Battle of the Legends (part 2) – Muhammad Ali vs Mike Tyson
October 10th, 2009
By Shaun Campbell: In the second edition of Battle of the Legends, we take a look at a fight that has been talked about for years. Arguably the two greatest heavyweight champions of all time. Muhammad “the greatest” Ali vs “Iron” Mike Tyson. Setting – MGM Grand, the world awaits to see the battle of the legends. One of the fastest heavyweights of all time, versus one of the hardest hitting heavyweights of all time.
For Tyson to win this fight he would have to train hard and be prepared to brawl and slug it out for 12 rounds, as the “Louisville lip” had one of the greatest chins in history. The likely way it would play out is Tyson commanding the centre of the ring, pushing Ali back to the ropes. It is essential that Muhammad doesn’t get into a rythem. So instead of dancing around Tyson, Mike would have to get in and glue himself to Ali and push him onto the ropes. Then pound away to the body to try and knock the wind out of the faster man, and slow him down. If he accomplishes this, then lands enough powerful hooks and uppercuts, then there’s every chance Tyson could win and maybe even stop Ali. And especial as Tyson had a strong chin and Ali wasn’t the most devastating knockout artist, then it’s likely Mike would have the mentality of “I’ll take two to land one”.
As said before, Muhammad Ali had many advantages over the smaller man. The dazzling foot movement, the lightening quick hand speed, and superior reach would be the main factors that would puzzle the shorter opponent. Also his elusiveness would be important. If Ali can land flurries of shots, then pull away and dance out of danger, as he did against Joe Frazier, then I can’t see Tyson getting to him. Also, another hard hitting heavyweight, thought to be the strongest boxer on the planet at this time couldn’t knock Ali down, George Foreman. The likelihood of him knocking Tyson out are arguably not great. But Ali was always able to last the 15 rounds, so completing 12 at a hard pace would be no problem. Could Tyson be stopped with clean, fast punches? Yes of course, lets not forget this is arguable the best technically fighter of any generation.
Final bell ring, both men given there all. Lots of close rounds where Tyson hurt Ali, but Ali landed more (yet less impressive looking) shots. Handed over the the MC Michael Buffer. The winner by decision…and STILL the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali. That’s the way I see it. Ali winning by decision. However, in the early rounds Tyson would be very dangerous. Could Tyson win by knockout? Yes. But in my opinion, Ali wasn’t known as the greatest of all time for no reason. But with the ferocious hooks Iron Mike Tyson still remains the baddest man on the planet. Either man could win this fight, but I believe Ali would simply be too quick and too elusive.
Next edition – Sugar Ray Leonard vs Floyd Mayweather Jr
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mike tyson, wouldnt be stable enough to fight muhammad ali.
lets be honest about this debate, i think ali would outclass tyson, in fact tyson wasnt stable enough to fight ali, can u imagine tyson throwing punches and keep missing, he would be to frustrated, and maybe have a breakdown in the ring like he did against holyfied. ali used to spare with lighting fast smaller fighters who couldnt lay a glove on him, tyson was a on top fighter if thigs didnt go his way in the ring he got frustrated, remember when buster douglas knocked him down, he looked like a little boy lost, thats not the mark of a great heavyweight, tyson was a bully boy, ali had a way with dealing with bullys, even teddy atlas ryson ex trainer said ali would of slapped tyson all over the ring, there can only be one g.o.a.t, and im afraid its not mike tyson, but mr muhammad alllllllllllllllllllllllllll.
Tommy, you are correct.
