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Muhammad Ali vs Mike Tyson - who wins?

doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

Muhammad Ali vs Mike Tyson, both in their absolute prime. Who wins this dream fight?

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  • thisistheshowthisistheshow Posts: 9,386 ✭✭✭✭✭

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes, a fight I have dreamed about many a moon.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    🤔

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    🤔

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ali wins in whatever round he wants.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    To me, this is one of the great mysteries we will never know the true answer to.

    1. Do aliens exist?
    2. Does Bigfoot exist?
    3. Does the Loch Ness monster exist ?
    4. Who would have won Ali vs Tyson?
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @doubledragon said:
    To me, this is one of the great mysteries we will never know the true answer to.

    1. Do aliens exist?
    2. Does Bigfoot exist?
    3. Does the Loch Ness monster exist ?
    4. Who would have won Ali vs Tyson?

    Yes
    No
    No
    Yes (LOL)

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 3:03PM

    I have thought about this fight many times, and what it really all boils down to is, Tyson would have to knock Ali out, and would he be able to do it? If Tyson couldn't knock Ali out, then he would be in serious trouble, because Ali would pick him apart piece by piece. As we all know, Tyson's threat was his knockout ability, and you can't knock a man out, then you better be able to box. Ali could take punches better than anyone I've ever seen, so Tyson would really have to give everything he had to KO Ali. Now, Muhammad Ali had stamina, heart, footwork, and superior boxing skills, and if Tyson couldn't knock Ali out, then Ali would pound on him round after round after round. If I had to pick a winner, in the end, I think Tyson can't knock him out, and Ali wears him down. Ali wins either by knockout or decision.

  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I dunno know. They both have been knocked down. They both have lost. They both won tons of fights.

    Godzilla or Kong?

    m

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • This content has been removed.
  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Justacommeman said:
    I dunno know. They both have been knocked down. They both have lost. They both won tons of fights.

    Godzilla or Kong?

    m

    You never know what might happen when two men step into the ring, Tyson might catch Ali with that punch. I've been thinking about it all day, studying it, reading articles about what might happen if they fought. It's all I've been doing today. Well, actually I did start a thread about Randy Moss fake mooning Packers fans, but besides that, Ali vs Tyson has been my whole day!

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Uh oh, I'm starting to get that itch. I think this whole experience is going to make me start a Muhammad Ali card collection. Yep, it's got ahold of me and refuses to let go. I'm starting an Muhammad Ali card collection, and there's very little anyone can do to stop me!

  • TheGoonies1985TheGoonies1985 Posts: 5,613 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 4:04PM

    Tyson will be polite and say Ali maybe he would let him win out of fear and respect. Take that away and Tyson in his prime for sure. It was to pushed into Tyson's head by his coach over and over Ali is the best there ever was. Tyson can't get around that mental block it's a 100% pure reality for him.

    Tyson once said Ali is ready to die for this and I am not.

    NFL: Buffalo Bills & Green Bay Packers

  • TheGoonies1985TheGoonies1985 Posts: 5,613 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 4:14PM

    I was in full contact karate for decades (and I was very good at it but never stupid enough to think I could challenge Tyson) and everyone I have ever asked at the top spots if they could beat Tyson all laughed and said are you crazy. And these men were elite fighters not your random nobodies. Masters or grand masters that I saw fight and were amazing none of that fake stuff either I mean real tough men and super good.

    In MMA who knows if someone gets him to the ground maybe. Standing up I vote Tyson he can block a kick and absorb one just like any punch. And when he hits you you may die or be a vegetable is it worth it no not for anyone with a brain.

    NFL: Buffalo Bills & Green Bay Packers

  • coolstanleycoolstanley Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 4:16PM

    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Who would you take between Ali and lewis?

    Terry Bradshaw was AMAZING!!

    Ignore list -Basebal21

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 4:23PM

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Who would you take between Ali and lewis?

    Joe Louis? It saddens me to say this, but in all honesty I think Ali would outlast Louis. I'm going to go to the closet and cry now.

