive. Maybe he could do that but I see Tyson clocking him upside the head at some point and the result probably wouldn't be too different from Holmes.

 

Ali doesn't have the power to keep Tyson off or the inside game to take it to Tyson where he's weak. Ali with Bernard Hopkins type inside skills would give Tyson hell though, in my opinion.