RIP The Greatest of ALL TIME

[GUT]

Tyson (who had to bite ears) v Ali.

Might end with another phantom Punch.

He wasn't called The Greatest for no reason at all.

Frazier 1 and 2 and George the Giant are three of the best fights I have ever seen. Forman was the biggest hitter I ever saw and Ali treated him with near on disdain, took everything he had, let him punch himself out, taunted him, then goodnight.

Frazier and he hated each other at the time, but appeared to put it behind them at least somewhat in later years, but for sheer savagery hard to beat.

[Fleetwood Mac]

Tyson (who had to bite ears) v Ali.

Might end with another phantom Punch.

He wasn't called The Greatest for no reason at all.

Frazier 1 and 2 and George the Giant are three of the best fights I have ever seen. Forman was the biggest hitter I ever saw and Ali treated him with near on disdain, took everything he had, let him punch himself out, taunted him, then goodnight.

Frazier and he hated each other at the time, but appeared to put it behind them at least somewhat in later years, but for sheer savagery hard to beat.

Tyson bit Holyfield's ear yes.

Two things about that:

Firstly Holyfield was a top class fighter; secondly, and more importantly, Tyson was well past his best by then. Wasn't training properly, didn't have the right people around him etc.

Tell you what it is, in his prime 1986-1988 no fighter would have relished the prospect of getting in the ring with him. When he was training properly and had the right people alongside him. During those three years he was the nastiest, most horrible ****** who ever climbed through the ropes. He really was the baddest man on the planet as they say......in a boxing ring that is.

[Robert]

The thing is, for Tyson in his prime to beat Ali in his prime, the former would have had to catch up with the latter.

PS GUT don't you mean Frazier 1 and 3?

[John Wheat]

Aye, right-o, John.

Lewis could not in a million years have coped with a prime Tyson.

Tyson would have wiped the floor with him. Leiws would have been lucky to get past 6 rounds intact.

I have to disagree. Lenox Lewis was bigger, stronger and better technically than Tyson.

[GUT]

The thing is, for Tyson in his prime to beat Ali in his prime, the former would have had to catch up with the latter.

PS GUT don't you mean Frazier 1 and 3?

Yes.

Top three heavyweight fights of my life

Fight of the Century
Rumble in the Jungle
Trills in Manila when I get that Gorilla

[Harry D]

Tyson was a lethal puncher and also had great attacking technique. But Ali stood toe-to-toe with some of the hardest-hitters in history (Shavers, Liston, Foreman, Frazier) and came out on top. Before he was stripped of his belt and banned for three years, no one could live with Ali. Tyson wouldn't have touched him.

[Robert]

Yes, Ali had to learn a whole different style in the second half of his career.

BTW I don't remember Ali standing toe to toe with Liston, except during that weird 5th round. Liston may have stood toe, but Ali's toe was miles away.

[John Wheat]

Yes, Ali had to learn a whole different style in the second half of his career.

BTW I don't remember Ali standing toe to toe with Liston, except during that weird 5th round. Liston may have stood toe, but Ali's toe was miles away.

Ali wouldn't have stood toe to toe with Tyson his movement would have meant Tyson would be chasing shadows. Ali would win easily.

[GUT]

Yes, Ali had to learn a whole different style in the second half of his career.

BTW I don't remember Ali standing toe to toe with Liston, except during that weird 5th round. Liston may have stood toe, but Ali's toe was miles away.

Float like a butterfly
Sting like a bee
Your hand can't hit
What your eye can't see

That'd be Tysons problem.

Ali could not only go toe to toe when he had to (look at what he took from big George) but he could move, so well his opponents couldn't hit him much of the time.

[Steadmund Brand]

I have been enjoying this thread so much I didn't want to pop in early....everyone is making great points...but I have to say, speaking as a boxing historian (yes professionally at one point) Ali Vs.Tyson is the same outcome everytime....Ali Ali Ali......taking NOTHING away from Tyson, who in his prime was one of the hardest punchers ever (Shavers did hit harder and Ali took it) but what wins for Ali is is size, pure and simple.....as great as Tyson was....tall fighters always gave him problems....even in his prime....his skill and tenacity got him thru those fights for the most part....but big tall fighters gave him fits....James Bonecrusher Smith, Mitch Blood Green, even Donovan Razor Ruddock and none of those guys were as tall as Ali (don't believe the "tale of the tape", I have stood next to all these men (except Green), even Foreman was shorter) that,band Ali's speed and skill make the young Ali dominate Tyson, Ali mach II, would have wore Tyson down and got in his head, the way he did with Foreman....Tyson in his prime was AMAZING...but Ali was something different, something special....something magical....now the fight I wish I had a time machine to make happen would be Prime Tyson Vs. Prime Frazier....wouldn't last long...but damn it would be exciting....what lands first, the huge Tyson uppercut or the devastating Frazier left hook!!!!