  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Yes but Frazier beat Ali and I think Tyson is way more like Frazier then Foreman.

    m

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very interesting points from everyone here, a fascinating subject indeed. I feel like a dog, waiting on a tasty treat!

  • coolstanleycoolstanley Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @doubledragon said:

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Who would you take between Ali and lewis?

    Joe Louis? It saddens me to say this, but in all honesty I think Ali would outlast Louis. I'm going to go to the closet and cry now.

    Not Joe, I was talking about Lennox lol.

    Terry Bradshaw was AMAZING!!

    Ignore list -Basebal21

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @coolstanley said:

    @doubledragon said:

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Who would you take between Ali and lewis?

    Joe Louis? It saddens me to say this, but in all honesty I think Ali would outlast Louis. I'm going to go to the closet and cry now.

    Not Joe, I was talking about Lennox lol.

    I think Ali would outlast Lennox, but you never know. It would be a great matchup. That's the thing about boxing, anything can happen when two men pounding on each other.

  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think a dead Joe Louis could beat an alive Lennox Lewis

    m

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    <<< He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949 >>>

    Joe Louis was a great fighter, but in my opinion is highly overrated on the all time greatest fighters lists out there. Yes he beat most of what was put in front of him during his reign. However in 1937, Europe was preparing for war, and 1939 thru 1945 Europe was involved in one of the worst wars in history. So that took out basically the entire European pool of fighters.

    From 1941 thru 1945, the United States was also involved in that war. So that took out much of the American pool of fighters. And it wasn't as though the US and Europe quickly recovered from the war after 1945. Soldiers who may have become great boxers, instead during that time had to join the military and stay in the military for an extended period.

    The pool of fighting talent without question was diminished during the reign of Joe Louis.

    So yes, Louis was a great fighter and beat whatever there was at the time. But it's painfully obvious just watching Youtube videos and comparing, that any number of heavyweight fighters active during the 1960's to the present would have beaten Louis with little problem.

    For example a guy like Earnie Shavers doesn't even sniff the GOAT list. However in my opinion Shavers knocks out Joe Louis in the early rounds.

    Muhammad Ali would have toyed with Louis the same way he toyed with a number of tomato cans in his prime. Joe Louis shouldn't even be in the top ten greatest heavyweights of all time and probably further down closer to twenty than ten. But he beat Max Schmeling and all that, became very popular and also an American hero which is fine, and i applaud him for all that. Louis without a doubt was a goodwill ambassador for boxing and our country.

    But let's not go overboard as to how great a fighter he was on the GOAT list.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @doubledragon said:

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Who would you take between Ali and lewis?

    Joe Louis? It saddens me to say this, but in all honesty I think Ali would outlast Louis. I'm going to go to the closet and cry now.

    I agree with ya, as by no means am i a Muhammad Ali fan. But facts are facts, Ali was the greatest heavyweight of all time, and would have handled Joe Louis or Mike Tyson quite easily in his prime.

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,884 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Justacommeman said:

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Yes but Frazier beat Ali and I think Tyson is way more like Frazier then Foreman.

    m

    Early in his career Tyson was quite similar in style to Frazier, however Frazier didn't fight Ali in his prime imo, and Ali won 2 out of 3 from Frazier.

    Ali screwed around too much in his first fight with Joe, many think Ali won that fight.

    Ali, prior to being stripped of his title would have beaten Mike. I don't think Tyson would have landed his big left hook and Ali would have won on points or a TKO.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 8:27PM

    @JoeBanzai said:

    @Justacommeman said:

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Yes but Frazier beat Ali and I think Tyson is way more like Frazier then Foreman.

    m

    Early in his career Tyson was quite similar in style to Frazier, however Frazier didn't fight Ali in his prime imo, and Ali won 2 out of 3 from Frazier.

    Ali screwed around too much in his first fight with Joe, many think Ali won that fight.

    Ali, prior to being stripped of his title would have beaten Mike. I don't think Tyson would have landed his big left hook and Ali would have won on points or a TKO.

