1974 Muhammad Ali vs. 1996 Mike Tyson

Ali TKO 9.

 

Being a Tyson fan that must be a hard pick??? But R U sure it ends with a stoppage??? I would pick Ali in a prime match up as well as a 71 vs 91 type match...and probably lean towards it here as wll.

Tyson of 96 is clearly not what he once was but he was still a solid HW and a force to worry about and be prepared for. I like the 96 version of Holyfield better than the 74 version of Ali, and it took him 11 hard rds to finnish Tyson. I don't think Ali will hit him as much or as hard (Not that Holy is the the greatest puncher as far as 1 punch power goes) as Holy did. and by Tyson's performance in his 3 bouts leading to Holy he still had a great punch, even if his speed and ability to throw combo's was diminshed. He held his own in the Holyfield fight, and stunned him a few times. I rank Holy's chin not so much different from Ali's (BLASPHEME!), so have no trouble seeing Tyson hurt this Ali and even possible end him .

Ali is not going to rope a dope Tyson...or if he does I don't believe it will be as succesful against tyson, even this version. He would get dropped by Wepner in his very next fight, so I don't have to much trouble envisioning Tyson being able to drop him...and maybe even stop him. Now I like Wepner and Lyle (feel like Lyle gets sold a little short!), but it took Ali 15 and 11 to get stoppages in those fights so don't see why they are any more durable than this version of Tyson.

I would lean towards an Ali decision in the 8-4/7-5 range (I have no clue how Tyson would fare in a 15 rd bout, and would have even more questions about it at this stage of his carear)... I could possibly envision a worn out Mike getting dropped and finished in 10-12 or so, but don't feel comfortable with that pick! I could even envision Tyson finnishing Ali for the reasons I stated earlier...but don't really see him being able to win a decision, unless Ali really did try to rope a dope him!

 

Ali stops him. Tyson would wear down late and have difficulty landing cleanly on Ali, who would use his defense to evade Tyson's shots.

 

Tyson comes on strong at first and has Cassius literally against the ropes. But Ali survives, as a result of his defensive abilities, coupled with Mike gradually "punching himself out", so to speak. Ali most likely takes it by UD, but I wouldn't rule out a late TKO either.

 

Ali tko 10

 

Ali decision

 

A better question is: would Ali have an easier time with that version of Tyson or with Foreman? I think Tyson would give him a harder fight..

 

ali of 74 would beat the tyson of 96 by a late stoppage mike was basicly shot by 96 he was flat footed and had poor stamina at there prime though i would have backed tyson

 

Tyson didn't have the stamina issues of the '70's version of Foreman, so the rope-a-dope would have been somewhat futile as well as foolish against a much different type of puncher than the clubbing blows of Foreman. Also Ali isn't knocking out Mike Tyson...any version of him. Ali, in 41 combined rounds failed to score the 1st knockdown against Joe Frazier..the same Joe Frazier that is generally considered to have an inferior set of whiskers to Mike Tyson, Ali stopped George Foreman largely by virtue of Foreman's exhaustion..both mental and physical exhaustion..Ali didn't have the punching power of either Buster Douglas or Evander Holyfield, who both, as it's been pointed out already in a previous post, landed plenty of flush shots and accumulated punishment on Tyson before he succumbed to them. The more likely scenario is that the wily, resourceful '74 Ali would have found a way to negate Tyson's power by fighting a smart fight featuring much strategic holding and frustrating Mike while scoring with his light but accurate jabs and occasiional lead right hands, very similar to the second fight with Frazier. Ali would get the decision over 15, but Tyson would be less of a struggle than Frazier yet a much tougher ordeal than Foreman was to Ali.

 

I think Ali wins by TKO late. When plan A doesn't work for Tyson, there is no plan B. Ali would be to clever, to smart and to good. What a great fight to see though.!!

 

Ali by UD.
Thought this was Tyson from 'Holyfield I' when I voted, but after reading that it was Tyson from 'Bruno II', my opinion of the outcome remained unchanged.

 

Something which ought to be taken into account when considering this is that Ali originally idolized Patterson while still an amateur, and understood the peek-a-boo style, actually emulating it for a time. (It's why Liston briefly hired young Clay on as a sparring partner before dethroning Floyd, so Sonny could practice swinging downward at a low target. I have a magazine article with a photograph of the two of them sparring together buried somewhere. Surprised I haven't seen it pop up on line through another source yet. Should be just a matter of time though.) Later, Muhammad was prepared for dealing with the nuances of Patterson's approach.

Ali wouldn't be rope a doping here, but he would be clinching liberally as a frustration and neutralizing tactic, yanking down on the shorter man's neck in the process. Tyson would either lose his composure or get discouraged.

 

I think an older wiser Ali such as the 1974 version has a better chance to beat a prime 86-89 Tyson than the prime 65-67 version of Ali dose. I think Ali in 1974 would not dance around around like he would in 67. I don't think he would use the rope a dope. Tyson might have not been as good in 96 as he was in 86, but he was not going to waist punches. I think Ali would hit and hold his way to decision victory.

 

Ali scores a late KO over this Tyson, 88 Tyson KOs 74 Ali though