Steadmund Brand

[GUT]

I have been enjoying this thread so much I didn't want to pop in early....everyone is making great points...but I have to say, speaking as a boxing historian (yes professionally at one point) Ali Vs.Tyson is the same outcome everytime....Ali Ali Ali......taking NOTHING away from Tyson, who in his prime was one of the hardest punchers ever (Shavers did hit harder and Ali took it) but what wins for Ali is is size, pure and simple.....as great as Tyson was....tall fighters always gave him problems....even in his prime....his skill and tenacity got him thru those fights for the most part....but big tall fighters gave him fits....James Bonecrusher Smith, Mitch Blood Green, even Donovan Razor Ruddock and none of those guys were as tall as Ali (don't believe the "tale of the tape", I have stood next to all these men (except Green), even Foreman was shorter) that,band Ali's speed and skill make the young Ali dominate Tyson, Ali mach II, would have wore Tyson down and got in his head, the way he did with Foreman....Tyson in his prime was AMAZING...but Ali was something different, something special....something magical....now the fight I wish I had a time machine to make happen would be Prime Tyson Vs. Prime Frazier....wouldn't last long...but damn it would be exciting....what lands first, the huge Tyson uppercut or the devastating Frazier left hook!!!!

Steadmund Brand

It would be savage that one.

Or Shavers v Foreman.

[Robert]

Of course, Tyson would have had a chance - Cooper put Ali down - but not much of a chance, I think.

[Fleetwood Mac]

Of course, Tyson would have had a chance - Cooper put Ali down - but not much of a chance, I think.

Tyson very skilled in closing the ring off, the word 'irrepressible' was made for him. And, with the level of anger within him, coupled with vicious power, he was, in my opinion; unbeatable in his prime.

The only person who could beat Tyson was Tyson, and that's how it proved to be.

Lennox Lewis would not have been able to deal with him, not by a long stretch, nor would all of the fighters mentioned in this thread. Absolute animal who was undone by his own demons.

[Steadmund Brand]

Tyson very skilled in closing the ring off, the word 'irrepressible' was made for him. And, with the level of anger within him, coupled with vicious power, he was, in my opinion; unbeatable in his prime.

The only person who could beat Tyson was Tyson, and that's how it proved to be.

Lennox Lewis would not have been able to deal with him, not by a long stretch, nor would all of the fighters mentioned in this thread. Absolute animal who was undone by his own demons.

Where your points are great, I still disagree, I'll explain why, you are right, Tyson was almost like a caged animal with that anger and aggression....much like Roberto Duran was, and it took Leonard getting inside his head to beat him...Ali was every bit as smart as Leonard and could have done the same....remember No Mas was NOT Leonard beating up Duran physically...he beat him psychologically.....if need be Ali could have beat Tyson that way....I still don't think he would have had too...but he could have.
I actually asked Tyson once in a private conversation..that at his best, did he think there was a heavyweight he couldn't handle....he said....I don't know man, I was vicious, but I think Ali would have scared me....and Holyfield...he ain't human"....I was surprised by the Holyfield answer...but Mike is an odd duck, believe it or not, he is a very sweet and soft spoken and very respectful man one on one (I wouldn't say we are friends by any means, have met 3 times...and only spend more then 5 minutes together once)....he also told me he wished he could have fought Dempsey....he loved Dempsey footage, he said that he thought Dempsey was an animal, and he tried to be like him (told me he even cut his hair to be like Dempsey early in his career....) Personally, I think Tyson would have taken Dempsey in one round ...not that Jack wasn't great, but he was an animal and that would have left him open to that uppercut that made people go nite nite..
The late Jose Torres once told me that he thought Foreman would have beat Tyson...even if they met when it wad old fat George....not sure I agree, but he thought so.....Tyson was amazing, and brought boxing to sooooo many people who never watched a fight before, but he, even at his best, had one thing working against him....his height...worked against Frazier too, who beat Ali, so I see your argument...but I just can't see Tyson coming out on top...but that's the joy of these discussions, we'll never know...and makes it all the more fun to discuss.

Steadmund Brand

[Robert]

Worth remembering that Ali could take a punch. Frazier said that he was disappointed when he put Ali down and saw him get straight up again.

But let's face it, any boxer who gets caught clean with a superpunch will be out.