    Could be. But all things being equal in a heavy weight fight I lean towards the the guy with the bigger punch. I'm an Ali guy but I'd be the first to admit that a young Tyson COULD win a fight against him. Fun to talk about regardless.

    Ali was the greatest of all time. The Heavyweight division was stacked during his time. He beat them all. I have Joe Louis as #2. Both of my Grandpa's and my Dad said Louis would beat Ali. I think old timers always gravitate towards sports hero's of their youth.

    The first time I fought Tyson in Mike Tyson's Punch Out and I pooped my pants.

    m

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,884 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Justacommeman said:

    @JoeBanzai said:

    @Justacommeman said:

    @coolstanley said:
    If Ali could beat Foreman, he could beat Tyson.

    Yes but Frazier beat Ali and I think Tyson is way more like Frazier then Foreman.

    m

    Early in his career Tyson was quite similar in style to Frazier, however Frazier didn't fight Ali in his prime imo, and Ali won 2 out of 3 from Frazier.

    Ali screwed around too much in his first fight with Joe, many think Ali won that fight.

    Ali, prior to being stripped of his title would have beaten Mike. I don't think Tyson would have landed his big left hook and Ali would have won on points or a TKO.

    Could be. But all things being equal in a heavy weight fight I lean towards the the guy with the bigger punch. I'm an Ali guy but I'd be the first to admit that a young Tyson could win a fight against him. Fun to talk about.

    I fought Tyson in Mike Tyson Punch Out and I pooped my pants and that was a video game.

    m

    If you're an Ali guy, you must have seen the old video of how fast he could jerk his head back to avoid a hook. He also could take a tremendous amount of body blows without dropping his hands.

    His biggest problem was himself, clowning around got him in trouble more than once.

    I didn't see as much of Tyson, but he became a disaster when he got frustrated. He won a lot of fights on intimidation, Muhammad wasn't scared of anyone.

    If Mike somehow could land a big hook early, maybe.

    We'll never know.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • galaxy27galaxy27 Posts: 8,039 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:

    Joe Louis shouldn't even be in the top ten greatest heavyweights of all time and probably further down closer to twenty than ten.

    the odds of you receiving a Christmas card from double d are slimmer than Adrian Shine putting Morag in a headlock

    you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet

  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 10:14PM

    @galaxy27 said:

    @stevek said:

    Joe Louis shouldn't even be in the top ten greatest heavyweights of all time and probably further down closer to twenty than ten.

    the odds of you receiving a Christmas card from double d are slimmer than Adrian Shine putting Morag in a headlock

    DD will get over it. I just looked The All-time Great Heavyweight lists. The first five that came up ranked him #1, #2 (twice), #3 and #7th. All with good reason. He was one of the greatest of all-time. DD can continue to sleep like a baby tonight.

    m

    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,703 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 23, 2021 10:19PM

    Ali, without a doubt. Not only could he box but he could stand toe to toe with any of the fiercest punchers and there were many during that era (Foreman, Frazier, Norton, Shavers, Quarry, etc).

    Tyson was ferocious, yes, no question, but if you really think about his career, who did he beat? Other than an aging Larry Holmes? Michael Spinks, Trevor Berbick, Mitch "Blood" Green?

    The truth is that Ali fought and beat legendary fighters in their own right. Part of the reason Tyson was so impressive (imho) is that the class of fighters he fought during that era were frankly inferior when compared to those Ali fought.



    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 24, 2021 12:22AM

    I agree, Joe Louis didn't fight the kind of fighters Ali fought, Foreman, Liston, Patterson, Shavers, Norton, Frazier, really high quality competition. You know, Earnie Shavers was one of the hardest punchers in the history of boxing, and I believe Ali once said something to the effect of, "the hardest puncher I ever faced was Earnie Shavers." If Shavers caught you with the right punch, he could really hurt you. Didn't he destroy Norton in one round? They made these promo photos of Shavers and notice they put "Puncher of the Century". In that fight between Shavers and Larry Holmes, I remember Shavers knocked Holmes down with a shot so hard , I thought he killed Holmes. To Holmes's credit, he got up and eventually TKO'd Shavers, but Shavers could really hurt you with his punch.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here is the video of Shavers knocking down Holmes.

