"Iron" Mike Tyson vs "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali

Stylistically, Tyson didn't really like dealing with movers and clinchers. That said, if Frazier can land on Ali then so can Tyson and Tyson hits a good deal harder. I'd favour Ali but give Tyson a decent chance of the win.

 

The fans would win.

I favor Ali slightly.

The truth is that this is the greatest fight possible in boxing. Nothing would top this kind of event and nothing can top this matchup.

 

I'll go with Tyson by stoppage,in fight of the century

 

Tyson by KO

 

6/10 ALI by late KO, 4/10 Tyson by early KO.

 

I think you would have to favor mid-1960s Clay/Ali over any version of Tyson post-Spinks possibly by stoppage, certainly the late 90s / early 2000s versions of Tyson would stand no chance. And any version of Tyson pre-Douglas over any version of 1970s Ali probably by stoppage, which would probably look a lot like when Tyson fought an aging Larry Holmes who had come out of retirement, competitive for a few rounds but then sparked out of there. But could Prime Tyson before he fought Buster Douglas catch Cassius Clay that fought Liston the first time, or would Ali dance to a decision? 1970s Ali wouldn't be able to get away from Prime Tyson, he had slowed down too much and he would get punished. But the constant movement he showed in the mid-1960s would make it hard for Tyson to cut off the ring and load up on big shots.

It's a dream fight when you're talking Ali before 1967 vs Prime Tyson under the guidance of Cus / Rooney. I could see Ali outboxing him and outjabbing him with Mike trying to slip or block jabs and just following him around looking for an opening to strike, but maybe over 15 rounds Tyson catching him once or twice and maybe getting a flash knockdown or two but Clay/Ali getting back up and making it to the final bell with Tyson desperately trying to catch him again in the late rounds but Ali using his footwork to avoid shots and maybe doing like an imitation of Bone Crusher Smith in the later rounds after putting enough to rounds in the bank early on.

The thing is though as great as Ali was in the 1960s, as fast as he was on his feet, Prime Tyson was fast too, and could close you down and corner you with his constant stalking. I think the big question mark isn't if Prime Tyson could catch Ali and knock him down. Henry Cooper was able to catch him and get a flash knockdown but maybe that still was pre-prime Cassius Clay and by the time he fought Liston he had raised his game to another level, and that his preparation for Liston had him prepared so well to use his legs to fight Liston form a distance he could try to do the same thing vs Tyson. But could Cassius Clay hurt Prime Tyson.

 

The problem is that Ali in 60 ies was different. He might get down but looks that he did not had absorbed any damages or really proper hit in fight, I mean there really proper hit.
He in 1966 th also outside of ring looked, moved and talked like in 1960 th. Surprisingly even did not looked 6 years older.


I will gave such opinion: Tyson from 1988 th will beat Ali from 70 ies. Tyson from 1988 th will not beat Ali from 1960-1966.
Prime Tyson was like in 1987-1988 cos he then had improved each month, like since 1984 till 1988 th. each fight and surprisingly was very patient and like this.
Also he was surprisingly agile for his weight and with very good legs. This Tyson's legs were excellent.

 

I don't think Cassius Clay would talk like he did before he fought Liston if he had to fight Prime Tyson. And if he did, I don't think Cassius Clay's talking would affect Tyson in the slightest. Cus or Rooney would have him 100% focused in the gym and prepared. If anything I think it would just make Tyson smile and would motivate Tyson to train even harder to shut this fast talking kid up and raise his game.

If Prime 1980s Tyson went into a time machine and went back 20 years and challenged Cassius Clay after he beat Sonny Liston, it would be unbelievable to see that match play out. Could Cassius Clay stick and move and land the jab all night, could he hurt Tyson. I don't know. Tyson could hurt him I know that but Cassius Clay's footwork and concentration would make it hard for Tyson to catch him and land a big shot, most of the people Prime Tyson beat had limited skills or slow movement. Cassius Clay could really move and fight you from a distance and be the ring general in there. I think Mike would have made quick lateral bursts to cut off the ring, then try to trap Cassius Clay on the ropes. I doubt Cassius Clay would even try to clinch against Mike as that wasn't his style when he was young he could just dance all night.

