Ali vs. Tyson: Who Would Win?

[DM72]

Don't give me the "Mike Tyson didn't have it anymore" excuse. Tyson was actually favored in the first fight against Holyfield. Plus, the Robin Givens fiasco was years earlier. You look at Tyson in those fights, dude was RIPPED! He was definitely still a dangerous fighter.

And what is you talking about? Holyfield was a part of the second greatest trilogy in heavyweight history. Those fights with Bower were all classics.

Name one classic fight Mike Tyson was in.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

Lewis' reach and power were no longer or stronger than a young Forman's. Ali took Forman's very best (rope-a-dope) and then knocked him out. Lewis had a better jab than Forman but a weaker chin. I'm not sure Lennox would have beaten a young Larry Holmes, who is greatly underrated.

Foreman didnt fight using his reach tho. Lennox's who plan was his reach, using that jab to keep a fighter back. Foreman would just goto the body and wail. Two different boxers.

---------- Post added September-25th-2012 at 12:18 AM ----------

Who did he beat past the 6th round? (I honestly don't remember, not being argumentative.)

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hum...0474&cat=boxer

Holyfield had a lot of heart.. but he didn't have a lot of ability for a heavy Weight. He started out professinally as a light heavy weight, and he had to come two weight classes to get to heavyweight. If he was fighting real heavyweights like Joe Frazier, Alli, Forman, or Ken Norton he would have gotten murdered. As it was he only handled a disinterested Mike Tyson after Robin Givens kicked the fight out of him.

Holyfield was a technically sound and procient fighter, that allowed him to thrive against talented but rather unfit challengers like Mike Tyson late in his career.
Problem is Ali was figthing and defeating real heavyweights who were procient boxers throughout his career.

I didnt say that Holyfield's heart made up for his talent, he had tremendous talent. He was a dirty and nasty fighter too.

[Mr. Sinister]

Who did he beat past the 6th round? (I honestly don't remember, not being argumentative.)

.

This is his fight record, up to October '00

The two matches he had with Razor were brutal. Tyson took some pretty big shots, but ultimately got the better of him.

*Edit, looks like I missed Asiatic's post.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Tyson never fought anyone nearly as good as Ali had to, I agree with JMS. IIRC, the best fighter that Tyson fought early on was Marvin Hagler who was at the end of his career.

FWIW (and it's not much) but Ali never would have let the Buster Douglas incident happen to him. That never would have happened.

[Chachie]

Foreman didnt fight using his reach tho. Lennox's who plan was his reach, using that jab to keep a fighter back. Foreman would just goto the body and wail. Two different boxers.

You make a good point about Big George not using his reach as much as he could have, but trust me- Ali fought 5 or 6 Lennox Lewises over his career.

[DM72]

You make a good point about Big George not using his reach as much as he could have, but trust me- Ali fought 5 or 6 Lennox Lewises over his career.

Who?

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Tyson never fought anyone nearly as good as Ali had to, I agree with JMS. IIRC, the best fighter that Tyson fought early on was Marvin Hagler who was at the end of his career.

FWIW (and it's not much) but Ali never would have let the Buster Douglas incident happen to him. That never would have happened.

Tyson fought Marvin Hagler?

[DM72]

Tyson fought Marvin Hagler?

The only Marvin Tyson ever fought was Marvin Frazier and he was only known for being Joe Frazier's son. Maybe he meant Larry Holmes?

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

You make a good point about Big George not using his reach as much as he could have, but trust me- Ali fought 5 or 6 Lennox Lewises over his career.

you should name them.

[HOF44]

Mike Tyson when he was trained by Kevin Rooney

Ali any other time.

Chip has it right here, Tyson was a different fighter when with Cus and Rooney, and later just Rooney after Cus died.

[Chachie]

Who?

Forman, Lyle, Ellis, Foley, Terrell, Williams, Liston. These were all big men with big jabs and heavy, heavy hands. The time it would take to compare each of these fighters to Lennox Lewis (and whether or not they would beat Lewis) isn't worth the effort (some of them could and some of them could not) but they are all Lennox Lewis types.

I'm well aware that these debates could go on forever and I'm not going to change anyone's mind about anything, but I'm 45 years old and I've seen a ton of HWs come and go in my lifetime. I was just as present for the Tyson and Lewis eras as I was for the Ali and Holmes eras and for my money, there has not been a HW since Ali's prime that could beat him.

I would also offer that Ali's "prime" was over before he even fought George Forman and he still beat George and a list of legends after that. He is the "Greatest of All Time" in the HW division so far. The only HW that truly fought as fast and as smart as a MW. The guy was simply amazing. Top-notch speed, power, conditioning, and ring savvy.

He also stayed on top of the game during intense public scrutiny (civil rights movement), controversy (imprisoned for refusing Viet nam during his prime), and took on all comers in the best HW era ever.

[#98QBKiller]

I have to go with Tyson by early knockout. There has never been a fighter as scary as Mike Tyson in his prime.

[Chachie]

I have to go with Tyson by early knockout. There has never been a fighter as scary as Mike Tyson in his prime.

98!

Sonny Liston and George Forman. Seriously.

[Botched]

Tyson vs. Ali would be a pretty good fight, but alexey vs. PeterMP would be epic.

[DM72]

Chip has it right here, Tyson was a different fighter when with Cus and Rooney, and later just Rooney after Cus died.

Tyson looked good against bad fighters. As soon as he started fighting guys with good boxing skills, he got exposed.