Tyson or Ali, who is/was more famous?

Tyson was a more exciting fighter but had limited charisma and was never held in any great affection. The fame Tyson had was verging on notoriety.

 

Talking as a 45 year old - Tyson

 

It's not even close, not nearly - in his day Ali was one of the ultimate babyboomer icons, up there with the Beatles, JFK, & so on, everyone, male or female, sports fan or not, knew all about him, whereas in Tyson's day he was 'merely' one of the most famous sportsmen in the world.

As pure fighters [i.e. to boxing/sports fans] their notability is roughly on par, but as an all-round 'figure' Ali was so much more than that... it's impossible to overstate the extent to which he gave a better interviews, and his connection to the civil rights movement, vietnam,...

 

Ali was in his time the most famous man on earth.

 

Pretty even if you ask me like to close for it to be worth arguing about

 

Are you serious? Tyson's considered the last great showman in boxing. He had massive charisma. The fans absolutely loved him, went MAD for him and when he was behaving badly and wanted to eat Lennox's children and all that, they LOVED that too.

Just not as much as Ali. Ali was an icon. Mike would be the first person to tell you there's no comparison

 

Excellent post.

 

Tyson by casuals.

 

I heard in the 70s he was more famous than Elvis

 

No there are many who know Ali for his personna & what he did on the world stage, for civil rights, on Vietnam...Who do not know Tyson.

 

This.

 

I think you talk a lot of sense but as someone who grew up in the age of Mike Tyson, I have to disagree with the 'merely one of the most famous sportsmen' . At Tysons peak I remember him 'dwarfing' other top sportsman in media coverage and fame. I would agree that Ali probably had a 'broader' coverage and influence. I think Tyson became more 'infamous' for a long period, certain parts of the media wanted to drop him, like a hot potato. Now he's having a renassiance.

 

I agree with this. Time certainly doe's weaken fame and noteriety. I grew up a decade and a half after the beatles and Elvis were around but they were still the most famous and talked about musicians. Seemed like you couldn't go a day with out seeing or hearing them on tv and of course radio. Everybody had heard of them. At the time, I figured their memory would live forever but it doesn't. The image fades as have theirs, as all images do over time. Tyson is still around and a lot fresher in peoples minds.

 

Neither.

Max Baer gets the nod

 

They both were in different eras. Can't compare.