If Mike Tyson at his best fought every good opponent Muhammad Ali fought could he have beaten them?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Sep 25, 2020.



  1. SerbianLoudmouth

    SerbianLoudmouth Overhand right-Suzie Q Full Member

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    Maybe in his dreams but they are skmething Tyson always wished to beat and would lose against them before bell even start.
    Style makes fights and Tyson style is suicidal.
    He would also lose against FOTC Frazier even knowing you would hate to admit that
     
  2. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    The versions of them that Ali fought? Yes he could have,would he have? I think Foreman of Zaire would stop Tyson and prime Liston too. Of all the others I'd make Tyson favourite.
     
  3. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

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    It's a bit of a conundrum in that the Liston clay fought absolutely took him lightly. He wouldn't take a freak like Tyson lightly so we'd see a well trained highly motivated Liston. I also believe Liston took an organised dive in the rematch so again a conundrum.

    I don't think Tyson would beat the Foreman Ali beat uner the conditions they fought in, not a bit.

    The rest i'd favor him. Some might take Frazier and i certainly wouldn't scoff at that even if i disagree.

    I also favor Tyson over Holmes personally tho some will differ.

    At his best he should take the rest tho there'd likely be a few that put up a much better battle than anticipated. Ali fought a huge array of quality contenders and champions.
     
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  4. GOAT Primo Carnera

    GOAT Primo Carnera Member of the PC Fan Club Full Member

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    Exclude Foreman, and you might get a yes.
    Of course its not fair to pair a fighter at his best against all opponents of someones fighting life time.

    You could add Holyfield and Holmes since both of them could do that too.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2020
  5. Oddone

    Oddone Bermane Stiverne's life coach. Full Member

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    Neither did Buster Douglas. Sometimes it’s about more than skill or speed, otherwise lots of guys would have never lost.
     
  6. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Tyson was far better than Douglas and Douglas was more skilled than Lyle, he would have beaten the late 70`s version of Ali, he looked like he already had parkinson`s in an interview before he fought Lyle.
     
  7. ChrisJS

    ChrisJS Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Loses to Liston, Frazier, Foreman and Holmes.
     
  8. Oddone

    Oddone Bermane Stiverne's life coach. Full Member

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    You just wrote Tyson was far better than Douglas... yet he lost to Douglas. I wrote sometimes it isn’t about who is better... you.. did you just prove my point? Thanks.. I guess.
     
  9. Jackomano

    Jackomano Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    No way. Tyson at his prime was an amazing champion, but Ali fought and beat better competition. As good as Tyson was he couldn’t make midfight adjustments like Ali could. I could see Tyson losing to Frazier, Foreman, Terrell, and Holmes.

    Chuvalo, Bonavena, and Lyle would be 50/50 fights for Tyson.
     
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  10. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yes, he's up there with Louis, Holy, Lewis, Wlad, Vitaly and maybe some of the current crop who could have done it at his very best. Big whoop.
     
  11. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He more than likely loses to Liston and Foreman.
    Frazier would be a tough challenge for him.
    Holmes could win , but his susceptibility to right hands would be a major issue for him, Tyson had a very quick overhand , straight, right hand, also could devastate with the right uppercut.
    Shavers, Williams, Lyle had a punchers luck chance , but probably get taken out early because of Tysons quickness.
     
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  12. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    That fight was awful, his corner should have trained Rousey instead.
     
  13. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Tyson was far more skilled than Tyrell.
     
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  14. Johnny_B

    Johnny_B Well-Known Member banned Full Member

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    Let's see now. So we will use an 88 Tyson against the opponents Ali faced, assuming they'd be in the same condition/shape and they'd have the same age as when Ali faced them:

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    In 64-65, Liston was around 40, he did not train properly, and had a recurring shoulder problem that also manifested itself in the match.
    Normally I'd say it's a 50-50 match between Mike and Sonny, if both were at their best, but as we can see this is by no means a peak Liston.
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    Patterson went into the Ali bout carrying a back injury (his sacroiliac joint). Patterson wasn't a natural HW. Tyson is bigger, stronger, just as fast and even more skilled as far as I'm concerned.
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    When he faced Ali, Williams was a shot fighter. One year before this fight, he was shot with a .357 magnum by a cop. The bullet hit Williams in the stomach and lodged in his right hip. Williams had to undergo four operations in the next seven months for colon damage and an injured right kidney. The right kidney had to be removed in June 1965. Doctors could not extract the bullet, which had broken his right hip joint and caused partial paralysis of some of the hip's muscles, he also lost over 10 feet (3 m) of his small intestine, and sustained nerve damage which affected his left leg above the knee and caused it to atrophy as a result.
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    Tyson is superior to Frazier in almost every possible way: he's bigger, stronger, faster, has KO power in both hands, is way more skilled and has more weapons in his arsenal, both offensively and from a defensive point of view. The only thing poor ol' Frazier's got going for him is better stamina, but since this fight will not last too long, it's basically a non-factor.
    Not to mention that Frazier was partially blind in one eye since the late 60s
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    (in 3-4 rounds tops). Even Teddy Atlas, who hates Tyson's guts, thinks the same.

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    Norton was a good boxer, but the main reason many overrate him is cause he beat Ali. Just like against Frazier, Tyson is superior in every possible way.
    Norton is bigger than Frazier and he might put up a better fight, but the
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    is still the same:
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    This would be the toughest match for Tyson. At a first glance, one might argue that the stylictic matchup favors Foreman. In a way, it does. But if Lyle went toe to toe with Foreman and had him up his feet, Tyson would have no problem doing the same. Only this time Tyson's superior speed, punching accuracy and defense will get him the win.
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    Similar to the Foreman match, and with the same
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    Tyson is stronger, faster, has KO power in both hands, is way more skilled and has a much better defense.
    Shavers's got nothing at all going for him: he was an average boxer skill wise, he lacked stamina, and his punching power is vastly overrated.
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    I didn't even bother to mention guys like
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    this shouldn't even be up for debate.

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    As we can see, Tyson is more than capable of taking out all of Ali's opponents, and he'd do it in far more emphatic fashion than Ali ever could. :ggg:ggg:ggg
     
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  15. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    That is just the point, he wouldn't be at his best.

    He would have been fighting some of them when he was badly washed up.

    That is why nobody has ever replicated Ali's feat!