Would Mike Tyson have been the best heavyweight ever if he had mastered the smash?

He arguably IS, in that unstoppable Peak period, but taking the losses he had, in Who & How (type of Boxers or Fighters), they beat him, it opens up fair questions to other greats over the years who 'might' have done the same...

Still it is No Guarantee that they would have.

Mike Tyson ' may well ' have been the most destructive & dangerous Heavyweight in Boxing History... at least during his few peak years at the TOP!

 

Why would he need to master the "smash" when
the tools he had were so much better than the
half left hook/uppercut used by Ruddock ?
Probably wouldn't work for Tyson anyway
because of his limited height and reach.

 

What did Tyson lack that prevented him from becoming the best heavyweight ever?

First and foremost the mind set for it.

It doesn't matter how much of a monster you are head to head, if you don't have the self discipline to go with it.

What did Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali have in common?

Really only the one thing.

From a technical standpoint Tyson could have become much more dangerous, if he had truly mastered the art of infighting.

However again, it would have required a lot of discipline over a significant period, to truly integrate this into his style.

 

What exactly would this change? Which major fight would this be a big game changer for, allowing him to win? Can't really think of any.

He still loses to Douglas if everything remains the same. In fact, that could make things worse as Tyson is so short that loading up for a smash could leave him open to getting clipped by Douglas right hands.