Could Tyson have knocked out Ali in Their Primes?

Prime for Prime I think these two would make for an instant classic without a doubt. Ali's prime was towards the end of his first title reign where he looked nearly invincible toying with and dispatching solid opponents. Everyone knows when Tyson was prime. I always see Ali winning this match up. Even at the time he fought Frazier the first and second time, I think he beats Tyson in his prime. I just think he could keep Tyson on the outside enough to win the fight and would have a better plan, pace rhythem to win a 15 round decision or even possibly stop Tyson late. A prime Tyson would bring it and land some bombs but Ali would survive when hit make Tyson miss a lot and always come back. Ali would be busier I think and may be behind in the early rounds where Tyson would be more busy. Tyson unlike Frazier would actually begin to slow in the later rounds though.

Ali in his prime would stay on the outside and whack away while moving, I see him making Tyson miss a lot more then later in his career and winning more on skills rather then game plan unlike what he'd have to do later in his career. An old Ali would move less, still talk as much but impose more of a game plan giving different looks from round to round. But I still think Ali would eventually later in the fight Ali would whack away on Tyson while still winning enough early rounds to be a head on the scorecards.

If you put Ali passed the Foreman and especially after the Fraizer fight against a prime Tyson I think you could see shades of what Tyson did to an older Larry Holmes but anytime before that I'd still give the edge to Ali.

 

Could he? Of course. Is it likely? Not at all.

 

I like the analyses of varying Ali's vs. Tyson. Though it is an intrinsic disadvantage to Ali, because Tyson always gets to be prime in these scenarios.

I would amend the analyses of pre-ban (peak) Ali give above.
I think he has enough power to get Tyson's respect, & Ali could avoid Tyson's worst bombs & combos until he tired out.
Ali at 212 lbs. was not hit so much upstairs, but I thnk he chin was better than a few years earlier.

Even in his first title shot, largely when nearly blinded for a while, Ali could take much punishment. He would not be playing around like against Cooper.

 

Ali's my hero but of all the heavyweight champions who I think he could be knocked out by in his prime I'd pick Tyson.
Apart from his power I base that on his hand speed.
Ali always had that edge over any of his opponents but it would be much reduced against Tyson as it was against Floyd Patterson, who especially in their 2nd fight managed to land often on Ali.
Particularly early on Ali would have to be very careful and if he got careless sure enough somebody like Tyson could take him out, let's face it Tyson could take anyone out.
Would it happen, probably not, Ali wasn't stupid he would be at his disciplined best as he was in the first Liston fight after being decked by Henry Cooper the fight before.

 

noone knocks out Ali. He might fall, but no way does he stay down. Hes the frekin Southampton FC of boxing.

 

Tho he won the title next fight we've gone from one end of the scale back well towards the other. Ali had just 18 fights under the belt and was still physically maturing.

Assuming a peak Ali is being put forward you'd be looking at least 4 years down the track from Cooper and 10 years prior to Shavers. Unless we are taking green or semi shot Tyson.

 

LOL, ok, then, how about little Joe Frazier dropping Ali?

Does Tyson hit as hard as Frazier? Is he as explosive as Frazier? I submit that most people would say Tyson was both harder hitting and more explosive than Frazier.

Again, and to reiterate: I'm not picking Tyson over Ali. I think Ali would probably have been, at his best, too fleet of foot, fast and too savvy to lose to Tyson. But what I DO think is that Tyson would be a live underdog, and that a guy like him finishing off Ali is hardly implausible.

 

Trivia on Ali:
Did you know that he was the godfather to Malcolm X children?

 

Frazier is a brute and put 14 rounds of vaunted left hooks into Ali before he was dropped. I can't see Tyson dropping anyone late in a fight thru accumulation. He pretty much gets you quite early or not at all. Mind you he gets a lot of people early.

I would agree but that has little to do with what i was getting at as did the first paragraph. I was adding some balance. Citing Cooper dropping Ali and Shavers hitting him with right hands as important in a peak for peak matchup wasn't exactly plausible. Frazier, well, getting warmer.

I never thought you were. Implausible would basically be improbable and i do think Tyson stopping Ali would be improbable. Certainly not impossible but not overly likely either even tho he is one extremely dangerous guy early.

 

I think we're splitting hairs now. Our positions are in the same general bandwidth, except for my spot on the dial is a bit more towards Tyson.

 

Tyson could knock out anyone esp prime Tyson. Ali was dropped and badly hurt by Henry Cooper. Though he got caught clowning , ( and I'm sure he wouldn't be clowning against a foe as dangerous as prime Tyson) but the fact is he was dropped and damn near stopped. So yes he could be knocked out by a prime Tyson. Though head to head, both fighters focused and in their prime, Ali wouldn't have loss to Tyson.

 

The TS is a die hard Foreman fan so actually breaking this fight down would be throwing away a lot of hype and false views.

the boxing community is not really ready to do that so it becomes an illogical thread like we cant believe Tyson K.O's Ali even though the fights suggest he would? Lol

Tyson by 4th round K.O !

 

Only Galento beats a prime Tyson

 

and Lewis.