Could a prime Mike Tyson actually dominate Ali?

Tyson had a devasating left hook but his right hand was even more powerful, I think his best punch was his half hook-half overhand right, the same shot he dropped Holmes with the first time, a beautifully executed punch.

 

Yep, I remember Tyson explicitly saying that he felt his best punch was his straight or overhand right. And, if you think of some of the best single punches he ever landed, that isn't surprising. (Think of how he knocked out Botha, how he broke Golota's cheek bone, and as you mentioned, how he floored Holmes)

 

Oh, yeah, I think that version of Ali would be overwhelmed by Tyson. But, most people would agree that Ali was at his best in the mid to late 60s, before his hiatus from boxing.

 

Never mind, I apologize, misread your post. :good

 

Tyson is right handed so naturally he will punch harder with the right.
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Tyson after he knocked Williams out in 89 'my right hand is my best punch, but i never catch anyone with it...... i always hit guys with left hooks'.

 

Ali was his best before the Frazier fight, so Tyson would be fighting a better Ali than Frazier did.

It's not outlandish to give Tyson a chance. If not him, then who, right?

But Alis chances are much better.

 

It would always be a competitive fight. No way would Tyson dominate,though. It's been mentioned that if Frazier could do this or that to Ali then Tyson could...etc. but Joe and Mike were n't quite the same. Frazier caused Ali a lot of problems with his inside game. Tyson was n't as good at that as Frazier was. Also Joe waded through seven kinds of hell to beat Muhammad in their first fight and I don't see Tyson taking the kind of punishment that was laid on Joe for a long period of time.


In my opinion prime Ali beats prime Tyson convincingly. Even Ali's early 70s incarnation does the job if he's in top shape.

 

Tyson brings a lot of tools that would trouble Ali, mainly pressure, speed and a good left hook. The key for Tyson would be workrate, he might of course catch Ali and stop him early, but given Ali's track record against big punchers this seems highly unlikely. So Tyson would need to force the fight all the way through, not just in the early rounds, and maintain a high work rate to keep up with Ali. Ali would tie him up when close so this could be a very frustrating night for Tyson. He would need to be very disciplined and not loose his head.

Ali has some good tools himself. He wouldn't have to go looking for Tyson, and being both bigger and faster he would certainly be able to land his share first. Tyson was good at slipping punches, but this is Ali, if you come for him you will eat punches no matter how good your defense is.

Against overmatched opponents, especially later on in his career, Ali would often let up and play around without really trying to hurt his opponents. In his prime he was sharper and more powerful than people seem to remember, and he had a mean streak as well. He would try to punish Tyson, and regardless of the outcome Tyson would have to take a beating. People point to the Frazier fight to make a case for Tyson. But Frazier had to walk through hell, absorbing countless clean punches from a big guy, to get that win. Beating a prime Ali would be an even tougher task.

So could Tyson do it? Maybe. The problem with Tyson is that it is a lot of guesswork involved when you match him up with other greats. He looked great and then had a lapse against Douglas. It is not such a big deal as some people claim, it happened to other great fighters before Tyson, but the problem with him is that he went to prison before he could redeem himself and spent what should have been his prime years behind bars instead of in the ring. So we really don't know how a fully focused Tyson would do when pushed to the limit as he would be against Ali.

As it is my money would be on Ali to outbox, punish and then stop Tyson late. But it is possible to make a good argument for Tyson.

 

I think when people say Tyson gets the KO over Ali they are being ridiculous personally. First off Ali was never knocked out in his career. so to add to the fact its unlikely, there is actually evidence that no one, not one of those greats from the 70s could finish Ali by KO. He took every flush shot in the book by legendary punchers, yet Mike gets him out in 4 lol. This is why I never see Tyson winning against Ali, he does pretty well early but loses on points in my mind. I'm a Tyson fan but Ali uses every trick in the book to outbox and outlast Mike. His own speed would also out speed the fast Tyson, beating him to the punch and effecting his timing. Tyson said himself, nobody beats Ali.

 

Tyson just didn't have a Frazier type or Foreman type chin.

 

It baffles me how much credit Tyson is given in a match up with PRIME ALI.

Yes, Ali was decked by Henry Cooper's left hook .... but by that logic he should have been killed by Sonny Liston. But he wasn't, was he ?!

Tyson was good, very good. I don't know if he's been overestimated here, or whether Ali, as strange as it seems, is being underestimated.

Ali would dominate Tyson after the first 3 rounds, which might be a little competitive. I imagine Ali would stop Tyson in 7 or 8 rounds, maybe 9 or 10. Cut him up, bust him up, frustrate him, school him.

I dunno, I happen to think Ali was about 10 times better than Tucker at everything Tucker did, and that's being generous to Tucker .... and about 10 times better than Douglas too.
And Tyson hardly looked like a killer against either of those two. Sure, he beat Tucker clearly, but he was getting hit plenty whenever Tucker musterred to courage and skill to throw the punches. Ali was about 10 times sharper and braver, and would have oozed confidence and completely schooled Tyson at the end of the day.

That's just the way I see it. I'm surprised Ali's not rated as highly in these H2H's as I thought he was.

 

I didn't say that, Tyson did

 

Chuvalo who was a face first plodder but relentless in his assault managed to give Ali a vicious body beating which had him hospitalized.

The idea that Ali beats Tyson easily is absurd. Tyson has just the right style to exploit 60s Alis weaknesses. Ali doesn't have the power to keep Tyson off him and Tyson leaping in with a left hook could have bad consequences. Forget that mental strength tripe. The biggest cop-out ever. Norton was ten times the mental midget Tyson was and folded like a lawn chair against punchers, but that didn't prevent him from beating Ali, arguably twice.