Could Tyson have knocked out Ali in Their Primes?

No.
Prime Ali was very slick. He moved extraordinarily well. Tyson would not cut the ring off easily. Ali would tie him up on the inside. I can envision Ali getting decked, but having the recuperative powers to regroup. I would favor Ali winning the late rounds to earn a decision victory.

 

Prime Tyson had the power to KO anyone including Ali but Ali also had the mental power like only a few champions who overcame adversity.

It is in the area of overcoming adversity that I feel Ali,Marciano,Louis,Lewis had proven the ability to come back from a loss or tough fight.

In fairness to Tyson it was after his peak fight against Spinks that he lost the guidence of Cus,Keven Rooney etc. & was misguided by king & Mikes fairweather friends so losses to Buster Douglas,Holyfield, & the others where Tyson seemed to give up to adversity were not of the same guy with the Spinks fight mindset.

 

I think Ali wins because he would get inside Tyson's head leading up and during the fight. He capable of successfully adjusting his strategy and this could frustrate Tyson. Prime Ali will be very elusive and fast and would connect with Tyson on the way in and Ali was deceptively strong, so if need be, he would hold Tyson if he does get inside. Ali wouldn't scare or be intimidated like some of Tyson's opponents. I think Tyson would get frustrated when his usual tactics do not work and tire by mid-way through the fight. On the other side of the coin, it is not so much Tyson's punching power but his speed and combinations. Early in the fight would be the most dangerous for Ali. He would have whipped Tyson up into a mental frenzy by the opening bell and would have to deal with the initial onslaught. Tyson will also still remain dangerous through out the fight.

Although Tyson has a chance, I pick Ali by 10-13 round stoppage with Ali ahead on the cards. Tyson during the long haul does not have a Frazier's heart and will falter down the stretch.

 

I think the worst possible fight for Tyson would be young Foreman, not Ali.

 

Down. Sure. Out? No way.

Any matchup (and particularly one between these two) has to include the mental makeup and battle of wills both before and during the fight. Ali would have owned Tyson mentally and been so far in his head that Tyson wouldn’t know which way was up.

 

Could he have ?? Of course

Would he have ?? Nope, Ali would have won before the first bell, his mind games would **** Tyson up.

 

Maybe.

I also wouldn't have bet on Cooper decking Ali, and yet he did so.

A guy like Tyson > both Cooper and Shavers.

 

Prime Ali would be very difficult for Tyson to knock out, though Tyson had the power to it. If Tyson doesn't do it within 5 rounds, then his opportunity has passed, and Ali probably goes on to TKO Tyson (for having thoughts he could k.o. Ali).

 

A guy like Tyson could HURT Ali ,sure he could. Bank's did it briefly, Cooper certainly did ,Frazier of course dropped a weary Muhammad. Tyson could hurt any heavyweight, he had the speed/power to really damage .

But the question is Ko him ,and I don't see that .Muhammad was a hundred times better than Tucker ,Smith ,Tillis and Green. Mix in a champion ship fighting heart and Tyson is going to struggle to achieve anymore than shavers did .Ali knew how to get in opposition s mind s ,break em down .So with that I see Ali stopping him in a buster type fashion.

 

I disagree. Here is why: Fighters who were fast by getting away from Tyson, but didn´t possess enough power to prevent themself from Tyson launching with full risk (since there is no firepower keeping him at bay) were never a bad matchup for Tyson.
There´s a good descriction from Steve Lott about what Ali could do, and what Tyson could do. And the problem he saw for Ali was the missing firepower keeping Tyson busy.
This one comes down with Alis durability, and if his movement would work against quick Mike long enough.

Your question holds the same problem as every Ali - Tyson question out there:

The is no "certain" (you might call it completed) Ali. For me, there are at least four different fighters out there:

Cassius Clay

He did not take a good punch. Banks and Cooper put him down with no problem. He was a little light and not that strong too. This version is not gonna hold up against a quick bulldozer, doesn´t even have a good matchup vs. Frazier.

Pre ban Muhamm Ali

The best movement a 210lb man has ever shown in the ring. He not only could move, he did punch at the same time. Was off balance some time? Yes he was, for maybe a millisecond, so it didn´t matter anyway. This is was the most legendary boxer was all about. Quick hands and very good stamina too.

The missing question is still about his chin. Beside a fading Liston, the very good fighters were unfortunately missing to let that Ali show a little more. I agree with Rocky Marciano, who believed in 66 that we just don´t know how good this guy would deal with a good punch or when beeing hurt:

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Post ban Ali

Started not that good, but showed teriffic heart and recovery abilities. Got better and better until 74. This Ali might be worse at stamina, movement, reflexes and handspeed, but was as good as a figter could get having ring iq and knowledge. The way he managed to win fights was just astonishing, combined with a durability making it hard to imagine that anyone could put that fighter to sleep. The night Ali beat Foreman, I can´t think of another ATG I would be secure enough to set a bet against Ali. That man could find a way to win in every way possible exept power.

Past it Ali

Still showing a hell of a chin, durability and heart, that fighter was declining. Mentioning here is the different ability in taking a punch compared to his youth. The same can observed with David Tua for example, who got KO´d by a tap in the olympics, who was iron chinned as a seasoned fighter later. There might be some sort of adaptation/habituation Ißm not going to implement any further here.

Predictions

• A fight between the Pre ban Ali and Tyson comes down to what punch Ali might be able to take. If his chin was like a Thomas/Tucker, I don´t think Tyson might win that fight over 15 rounds. He could still win a 10 rounder just by dealing more damage and winning rounds, but would fall apart to that Ali in a longer fight.

• A fight with a Zaire-Ali is similar, with Tyson having an easier target. I just can´t see Tyson knocking that Ali out. I just can´t. Too durable, still too tricky, that Ali would hold and wrestle alot too. I see Tyson winning a decision over 12, but I´m not that sure over 15.

• Cassius Clay gets knocked out by Tyson, shot Ali would take a horrible beating really nobody wanted to see, with Ali refusing to go down like he did against Shavers. Looses a wide decision against Tyson or Tyson maybe be able to bomb him out like he did vs Thomas, hammering his head over and over in seconds.

 

I concur. One knock I've always had of a prime Ali beating Tyson is that he would be lacking the punch to get Tyson's respect which would lead to him fighting to survive which would lead to Ali giving away rounds on the score cards.

A 1960-63 Ali I see being stopped ala Michael Spinks. I honestly think that the Zaire Ali would have the best chance to tame the beast that is a young Mike Tyson and IMO, would be the only thing standing between Tyson and total domination of the early to mid 70s heavyweight scene (if he were around then).

That Ali seemed to be the most durable Ali, had veteran world level experience and may have been the hardest punching version of Ali and was still fast enough. I often wonder if a 22 year old, 1964 Ali who beat Liston could have taken the punishment from Foreman that a 32 year old, 1974 Ali took. For one, Foreman was much more adept at cutting off the ring than Liston was so Liston never got to land the clean shots that Foreman did. A 1975 Ali may have been able to turn the trick as well, at least the Thrilla in Manilla Ali. Anytime after that, prime Tyson massacres him. And Tyson vs the Ali that fought Berbick and Holmes could have permanently disabled Ali.

I often wonder what Marciano would have thought about a 1970-75 Ali had he been around to see him.

 

No.

 

Fair enough.. We disagree

 

That's another thread for another time so I'll say "no comment"