The 60′s and the 70′s became the golden age of heavyweight boxing. That era saw the emergence of Sonny Liston, Ali, Joe Frazier, George Chuvalo, Oscar Bonavena, Jimmy Ellis, Ernie Shavers, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, and Ken Norton. They all came into the rings super fit, and all of them could be champion in todays era.
aman: i was agreeing with you. after all, you sound like an expert on trouser snakes.
sorry, i apologize for my earlier comment. i’ve just read aman’s janet jackson comment and have to agree with him. she starts swinging those old-lady bazoombas around, it’s goodnight.
in my view, this is the battle of two of the most overrated heavyweights of all time. how many fights were given to ali that he really lost? and i’m not talking about just at the end of his career, against the likes of spinks. what about henry cooper? if ali didn’t get extra time to recover thanks to angelo dundee, that fight would have been over, and rightly so.
tyson was kept away from bowe, holyfield and lewis in his early reign, and for good reason. buster douglas demonstrated how to beat him, and the excuses from tyson apologists about that loss are just that: excuses.
in my opinion — just my opinion, but this is all just opinion, as we’re talking make-believe here — holmes could and would have taken out ali on his best night.
and i don’t think either of them could handle an in-shape, focused lewis. especially not ali.
they were both great fighters, for sure. but the greatest? not so sure either of them deserve that.
RMC has got it right on. In Ali’s own words, “Tyson is awsome”. Tyson was not only brutal but also superbly talanted. I say Tyson by KO in the first few rounds, or Ali on points over the distance in a situation where they are both prime.
But I do not take anything way from Ali as I believe that no heavyweight of any era fought the same level of quality opposition as Ali did. Thats why we call him the Greatest. Mike Tyson had the ability to do the same in terms of legacy, but he let too many things get in his way with too much of the wrong life style.
What a fight this would have been! I think it could of gone either way. For me a prime Tyson 87-90 KO’s Ali early rounds, based on how devastating Tyson was back then. Ali struggled against the likes of Smokin Joe, and Tyson in his prime, drew similarities to Joe, but was quicker and IMO had more devastating punch power. If Ali could survive the opening 3-4 rounds he wins on points, but I just think a young prime Iron Mike gets to him early on.
Similarties would be when a peak tyson fought Tony tnt tucker tyson struggled. Tucker had similar advantages in size and reach that Ali would have, except Ali has more skills than tucker and is faster, he would frusturate the shorter tyson with his dazling footwork and jab. A points when for the Greatest.
@ michael post#2: are you daft? did you know how old joe louis was when they fought? same case when he fought ezzard charles and jj walcott. marciano is the most overrated ancient champion of all time.
Rocky Marciano beats them both ? You say Ali is overrated because he is black ? Marciano is overrated because he is unbeaten. But look at who he beat and tell me which one beats Ali or Tyson.
Some are saying Tyson wouldnt be able to mix it with the big boys, but lets face the facts… a prime tyson was bairly more than 15.5 stone. Most of the guys he fought in his era where 17 or 18 stone fighters. He was faster than Joe Frazier, had less power than Foreman but used his lighting speed to throw deadly combinations, something Foreman couldnt do. And to top it off, prime Tyson had great head movment and hardly ever got hit. Now i cant predict who would win between Ali and Tyson but those who think Ali would win by a country mile are wrong. It would be a very competative fight.
Rubbish, Tyson would have KO’d Ali by round 4. Ali is over rated simply because he’s black. Rocky Marciano beats both of them.
Looking foward to the next eddition Shaun
remember ali fought 15rnds not 12 the 13th,14th 15th were called championship rnds were fighters had to dig deep.tyson would have been stopped in these rnds as ali was so well conditioned.also ali would’ve made tyson use up alot of energy by makeing him miss.tyson was an awesome fighting machine but against fighters who wern’t intimidated and could take a whack whilst fighting back usually beat him!!!!
Ali by a country mile…Forman Frazer and Liston would beat Tyson.Dont forget the opposition Tyson had when he came on the scene,nowhere near as strong as when the big boys wer fighting.Forman couldnt get rid of Ali,and ended up getting knocked out and he hits harder than Tyson.Theres no question Iron Mike was a formidable force in the 90′s but put him in the 70′s and he aint as formidable..He maybe get in top 5.
Johno
Ali beat Frazier, Foreman, Norton, Liston, Patterson, Williams, Chuvalo etc etc etc a who’s who of heavyweights over 2 decades. He lost fights, but none before his ban. He got up off the floor to win as well , something Mike never did. The fights he lost during his peak were wars, where both fighters went through hell. Mike was a great fighter, but he never came through adversity to win. To beat Ali you had to be able to do that.
