OK I pick Ali. Do I think it is a foregone conclusion? By no means. Tyson was a better finisher than anybody that Ali ever fought, but he was most dangerous in the early rounds. Yes he was dangerous throughout the fight, but he did not apply constant pressure throughout the fight, like Joe Frazier did. The way to beat Ali is pressure, pressure, and more pressure. Tyson could be tied up and neutralised in the clinches, and Ali would know how to do this. Ali was also a master of psychological warfare, and in Tyson he would find a rich seam to exploit. My inclination is that Ali would survive the early onslaught, then take control.
There is no heavyweight more unlikely to fall in the first five rounds then Muhammad Ali. There's the footspeed, the reflexes, the chin, the recuperative ability and flat-out inhuman mental strength. He was tested again, and again, and again, and again. He never folded. Not even against Holmes and Berbick. What the hell makes people think Tyson gets him out of there early and what chance does Mike have if he doesn't?
Yeah, if Tyson doesn't get him out of there early he will get broken down imo and fade late like he always did.
IMO Liston was a far far better fighter than Tyson. Liston was still knocking out guys when he was past 40, who were actually good. He had strung together a nice set of wins since losing to Ali. His only losses were to ali and a late round fluke knock out by leotis martin when liston who was winning all night long was moving in for the kill and martin just hit him with a perfect. Liston had slow hand but a far longer reach, bigger hands, more power. I don't see a single one of tyson's opponents beating Liston, not one. If Tony Tucker or Smith could lose 6-4 to Tyson, no reason to believe Ali couldn't win a 12 or 15 rounder
In fairness to Martin, the dude could hit, and was technically sound in his own right. Had he not suffered the detached retina, he would have been in line to fight Ali, and with his power he would have been dangerous for a while at any rate. Liston was still a dangerous guy at that stage in his career, though.
You think Frazier is a poor mans Tyson? Not even close to the same styles, Frazier's style is more effective vs Ali because he smothers Ali, Tyson would explode at mid range and would often get lazy on the inside, he didn't have the same inside style as Frazier.
Tommo I think you have your whole statement reversed. tyson=poor man frazier those that tyson couldn't beat he never tried to beat again but rather ran away from, except for holyfield who he never intended on fighting just biting. I'd be surprised if Tyson lasted more than 3-4 rounds against Ali. Tyson has the nasty habit of raming his head right into your solar plexus when he get tired and clinching your arms. Ali would keep moving when Tyson got tired and as soon as he went in for the clinch I see anchor punch part 2. People would accuse Tyson of faking and throwing the fight, and Ali's hand would move so fast 99% of the audience wouldn't see it. The idea that Tyson hand speed is near Ali's is laughable when had Tyson ever knocked out somone and almost no one seen the punch?
Tyson's biggest weapon, aside from his power was intimidation. If you were intimidated when facing tyson, you were beaten. It's no coincidence that the fighters who weren't intimidated by Tyson either beat him or gave him a decent fight. Does anyone here really think that Ali would be intimidated by Tyson? Wary of his power yes. But afraid of him? Absolutely not. Prime Ali beats prime Tyson every time. Tyson was headcase albeit a dangerous one but Ali's more stable mentality would be a big factor in this fight. Spinks had the look of a man walking to the gallows when he met Tyson. Bonecrusher Smith grabbed Mike like a drowning man all night. They were afraid of Mike and Mike knew it. Ali wouldn't be afraid and Mike would know this as well...and prime Ali was in a different level than the men that did beat Tyson.
A good competitive fight for the first five or 6 rounds. However, tyson had a bully mentality and would begin to become fustrated in his efforts to consistently land on ali. whenever he would manage to trap ali in the corner or against the ropes ali would smartly tie him up. In ring center ali would use his great judge of distance to score with speedy combos and elude most of tysons big blows. Tyson would definitely land some punches and maybe even score a knockdown but ali was one of the best at weathering a storm. He also had a great chin and recouperative powers This would discourage tyson who would eventually begin to wind down. He would miss more and more and at the same time ali would get into his head with his constant taunting. Tyson appeared to become more reckless if he couldn't knock his foes out early and this would play right into ali's hands. In a 12 rounder i would pick ali by unanimous decision. In a 15 rounder i think that he would stop tyson late. Tyson was inferior to frazier in stamina and tended decelerated as a fight went on. Ali would certainly take advantage of this and take him apart mentally and physically.