Ali has the style to beat Tyson. With his jab and his movement he would be able to keep Tyson at a distance, and he had the necessary sting in his right hand to get his respect. He also possesed a great chin and should be able to take Tysons punch when he gets one through (which he would now and then, Tyson was a great fighter). Add to that the advantage in strenght and ability to tie Tyson up on the inside. Tyson on the other hand, while great, did not posses what I see as the key features to beat Ali, mainly inside fighting skills and high workrate. I think Ali would win most rounds, scoring heavily with his jab and right hand whilst using lateral movement and tying Tyson up on the inside. As the fight progressed Ali's greater stamina would make him increasingly dominant, but I'm not sure he would stop Tyson. If he does it would probably be very late in the fight, I think he had sligthly more power that Douglas and Holyfeild, but he rarely sat down on his punches and Tyson had a very good chin.
Liston for a young Clay and Foreman for an older Ali were rightly adjudged absolute monsters by their prior results, Tyson on the other hand flattered to deceive, the spinks fight is often citied as his Pinnacle, and yet what type of barometer was the Frozen Spinks in effect. ? Mike did not move too well laterally and gave that Sleight Dip before Launching an attack, would be picked up on very quickly by Ali and allied to his Space Perception and Mobility, Once Ali has Mapped Mike's movements I suspect and Early Movement and Negation campaign would start to incorporate Very Hard Combinations (Assuming Ali's Hands are Fine ) and a few Ali Shuffles, Mike probably does have the physical capabilities to keep plowing away... but i think his Mentality is that of " .Im in Brutal Charge..Or I'm Not Playing.." Where Joe Frazier would keep that Intensity Stoked to the last dying Ember, Mike's Flame can blow out if not fueled by fear, He has, for me too many Holes in his Make up. And Ali so rarely after his return went All Business, I think he would here.. And a Late stoppage of a Hurt and probably more Frustrated tyson, Frustrated at the failure of his own taken for Granted ability to inflict terror, he finds himself The Sprinter in the Water-Torture Marathon
Both at their absolute peak with no outside BS involved a 50/50 fight sounds reasonable. Clay/Ali would be the smartest /fastest mover/jabber iron chin and tough as nails Tyson would ever meet. Tyson would be the fastest/text book technique/two fisted one punch KO power/granite chin/superb in /midrange fighter/ strong left hook fighter he has ever met. Ali UD is possible but if Tyson gets the left hook in like Cooper or Frazier and gets a knock down then there is a good chance he is not letting Ali off the hook. I doubt Tyson gets stopped.
Tyson doesn't work himself loose from clinches. That is a major, major weapon to give Ali. I think he beats Mike by draining him, surviving the first few rounds, dominating the second half of the fight. Considering what Tyson took from Douglas before folding, I think he might be stopped without ever going to the canvas in this one. Ali was a good finisher, but I think he struggles to knock Mike down.
Cleveland Williams Clay/Ali, most likely the best Clay/Ali never clinched......against a peak Tyson clinching did not help or do you think Bonehugger ? Tucker were close fights? LOL, almost complete wash outs. Holyfield had success against a severe diminished Tyson who barely fought a handful of rounds in half a decade, with clinching. That aint peak Tyson.
I think Ali would win a clear and relatively one sided decision, after being behind after the first 3 rounds. The big question is what would Tyson do once he became frustrated, just take the loss, or would he start headbutting, biting or trying to break a limb. So a DQ isn't out of the question.
Yes, I can see that as well, it would be just a matter of time before Ali hits him with his dreaded anchor punch.