If Muhammad Ali Fought Lennox Lewis At Their Respective Peaks..?

+1. There were much easier ways for Mike to go out against Lennox.

 

It’s much more complicated, man; we’d have to assume that literally every one of Tyson’s 37 previous opponents was unprepared—and that no one noticed—given that people pegged someone like Buster (ranked #7 at the time) as a 42-to-1 underdog.
And at least a few of the subsequent opponents would have had to be unprepared, too
Tyson beat at least five opponents who were genuinely better than Buster, and at least fifteen who were ranked higher. We’d have to assume that those dozen-plus fights were just a total fluke for Mike, while the one against Buster reveals his true level—meaning he was worse than, say, Ferguson (whom Buster couldn't dominate), or maybe on par with Tangstad?

 

Good post. THAT Douglas is a H2H problem for most. The unicorn version we'd imagine had we not seen a once in a lifetime physical manifestation. He went from a 'the best version of Douglas could' to 'the best version of Douglas DID'....

 

In that case, we have a candidate for the GOAT—in a "prime-versus-prime" sense; there is absolutely no shame for anyone in losing to a boxer like that.
To think that someone like that couldn't beat Ferguson or Tangstad.

 

Well, prior versions of Douglas might not have bothered to will themselves up from the canvas as Buster did after taking an hellacious uppercut from Mike Tyson.

For that matter, we actually saw a post Tokyo Douglas, in his very next fight, make little to no effort to rise after being knocked down by Holyfield’s counter right hand - even though seemingly able to do same IF he was so mentally inclined.

 

I never said every Tyson opponent was compromised/in bad condition, nor did I say Douglas explained what level Tyson was at.

I simply said if Tyson gets 1,001 excuses for the Douglas loss (conveniently the only fight in his prime people make this many excuses for), then other Tyson opponents who had legitimate issues get excuses as well for losing to Tydon(Holmes' age/inactivity, Tucker's broken hand, etc).