Tyson answered this on his latest Hotboxin podcast with Jim Grey. He said that if he hadn’t gone to prison he would of died of AIDS..
Things wouldn't have been much different, if at all. Tyson was on the decline by the time he went to jail. Even without his team and inner demons, Tyson's style just wasn't built for longevity.
Tyson was never going to have a very long career. Young stile with millions early Drugs booze brids ! .Once he slowed down he could be hit .Happens to most.
Ali got hit far less in the 60`s than during his comeback, who the hell would have given him brain damage, he was head and shoulders above everyong in the 60`s, maybe a green Frazier would have beat him.
Ali never went to jail. As for Tyson, I'm not sure he could've beaten Holyfield in '92. But he could've remained a solid #2 without prison to stagnate him
I remember an interview with Manny Steward when Tyson was 19 or 20 and he predicted that his prime would be very short because of his style.
Jail may have of saved him from spiraling further out of control with a possible Coke OD or flip out with rage at some one and kill them. Or do the wrong thing to someone that has no hesitation at pulling a gun.
I didn't see the 80s Tyson in either of the Ruddock fights, at least not the hyperamped killdozer who completely terrorized the division in seemingly unstoppable fashion. Especially the second Ruddock fight seemed unnecessarily difficult for Mike, as evidenced by Lewis's total domination of RR shortly thereafter. Granted, it could be that the two Mike fights took too much out of Ruddock by the time he met Lewis. I don't think so. 80s Mike was a different fighter from 90s, and that includes against Douglas. Whether he went to prison or not, Mike changed as a fighter. Into a noticeably inferior one imo.
Mike not being dead or jail makes him a winner He still clearly has mental challenges he has to manage every day. I think he's quit weed whilst training for Roy which is great. You can see through when he's not stoned and talking serious on the podcast he has a real mean nasty side in him that he has to control. Then his stupid co-hosts laugh at a point Mike is trying to put forward which isn't meant to be funny and Mike looks angry AF. He was high during his Fury podcast which sucked, he sort of just sat there feebly like a hollow shell.
