Ali in his prime versus Tyson in his prime
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Man of Honour
Ali went in with much more murderous hitters than Mike Tyson.
He took everything that George Foreman could throw at him and beat him. He just wore him down and knocked him out. Ernie Terrell refused to call him Muhammad Ali and Ali punished him for 15 rounds, slicing him with jabs and saying ' What's my name ? ' repeatedly.
He also went in with Earnie Shavers, a huge hitter, and beat him as well and this is when Ali was in his later years of fighting and slowing down.
I would have a prime Muhammad Ali to beat any heavyweight out there, including Mike Tyson.
The man, in his prime, was simply unstoppable. The fight I give as an example of his skills is when he fought Cleveland Williams in 1966. If you can get hold of that fight then watch it. It is deceptive how a 16 stone bloke can mpve and fight like that.
He took everything that George Foreman could throw at him and beat him. He just wore him down and knocked him out. Ernie Terrell refused to call him Muhammad Ali and Ali punished him for 15 rounds, slicing him with jabs and saying ' What's my name ? ' repeatedly.
He also went in with Earnie Shavers, a huge hitter, and beat him as well and this is when Ali was in his later years of fighting and slowing down.
I would have a prime Muhammad Ali to beat any heavyweight out there, including Mike Tyson.
The man, in his prime, was simply unstoppable. The fight I give as an example of his skills is when he fought Cleveland Williams in 1966. If you can get hold of that fight then watch it. It is deceptive how a 16 stone bloke can mpve and fight like that.
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Chris1712 said:Lets be honest here, the real question is Ali in his prime, or Rocky Balboa in his prime. Or maybe Ivan Drago?
Rocky>Ivan>Apollo>Tommy Gunn
Man of Honour
That's the one. 
Ali's movement is amazing but I cannot help but wonder what would happen if Tyson goes after him bobbing his head side to side and going in under Ali's reach. How would Ali reacted with Tyson throwing bombs at him round after round knowing that one mistake would send him crashing to the canvas. We'll never know...
Soldato
you can't compare, diffirent fitness and diet levels now,
so on that level - Tyson, but had they both been born and raised at the same time then Ali - but that does not make sense 
so on that level - Tyson, but had they both been born and raised at the same time then Ali - but that does not make sense
Soldato
Instead of the question would Ali beat Tyson a proper boxing fan will always say would Ali have beaten Johnson, Dempsey, Louis, Langford and Marciano. Tyson would have struggled against all of these.
Soldato
nice analogy.*FLASH* said:
he wishes.*FLASH* said:
the answer to the topic in hand is Ali, but as a sidenote i feel it only fair to say that George Foreman would've ended Iron Mikes fighting career.
i also think that smokin' Joe wouldv'e demolished Tyson but that's another topic for another time.
Soldato
the way you have to look at this is, after being momentarily ROCKED by Bruno then going on to comprehensively beat him, Tyson told Big Frank "you're that hardest punch i've ever taken"sneakyd said:
i've yet to see a single fan of boxing state that Big Frank could hit anywhere near as George Foreman.
Ali only beat him because he outpsyched him as he knew he just couldn't outbox him in the traditional way, hence the rope-a-dope.
Tyson isn't an intelligent fighter, ask Evander Holyfield.....err that's right you can't because he's deficient in the ear department now
Tyson would've done the only thing he knew how to do, come out with guns blazing and because of this he would've tired himself and been battered at some point after round six.
to play devils advocate i also have to say that Ali could never have gone toe to toe/knock for knock with Tyson in his prime as Tysons explosive-ness and aggression would've won it for him....but there's more than one way to skin a cat as a certain Mr.Foreman found out in Zaire.
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Ali by UD or TKO.
Tyson was good... he's not as powerfull as every one makes out... sure he throws bombs but loads of guys Ali faced hit harded... what Tyson did have was brilliant foot work and hand speed.
Tyson beat a lot of guys because they where to scared to throw anything at him so they would either just cover up or stick their jab out in a hope of keeping him off them.
Tyson wouldn't enjoy this physcological edge on Ali... infact Ali would likely have Tyson so wound up I'd wouldn't be surprised if Tyson as punched out before the fourth round.
Ali has more power than given credit for and definetly the boxing smarts, speed, chin, toughness and will to beat even a prime Tyson.
Tyson was good... he's not as powerfull as every one makes out... sure he throws bombs but loads of guys Ali faced hit harded... what Tyson did have was brilliant foot work and hand speed.
Tyson beat a lot of guys because they where to scared to throw anything at him so they would either just cover up or stick their jab out in a hope of keeping him off them.
Tyson wouldn't enjoy this physcological edge on Ali... infact Ali would likely have Tyson so wound up I'd wouldn't be surprised if Tyson as punched out before the fourth round.
Ali has more power than given credit for and definetly the boxing smarts, speed, chin, toughness and will to beat even a prime Tyson.
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Tyson never really faced the level of competition that Ali had to deal with. Tyson was far and away the best boxer of his time, there was no one who could test him. Ali on the other hand had to outthink and outbox a lot of his opponents and obviously had a good boxing brain. He fought some serious challengers and managed those so I think he would have had him. The fear factor of fighting Tyson would not have got to Ali, and in fact I think that Ali would have intimidated Tyson.
Soldato
Watching the Tyson Clip in this thread, I honestly believe there may have been a bit of play acting going on. Either that or Tyson was fighting Jobbers.
There is one thing that worrys me about Ali, he sometimes just takes the punch rather than blocking or dodging. Also his arms were always at his sides.
Both boxers had terrific footwork and hand speed.
I think in technique and intellect Ali would have won however, if Tyson was given just one opertuninty to get in on Ali it would be a different story. He was capable of hitting very hard very fast very often.
In Tysons early career it was not his first punch that was the KO it was the second or third to land in rapid sucession that was so devistating. Later on in Tysons career he belived his hype and started to look for the one punch KO. It was his ability to throw many hard hitting accurate punches that needed very little arm movement, that made him the best boxer of his generation.
If we are talking about both boxers boxing at their abosolute best then it is Ali. But if Ali made one mistake I think Tyson has what it takes to beat Ali.
There is one thing that worrys me about Ali, he sometimes just takes the punch rather than blocking or dodging. Also his arms were always at his sides.
Both boxers had terrific footwork and hand speed.
I think in technique and intellect Ali would have won however, if Tyson was given just one opertuninty to get in on Ali it would be a different story. He was capable of hitting very hard very fast very often.
In Tysons early career it was not his first punch that was the KO it was the second or third to land in rapid sucession that was so devistating. Later on in Tysons career he belived his hype and started to look for the one punch KO. It was his ability to throw many hard hitting accurate punches that needed very little arm movement, that made him the best boxer of his generation.
If we are talking about both boxers boxing at their abosolute best then it is Ali. But if Ali made one mistake I think Tyson has what it takes to beat Ali.
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