Look at Tyson against Tony Tucker when Tyson was a prime time fighter , a big cute guy with good chin and fast hands gave him problems , is anyone suggesting Tucker is on par with a prime time Ali , and remember the Ali that beat Foreman was not prime time .The Ali that beat Cleveland Williams was probabaly the best he ever was.
Ali wins no question
Prime Ali from the 1960′s was the greatest Heavyweight ever.His skills were extraordinary.
Tyson of the mid 80′s was a wrecking machine,a lot of his opponents were already beaten in their own minds before they’d even entered the ring.Ali wouldn’t be intimidated he had great self belief.Ali would get into Tyson’s head so much during the build up to the fight.Tyson has a punchers chance and Ali may well have had to get off the floor from an early knockdown.But then Ali would jab and move and he was so well conditioned,Tyson would swipe at thin air so much throughout the fight that by the late rounds I see him running out of gas and Ali sweeping those late rounds on route to a clear points victory.
Kelly.Fair enough.Tyson is more my era anyway,but you must admit that the 60′s and 70′s had a lot more competition.Alot!
Hey Tommy,
It is agreed that Ali is arbuably the greatest of all time. But is can also be argued that Mike Tyson was the greatest of all time.
Tyson was more than one bad dude, he was also super talented with knockout power in both hands, super fast, hard to hit and he could take a punch.
We will never see again in our life time another Ali, or another Tyson. Both of them defeated sought out the best opposition available and both of them ruled as without a doubt as the heavyweight champion of their era.
Tyson was a natural south-paw converted to conventional style, so his left hook was his most powerful punch. Ali had a really tough time getting away from Fraiser’s left hooks, but Ali had great chin and heart. Fights like this ultimately comes down to who is mentally tougher. I would say this fight would be very close, but I would give the edge to a vintage Ali, who I believe is tougher mentally.
tyson is much clever and quicker than foreman.
ALI to win by points
but if ali gets caught, Tyson to win by KO
period.
i agree with “shadwell”
I think a tip top prime Tyson (before all the distractions of fame, wealth and women)would have taken out any heavyweight, as soon as tyson became distracted by outside influences is when his training suffered and his game dropped even when he was in his prime years.
I think Iron Mike would have blown away Ali dispite Ali’s great technical ability and speed.
I recently saw archive footage of Tyson in training before he had one a title and he moved and threw punches like a welter or middle weight, very underestimated in the speed department especially in his early days.
Hey Kelly! come on man! Holmes had to be older when he fought Tyson than Ali was when he fought Holmes.I think prime Ali,and Foreman beat prime Tyson.I think prime Tyson beats prime Holmes,Norton and probably Frazier.The real dream matchup would be Tyson vs Ernie Shavers.I’m guessing I just lost most of you on that one.For those of you who are not lost,I think you know what I mean.
prime ali of the mid sixties versus prime tyson of 88-90 . ali wins by a mile , tyson would quit on his stool like liston or foul out , look how easy a second rater in buster douglas took out a prime tyson . odds on this fight would be $1.15 ali ,$5.00 tyson.come on fellas do your form on fights ie styles v styles and you can win good money year after year , if you fall in love with a fighter you lose , you have to be neutral in your analysis of fights and fighters to win money.
Look what a prime Tyson did to the Ali clone Larry Holmes.
Yes this would be tough to call as Ali and Tyson were truly the two greatest heavyweights of all time. Joe Frazier, Ali, Tyson, its so hard to say who was the best.
hahahahahahah did u see the foreman vs ali if you take out foreman and put in tyson in that fight tyson would have knock out ali in about 30-60 secs of the 1st round ali is overrated and boring to watch thats that marciano is the best 49-0-(43) love it when he put joe luis to sleep and half his body out side the ring
Ali would win. Tyson had trouble with fast and fast on their feet fighters, not to mention Ali had the greatest chin of any. Ali would stop Tyson in around 11 rounds.