Could Tyson have neutalized 70's Ali's jab??

I think he'd have more success slipping the jab than perhaps anyone Ali ever fought, but it depends on so many things.
I don't think there's anyone that I can think of who could completely neutalize Ali's jab. Holmes could take away Ali's jab to a point because I feel he had an even better jab than Ali, but that's for another time.

As we know, Tyson slipped jabs extremely well. Thing is, jabbing is not just about throwing a straight punch, but about positioning, movement off the jab, potential punches thrown behind the jab, feinting...it gets pretty complex when you think about it. Then of course we have the opponent's reaction to the jab, which is just as complex.

To just skim the surface I'd say yes, Tyson to a degree could neutralize the jab of Ali. He had the ability to throw a formidable left hook as a counter after ducking or slipping the jab, and with his handspeed and timing he could nail Ali with that hook.
It could be a fascinating set of events should Tyson find success with the counter hook.
Does Ali start feinting to draw the hook and then counter it? Does he double up on the jab, does he throw a right hand after the jab, does he start throwing more lead rights to mess with Tyson's timing?

Tyson's best chance of neutralizing the jab would come early in the fight and carry through to the middle rounds. His intense type of style usually saw him slow down a bit after that, although he'd still have some success in the later rounds in my opinion, but again it really depends on many variables.

 

I think a better question would be: for how long can he neutralize Ali's jab? Even in his prime, he did seem to get tired/lazy in his quick head movement and defence after the 5th-6th round. Ali, on the other hand, would be going in a higher gear at this point. If Tyson hasn't got him out of there before the 6th, he'd be in deep trouble and start losing rounds by wider and wider margins.

 

I think Ali's jab in the early 70's was on par with the one he had in his prime. The main difference was his movement behind the jab. Frazier showed in FOTC that you could make a stationary Ali miss with the jab and then counter.

But when he really got in shape Ali could still move quite well for a time in the 70's, and the question is: would Tyson be there to put pressure on him when he slowed down, like Norton and Frazier did? As long as Ali was moving I don't think Tyson would be able to neutralize his jab (even if he probably could slip quite a few), so the question is which physical and, especially, mental Tyson state would be in when Ali started to slow down.

 

Yes DEFINITELY! he would have blocked it with his face!

 

Yes, if he can keep his pace up for the duration of the entire fight. If Tyson slows down after the middle rounds like he usually does, Ali catches him cleaner with right hands.

Frazier perhaps had arguably the best stamina in heavyweight history as a shorter fighter with Marciano and even though he bobbed, weaved and slipped Ali's punches, Ali still caught him later in the fight, especially in Manilla.

Tyson has nowhere near the capacity of stamina that Frazier and Marciano exhibited so unless he knocks out Ali early which is highly unlikely, Ali catches him and give him trouble after the middle rounds.

 

I personally don't see Tyson or any other Heavyweight in history getting Ali "out of there" in 15 rounds, let alone the first half of the fight.

Ali should never have got up in Frazier 1, but by some miracle he did. Along with Mccall and Chuvalo, Ali was almost unknockoutable at Heavyweight.

 

Tyson is 1 of the best jab slippers I've ever seen in his prime. The bigger problem for Tyson is Ali's side stepping and use of distance, fast counters, and fast combinations from any angle

 

With Ali's speed & boxing ability if Tyson was successfully slipping the jab then Ali would switch to throwing Combinations with plenty of upercut, which have proven to be effective against Mike. With a great braintrust like Dundee, it probably would be more combinations/upercuts. Than jabs for Ali's strategy. The more punches Tyson takes & the rounds rack up. The weaker Tyson will get. Tyson would be ripe for the taking in about the eleventh round.

 

He'd have to think of simultaneously of Ali's lead right and his other options. That's a lot to think about. Ali threw effective punches regardless of positioning or balance so Tyson would not be able to key on the jab too much or he'd get effectively hit with something else more damaging than the jab. It's a tall order

 

He might have slipped some but Ali would often throw more than one at a time, plus his footwork was remarkable and would keep Tyson from getting set to throw the heavy punches. (see fight with James Tillis)

 

Tyson slips the jab and lands his left hook. Again and again.

 

He's going to counter Ali, huh? He's going to outstep Ali 2 or 3 to 1 to get his feet in position to land, even if Ali decides to stand still? One guy could punch while moving his feet and could go laterally/forwards or backwards. And had the balance to throw punches from those positions.

The other guy used the left-right-left D'amato footwork and dip left or dip right and punch. But only with the left foot forward. He has to plant his feet to punch. Ali would turn the guy all over the place & have him walking into punches and lunging off balance trying to throw those telegraphed hooks and lead right hands.

 

Absolutely,Tyson had the best defence I have ever seen on a heavyweight,he slipped shots beautifull shifted his feet/took a little half step and ripped off combinations.He was as fast as Ali,as heavy or heavier and hit way way way harder.Look at the fighter who had Ali on his arse,all shorter than him and all with left hooks,Mike and a beautifull counter left hook.Take a look at his slip of the jab left hook KO against Carl the truth Williams.If Joe Frazier could dump him on his rear end and beat him,a bigger,faster,better skilled,harder to hit harder punching Tyson could allso beat him.

 

No.