Would tyson have had a melt down against 74 ali?

Nobody is questioning whether Ali would be intimidated by Tyson.

The question posed is: Would Tyson be intimitated by Ali.

I don't think either would be intimidated by the other.

Now, post prison Tyson was kind of a nutcase, so he couldn't be counted on to carry a good mentality through a tough fight.

But in his prime, what would scare him about Ali? Ali couldn't hurt him.

He could possible outbox him but he didn't have the power to do much damage.

I see prime Tyson walking through a fading Ali of the post Frazier I era.

 

I envisage Ali working Tyson into an over determined aggressive pre fight state. Tyson would come out all guns blazing and Ali would come out spoiling. He'd lean on Tyson, tie him up and generally frustrate and gradually sedate him. In between he'd throw some jabs and flurry a bit, all the while talking. The first couple of rounds vs Tyson are always frantic but Ali's tactics would drain a bit of life out of him. Ali would score in flurries before tying Tyson up and manhandling him in clinches. The longer the fight went on the better it would be for Ali. I could see him winning a reasonably comfortable decision. Tyson would have some moments and land some hard blows but Ali would soak them up.

 

Good point about the dancing. Some forget that in Muhammad's previous fight to Zaire (Frazier II) he was probably dancing more frequently than in any other fight post lay off.

 

I agree, neither of them would intimidate each other.

I see Ali winning this.
Just about any version of Ali up to Frazier III beats any version of Tyson, assuming he's in half decent shape.

I disagree that Ali didn't have the power to do much damage. Ali knocked out Foreman, Bonavena, Lyle, battered Frazier badly, caused all sorts of damage.
Douglas and Holyfield didn't exactly have solid credentials for heavyweight one punch power.

 

Pinklon Thomas basically used that plan. It didn't really matter though.

 

Pinklon Thomas was a nobody. We are talking Ali here.

 

I bet George Foreman didn't think Ali could hurt him either.

 

He wasnt dabbling in anything. He lost to a better fighter.

 

You're nobody.

 

More of a somebody than you will ever be I am sure. Thomas came from the era where you did not need to be very good to wear a plastic championship belt.

 

The fighters had traded insults before the fight. Pink suggested he might perform some oral surgery on Tyson. Tyson rebutted by softly telling Pink ... well, you don't want to know. "He's going to eat those words," said Thomas. "Mike does dirt. He's obscene. I know what it is to lose. He don't. I'm going to put something on this boy's mind." A few sayings before the Thomas fight.

`Did you ever hear of a guy named Joe Louis?`` Dundee asks. ``Pretty good jab, right? How about Liston? Pretty good jab, too? Well, Pink`s got that kind of jab. He`ll stop Tyson in his tracks. Pink`s a strong guy. And he`ll move him. He`s gonna keep a hand in his face. He`ll keep Tyson in the middle of the ring turning.``Angelo Dundee

`Tyson, he`s a stutterer. He`s not a fluid, come-at-you guy,`` Dundee said. ``He`s a leaper, a two-stepper. All you`ve got to do is move over with this guy, get his rhythm off, side to side, give him some shoulder motion. He`s very beatable, and Pinklon has all the answers.`` Angelo Dundee

Go ahead and motivate Tyson like MANY if not most top guys did or their managers/trainers themselves..the myth he is mentally weak is false. Ali would not only motivate him but make Tyson fight to go on a seek and destroy mission...give me Tyson in 87 or 88 over Ali at any time as most logical observers would.Also keep thinking he needs a k.o to win which is also laughable.

The one thing Dundee did mention is one fight is not the barometer of another...so keep thinking the guy who had over 100 rounds won and only about 8 lost rnds under Rooney is going to be the underdog here....smh.

 

Yet Holmes done his damnest best to avoid Thomas like the plague. Avoided Page as well.

Was Holmes a nobody as well?

 

If you knew boxing and you lived through those times you would know that the title was splintered like never before in boxing history. Lots more going on than Holmes avoiding anyone.