Tyson at that time was too predictable with his wide-swinging haymakers. Ali would be too tricky and too clever, he would outpoint him viá wide UD... Ali UD 12 Tyson (8-4)
Ali was slipping but so ws Tyson, If Ali could get past the early hooks, he could win a SD,UD but he could go down and had nothing to hurt Tyson with...Tyson could also do enough to win a UD or SD
Shavers was supposed to be one of the hardest hitters and caught the badly faded Ali with a lot of punches. Ali did not go down and towards the end of the fight came on very strong and almost kayoed Shavers. He had just about the best chin of any HW champion and this trait largely stayed with him till the end of his career. Look at how he lasted the entire fight with Trevor Berbick. A faded Mike Tyson would not have been able to do what Shavers could not. I agree with some of the other posters. A very wide UD for Muhammad Ali.
I pick Ali by decision. Tyson's stamina had really diminished at that point. He'd likely take the first few rounds on effective aggression only to fade in the later rounds. Tyson's fundamentals are much better than Shavers and IMO this would be a pretty close fight but ultimately what will do Tyson is an insufficient workrate and of course Muhammad Ali. BTW This was the only fight in which I felt Ali could have been KO'd. Shavers was too much of a wuss to do anything after he landed that mammoth of right hand. Ali played possum and hid it well but could have been stopped if Shavers followed up but he let him off the hook. There, I said it.
Tyson takes the first three/four rounds, Ali holds on and survives. Ali goes on to win most if not all of the next rounds enroute to a decision if the judges manage to stay awake during the last terribly slow paced and boring rounds.
Oh man that would be one sad fight. When I think of a fight between these two I only think of the prime versions. Come on no other potential fight between former greats is more debated in boxing for sure they have to be in their prime other than that it makes no sense for me. Alis power was underestimated but don't underestimate tysons chin against a 250 pounds lewis it hold 8 rounds and in that fight he took some deadly shoots even yet I have headaches when I rewatch the fight. But i think ali was good at open fighters skin up and tyson was later in his career vulnerable for this his skin was thinner because all the punishment he had taken. Because of that his height and reach disadvantage his bad bad footwork and headmovement at that time tyson would be stopped in round 10-12 on cuts. But don't ask me how the outcome would be when they were in their primes that is damn to complicated they were near perfect then both.
ALI WAS PAST HIS PRIME WHEN HE FOUGHT SHAVERS..............BUT TYSON WAS WAY...WAY..PAST HIS PRIME WHEN HE FOUGHT LEWIS......ALI TKO OF TYSON IN 10 RDS....:smoke:smoke:smoke