  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 30,838 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I’m going to say this. They would have to fight 5 or 10 times to really see who would be considered the superior fighter because on any given day anyone can beat anyone ( Within Reason )

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @grote15 said:
    Ali, without a doubt. Not only could he box but he could stand toe to toe with any of the fiercest punchers and there were many during that era (Foreman, Frazier, Norton, Shavers, Quarry, etc).

    Tyson was ferocious, yes, no question, but if you really think about his career, who did he beat? Other than an aging Larry Holmes? Michael Spinks, Trevor Berbick, Mitch "Blood" Green?

    The truth is that Ali fought and beat legendary fighters in their own right. Part of the reason Tyson was so impressive (imho) is that the class of fighters he fought during that era were frankly inferior when compared to those Ali fought.

    That Ali era was an amazing era for heavyweight boxers.

    Frankly at the time, i think most thought, including me, that it would go on forever. With many great heavyweights constantly coming up, out there fighting each other producing many more classic fights.

    My opinion is that it didn't happen because of the increased big money from other sports. For example most football players, except for the top stars like a Namath, didn't make chit back then. A young kid in the heavyweight class, hungry for big money and fame, chose boxing.

    With the increased popularity of professional football, and the increased money that went along with it, I think kids such as that started gravitating towards football, rather than the brutal sport of boxing. Which led to the decline in the overall volume of quality heavyweights which lasts to this day.

    I used to be a huge fight fan back then. Right now, i don't even know who the heavyweight champ is? If i googled it and found the name, i'm not sure if i would of ever heard of him. LOL

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @galaxy27 said:

    @stevek said:

    Joe Louis shouldn't even be in the top ten greatest heavyweights of all time and probably further down closer to twenty than ten.

    the odds of you receiving a Christmas card from double d are slimmer than Adrian Shine putting Morag in a headlock

    If i had mentioned the Louis-Marciano fight, DD might of had me arrested. 😉

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @perkdog said:
    I’m going to say this. They would have to fight 5 or 10 times to really see who would be considered the superior fighter because on any given day anyone can beat anyone ( Within Reason )

    Premise understood, but.....

    In the case of Ali-Tyson...they fight ten times, Ali beats him ten times.

    They fight 100 times, maybe Ali only wins 99...because in one of them, Ali had to forfeit because he caught the flu.

  • BrickBrick Posts: 4,992 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ali wins fairly easily. Tysons best chance would be in a barroom brawl with no rules.

    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:

    @galaxy27 said:

    @stevek said:

    Joe Louis shouldn't even be in the top ten greatest heavyweights of all time and probably further down closer to twenty than ten.

    the odds of you receiving a Christmas card from double d are slimmer than Adrian Shine putting Morag in a headlock

    If i had mentioned the Louis-Marciano fight, DD might of had me arrested. 😉

    Don't tempt me!

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 24, 2021 7:30AM

    I truly believe Ali should have retired much earlier than he did. I remember watching the Ali vs Holmes fight and just thinking that Ali had no business still fighting. He took a beating from Holmes and at that point, he should have been retired. It was sad watching that fight.

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @doubledragon said:

    @stevek said:

    @galaxy27 said:

    @stevek said:

    Joe Louis shouldn't even be in the top ten greatest heavyweights of all time and probably further down closer to twenty than ten.

    the odds of you receiving a Christmas card from double d are slimmer than Adrian Shine putting Morag in a headlock

    If i had mentioned the Louis-Marciano fight, DD might of had me arrested. 😉

    Don't tempt me!

    Two cops are at my door right now.

    Showing me court papers from a DD, pressing charges for disparaging a boxing legend.

    I never knew there was a law against that?

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @doubledragon said:
    I truly believe Ali should have retired much earlier than he did. I remember watching the Ali vs Holmes fight and just thinking that Ali had no business still fighting. He took a beating from Holmes and at that point, he should have been retired. It was sad watching that fight.

