The old debate... Tyson or Ali?

Question

I was watching ESPN classic and I was watching an old Tyson fight from the 80's. I guess this is Mike Tyson in his prime. A couple of weeks ago I was watching Classic again and I saw old fights of Ali in the 60's. I think Mike Tyson would've murdered Ali in the ring. Obviously Ali was the smarter fighter, perhaps a smarter person since his career was longer and his legacy is still in tact. However I think Tyson is the kind of dope that can't get roped. What do you think?

Answer 1

I honestly don't know why someone could think as you do, if you look at the debate objectively. Ali owns wins over Patterson, Liston, Williams, Frazier, Norton, Shavers, Lyle, Norton and Foreman. Several immortals! Some others that are close.He was NEVER KO'd! (Although at 38yrs old, his trainer threw in the towel at the end of the 10th against Holmes) Even when he slowed up (after the 3 year layoff) and allowed people to hit him like against Foreman. Nobody KO'd him! In fact of the great punchers he fought Liston, Frazier, Foreman, Lyle and Shavers only Frazier knocked him down! and he was up at a 2 count. Tyson would have to out box Ali, question is, who did Tyson ever out box? and was Ali ever out boxed in his prime?

  Now look at the quality of fighters Tyson fought!!!! He was KO'd by several people! Even the immortal Buster Douglas KO'd him when he was 24 yrs old!

  As Quick Tillis and Buster Douglas both showed that Mike could be out boxed. Ali was the fast heavyweight ever. Sorry, you might not like that but it's a simple fact. His hand and fought speed were unmatched.

Tyson never won against a good heavyweight in their prime. He had big show down fights with Holyfield twice and Lewis once, he lost all 3! His only big wins were against 38 yr old Holmes and a Light heavy Spinks.

Come on, be objective!

Answer 2

Yeah same, I like Ali over Tyson any day of the week but out of honesty and common sense, with Tysons aggression and power, Ali would just be another victim. Some people might think back to Rumble in the Jungle, but I dont think Ali could tire Mike as much as he did Foreman, Tyson was just too good back than.

Answer 3

I think Tyson was a legendary fighter at that time, but I honestly think ALI would overcome Tyson with his speed.

Answer 4

i think ali would just barely get it if it went past 6 rounds he definitly would win but if tyson hit him early and often it would be hard i also think if ali could get hit by a prime foreman than he could easily take a tyson punch

Answer 5

Joe Louis would have destroyed both of them.  

Answer 6

Tyson was too wild in his prime and never would have gone the distance with ali with his wild go for the first round ko status. He would have spent too much energy in the fight and would have missed a lot since ali would have danced around him and used his stinging jab to distance them. Tyson would have been done in the later rounds since ali with his great skill at taking punishment would not have succumbed to tyson's power and lets face it, tyson's power is the only reason people think he would win. Tyson would be tired in the later rounds and i see ali winning by knockout in round 12.  

Answer 7

Tyson would win, of course.

     (If Ali were dead)

Answer 8

ali would win.

tyson is over rated and gets frustrated easily if he cant intimidate an opponent.

chuck t : that was a great answer.

Answer 9

Ali was too fast, too smart, had too good of a chin and hit a lot harder than people give him credit for.  Tyson would have had a difficut time getting past Ali's jab because of his wing span (something like 80-82 inch reach) and when he did Ali was too fast of foot and would have moved prior to getting hit.  The few time Tyson would have been able to land punches would not have been able to dent Ali.  Ali's had one of the best chins ever and stood up to many heavy hitters including Frazier, Foreman, Shavers, Cleveland Williams, etc.  

I see the fight being a one sided affair with Ali controlling the early rounds with his jab, movement and mouth (his talking would have gotten in Tyson's head before and during the fight).  Ali would have flustered Tyson with all three and eventually Tyson would have broken down and started getting careless.  Mid-rounds Ali starts to add combinations and power shots.  Tyson was a tough guy and would take the beating into the late rounds but enventually get stopped due to exhaustion and a sustained beating from round 5 on.

The sad thing is we never got to see either of these fighters at the top of their game.  Ali's best years were spent fighting the government and Tyson's were wasted away thanks to terrible management (Don King) and his lifestyle.

Answer 10

I think ali would have won by decision do to the fact that tyson was predictable and put too much force in his punches eac and everytime. Tyson could hit and had speed but he lacked actual boxing ability to go 12 rounds with Ali.

Tyson would waste a great deal on energy trying to hit ali and not enought trying to win rounds. Lets remember tyson didn't have better foot work so lateral movements with counters would give him problems

Now I do think that if tyson would have gotten to the inside of course he would have klled ali, but ali best thing was his ability to adjust in a fight as well as confuse his opponeant.  

Answer 11

In this old debate I always take Tyson because at his best he was like a faster, stronger, more athletic version of Joe Frasier. And Frasier gave Ali all he could handle!!  Boxing is about match ups and this is a very bad one for Ali.

** I think Tyson was faster than Ali. At his best he knew how to use his speed and explosiveness like no other. No way can Ali keep him off

Answer 12

      I think that Ali is the better boxer,as far as Tyson goes I have never been able to warm up to him.I think that tyson is a thug,as well as being slow, he has an ego that is totally out of this world When Ali was boxing we never heard about Ali raping any one. Well this is just my opinion ,I know that it's not worth much .

Answer 13

Tyson had trouble with quick handed boxers.  Ali fought Foreman.  I think Foreman was a little more tough than Tyson.  Liston was no push over if he stayed away from the mob.  Ali did not see the real Liston.  Back to the question.  Tyson had trouble with James "Quick" Tillis years before Tyson fought Douglas.  Ali would have made Tyson look like a fool.  Ali win by decision in 15.  Tyson might even quit before it went 15.  Classy fighter in Ali against a no class individual in Tyson