The versions featured here are those on the night that they incurred their first professional losses. A round robin tournament between - Muhammad Ali 1971 Larry Holmes 1985 Mike Tyson 1990 Lennox Lewis 1994. How does it go ?
they all beat Tyson of the douglas night...with the possible exception of Lewis..who with his wide stance and peppy coreria reaching punches might have gotten caught and stopped even by the zombie tyson. i pick Ali to win it all....
The worst version there is Holmes followed by Lewis followed by Tyson followed by Ali. Holmes was losing because he had fell so far imo. Lewis was too open to the right hand for me to pick him over Tyson Tyson came unstuck against a highly motivated Douglas but even then he was only a long count from victory Ali was just amazing that night and would have beaten everyone other than Frazier that night imo.
If they could magically retain their form as listed after fighting each other, I see Ali winning. I don't think Lewis had the technical skill in 1994 to beat '71 Ali, although I see him hurt Ali every now and then with those huge shots. Ali was way too strong mentally to lose to Tyson, especially the Tokyo version. He'd pepper Mike with the jab, move him in the clinches, force him back and frustrate him en route to a TKO or decision. Might be very similar to the Douglas fight. 94 Lewis vs 90 Tyson could go both ways, though I think Lewis has the edge in versatility even then. Lastly, Larry Holmes. I think '85 Holmes loses to 1990 Tyson much like the way he did in reality. Ali would outbox Holmes, Lewis would probably TKO him. So I'd have it: 1. '71 Ali 2. '94 Lewis 3. '90 Tyson 4. '85 Holmes
I see Ali winning the whole thing - as everyone else does. Ali knocks out Tyson in about eight or nine. I just don't see that particular Tyson troubling that Ali - mentally too strong, too much guile, too much ring craft. Holmes and Lewis would be interesting, leaving Lewis to face Ali in a final show down. Ali wears down Lewis steadily to a points victory.
If I were to rank them as a percentage of their optimum selves it would be: 1. Ali 2. Lewis 3. Tyson 4. Holmes