 

Both are likely somewhat overrated, but Tyson far more so. Ali has the wins against the best around and he showed he could do it several ways. Tyson burnt brightly but for a short time and he lost against the best guys he fought.

 

He would had talked.
Don't forget how he even in 70 ies had talked with Olympic Champion, undefeated pro boxer in Frazier?
Disrespect till hell level, to call Frazier like uncle Tom etc alike talks.
Frazier was not white " enemy " for coloured or african ppl and he talked like moron on Frazier.

Prime Ali had beated Patterson, Olympic Champion who used peek a bo style. Patterson with 0 thinking might made current CW weight in limits, looks he was approx 190 lbs.
Tyson in real prime maybe approx 210 lbs?, so larger and hit harder.

Ali did not had fought enough fighters who used high guard, peek a bo or EE/ classic british style.
A lot of boxers against him used " hands down " position and dudes like even prime Huck had KFOed them with a glance.
I will be honest, even prime 29-31 y.o Glowacki or Tabiti, not alone Dorticos.


However Ali was in 1960-1966 approx 215 lbs and moved like he had weight in weight not more than 175 lbs.
Really amazing specimen with very good reflexes.

This for sure was not Holmes from 1988 and Holmes from 1988 was not Holmes form 1977-1980.
Tyson is a bit overvalued cos he had over the hill Holmes out of retirement in the ring.
I think if Tyson continued to improve after 1988, we in 1990 th had saw even better Tyson version than we ever had seen. More polished and still young Tyson.

Wtf how good he might be if he continued to improve 1988-1990-1993? Damn, then he had reached real peak he was capable to reach.

 

he stopped to continue improve since 1988 th. That's it and there it is.

 

Stop spamming the General forum with this nostalgia bs. Go to the classic forum instead.

Is it impossible?

 

And who knows how good Ali would have been if he would have continued his career between 1967-1970. Lets be honest when he came back he had slowed down a lot. He still talked plenty when he fought Frazier but he became delusional and bogged down in politics to be at his best like he was in the mid 1960s. The truth is both Tyson and Ali only were truly prime for a very short period of time. Ali 1964-1967 and Tyson maybe 1985-1988. Both declined for different reasons but I think you have to say that Ali fought the better competition while in their prime, maybe not better names, as Holmes and Spinks were great fighters in their prime but both were pretty much washed up by the time they faced Mike. I mean you have to think how Prime Tyson would have done vs a guy like Doug Jones who gave Cassius Clay a very tough fight. Would Tyson just blow him away or would Tyson struggle vs Jones too.

Could Prime Tyson stop someone like tough and rugged George Chuvalo. How many rounds realistically could Floyd Patterson go with Prime Tyson. Tyson could annihilate people, but at the same time I think it's fair to say that Cassius Clay in the 1960s fought better competitiion than Tyson did in the 1980s despite Tyson fighting great fighters like Holmes and Spinks they were not in their primes anymore when they fought him. I mean Prime Larry Holmes or even the version of Spinks who beat Holmes could probably take Cassius Clay into deeper waters than he ever was in. Who knows how Prime Holmes would have fared vs Tyson, coming out of retirement he was still game but was not the same.

 

till 8 not more I think. 190 lber vs ~ 210 lber in prime and with the same style. I think like this.

Yeah. Still I think Ali was in prime like 1960- till 1966. Okey, maybe 1967.

Ofc heritage had been better and health less damaged till 1970 th for example. More agile, younger etc, I think like this.

It is cool that you take in account fighters age when we are talking about western boxers.
It think it might be valuable for you to take age and " usage " also when you express opinions about european fighters, especially EE fighters.

For example Marciano had retired when he was 32 y.o, Ward when he was 33 y.o and Lewis, who was very durable boxer, had retired when he was 38. DLH was very good when was young and later young and already mature. He retired when he was 36.
While Eastern european and european boxers are judged as " trash ", " plumbers ", over hyped and bad regards their fights when they were older than 33 it is norm in forums and cool.
While I do not call western boxers retired in age 32, 33, 36 as overvalued etc.
Maybe we might be more friendly and neutral in fighters judgement regardless of their origin?