Why Mike Tyson at his best beats prime Ali

Im going to go out on a limb here and say a young Tyson had a better chin than Liston and a 70s Foreman.

Foreman was rocked early and lasted 8 rounds vs Ali at 25 years old in the heart of his prime. He was knocked down early by Ron Lyle. Id wager that Tyson, even the 91 version who fought Ruddock or perhaps the 2002 version who fought Lewis wouldnt have been floored by Lyle and still would stop him. The 02 version at least wouldnt be floored early.

Tyson at 36 and an alcoholic who wasnt seriously training as a top level championship tier fighter should lasted 8 rounds vs Lennox Lewis. A bigger man and significantly harder puncher than Ali. He went a total of 19 rounds with Ruddock, one of the hardest punchers in the division at the time, while giving away 15 to 25 pounds and was never floored. Could a 70s Foreman absorb the same big shots from Ruddock and Lewis and not go down early at least once?

If Ali was the puncher Lewis or Ruddock or Lyle was, Foreman would've been done well before 8. Even though Liston was washed up he was stopped cold by Leotis Martin but as late as 2002 Tyson was absorbing bombs from Lewis.

No one is saying Ali couldnt stop Tyson with an accumulation. But Tyson would not be affected early. Because just like Liston may have been rocked, Norton and Patterson who we KNOW had worse chins than Tyson never went down for all of Alis timing.

 

But Tillis shots weren't enough to keep Tyson from being in hot pursuit and not enough to keep Tillis from having to be on the run. Which is why he lost the fight.

Which I think would be the case with Ali. He wouldnt be able to persuade Tyson not to pursue him. Tyson would close distance like Chuvalo did, land body shots, Ali ties him up, ref breaks it, wash rinse and repeat.

And with Tysons defense, he surely would make Ali miss at least some of the time. Which means every punch that does land had better count for something. And I cant see a man who as a washed up fighter withstand the best of a 250 lb power hitter in Lennox Lewis for 8 rounds be deterred in his prime by the shots of a 210 pound fighter who was not a big puncher, certainly not as big, in punching power or size, as Lennox Lewis and Lewis had excellent skill to go with his power. And even then, Tysons stamina had a lot to do with him going down

To drive home the point, lets say a prime Lewis was transported back in time to take the place of Ali in 1965 to fight Patterson. Now imagine Lewis planting his feet and putting his back into clean punches landing accurately on Patterson. What row do we find Patterson in? Because he wouldnt be stopped on his feet, thats for sure.

 

Its funny how you ignored everything else I wrote. Yeah maybe his chin wasnt better than Tysons if he got stopped by a relatively light puncher while in tip top shape and being the bigger man. Shavers got hit with the same punches thrown with the same skill and the same technical accuracy and so did Norton and so did Patterson and so did Terrell but somehow they stayed upright.

An alcoholic Tyson at 36 and at the end of his rope in the ring lasted exactly as long taking shots from Lennox Lewis who had clearly superior power to Ali.

But that doesnt count right because Foreman was tired? Well if 25 year old, well trained reigning champion Foreman gets the benefit of the doubt because of his stamina then shouldn't 36 year old, ex champion, only fought 19 rounds in 5 years, seen better days, alcoholic Mike Tyson get the benefit of the doubt for his stamina especially since he was taking punches from a SHW mega puncher?

Or perhaps fresh out of prison Tyson being stopped by Holyfield, who IMO hit harder than Ali as Holyfield dropped Mercer and Bowe and staggered Lewis all with being the smaller man. But lets ignore the headbutts mixed in with the punches as if thats inconsequential and would have zero effect. Also by that time Tyson had stamina issues.

But when Foreman gets dropped by light hitting Jimmy Young, thats a ok because he was tired so it doesnt count against his chin. Tyson gets tired against Holyfield while being butted and gets stopped and his chin sucked and the rest doesnt matter?

I highly doubt a 70s Foreman could have taken the exact SAME shots from Douglas, Holyfield or Lewis and not been stopped. I doubt he'd not have been dropped vs Ruddock if he had to take what Tyson took.

A comeback Foreman was much bigger and more sturdier. That Foreman MAY have had a better chin, but it would have been nice to see it put to the test against Ruddock or Lewis, 2 guys he didnt want any of in his comeback specifically because of their power.

 

Why does Tyson get made out to be a bully when he never had to resort to any such mind games and did nothing to intimidate his opponents except what he showed in the ring. He didnt play mind games with Michael Spinks. Spinks just sat ringside for the Holmes/Tyson fight and witnessed what Tyson was all about. Thats the only mind game he played with Spinks.

Back in those days, people who tried those sort of antics with Tyson usually didnt end up well. I think Ali's mind games would backfire as they'd just enrage Tyson and have him out for blood.

As for not being intimidated well neither was Berbick, Carl Williams, Botha or Razor Ruddock. And they ALL beat Tyson, right?