    I read one time that someone estimated during Ali's long career, including training, sparring, and matches, that it's estimated he received 175,000 blows to the head. Whatever is the correct number, it certainly was a lot, and of course led to the Parkinson's syndrome affliction which he had, or whatever it was called with the shaking, inability to talk, etc. That was very sad.

    Even though i was never an Ali fan, he was always entertaining and interesting, never boring, and later on in his life he did try to do some great things along the lines of goodwill for all peoples, and i robustly applauded him for that effort.

  • AhmanfanAhmanfan Posts: 4,393 ✭✭✭✭

    @doubledragon said:
    Yes, a fight I have dreamed about many a moon.

    They should have reversed the names on the top of that poster.

    Collecting
    HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
  • galaxy27galaxy27 Posts: 8,039 ✭✭✭✭✭

    in my opinion, Tyson doesn't even sniff the top-10 all time when you objectively break down his career. sure, he laid waste to fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he went up against an elite pugilist he always lost. and i'm not talking about those b-level, middle-of-the-road dudes he took a belt from. i'm referring to the handful of really good boxers he fought throughout his career. but even lesser fighters eventually gave him fits if their arms were longer than his.

    early on he dropped tomato cans in eye-popping fashion, but fights against Quick Tillis and Blood Green were an anticipatory sign of what was to come. both of those guys fought Tyson before he turned 20-years-old and went the distance...........and each of them had reaches of 80 inches or more. the next year, Bonecrusher Smith (82") and Tony Tucker (82") made it to a decision as well. the handwriting was starting to form on the wall -- a chink in Tyson's armor was manifest when he went up against guys whose hands could consistently reach his face before his reached theirs. all of a sudden, his overwhelming power was becoming neutralized.

    then, a few years later, it happened. someone with a significant reach advantage finally got him, and that someone was a fit Buster Douglas (83") who had just lost his mother and had nothing to lose. in my opinion, that fight signaled the beginning of the end for Tyson. gone were the days of him using his textbook peek-a-boo defense with punches thrown in numbers to floor a bunch of chumps. instead, when pitted against someone who could box a lick, he regularly hid his face behind his gloves and tried to explode to catch his opponent with one big shot. seriously, go watch the 10th round against Douglas again and take note of what is happening right before the end of the fight. Douglas was using his jab to set up the kill shot and Tyson was doing virtually nothing outside of sticking his gloves in front of his face. next thing you know, Iron Mike absorbed an uppercut that turned him part bobblehead.

    fast forward to 2002 and Lennox Lewis (84") all but put an end to Tyson's career.

    Muhammad Ali's reach didn't quite hit 80, but the most uniquely skilled boxer in the history of the sport still would have had 7 inches on Tyson.

    there's your answer

    you'll never be able to outrun a bad diet

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mike-tyson-evander-holyfield-fight-may-29

    Mike Tyson says Evander Holyfield fight on for May 29

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mike-tyson-evander-holyfield-fight-may-29

    Mike Tyson says Evander Holyfield fight on for May 29

    Yes, and Tyson is predicting a victory. I can't wait for this, there's bad blood brewing Steve, and if you'll remember, the last time they got together Mike Tyson ate Holyfield's ear. There's unfinished business between these two!

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,158 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The same promoter wanted to put together an Ali-Frazier rematch until somebody told him that they are both dead.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would just retire. Why risk more brain damage? I would just live it up in retirement. It's up to them I guess, but Double D would be relaxed, livin' it up in paradise.

  • JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,884 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @stevek said:
    I read one time that someone estimated during Ali's long career, including training, sparring, and matches, that it's estimated he received 175,000 blows to the head. Whatever is the correct number, it certainly was a lot, and of course led to the Parkinson's syndrome affliction which he had, or whatever it was called with the shaking, inability to talk, etc. That was very sad.

    >
    That number seems ridiculous to me.

    Training and sparring is usually done with protective headgear and no sparring partner is going to hit his employer very hard if he wants to keep his job.

    I saw Ali get brutally assaulted to the midsection time and time again, but he sure didn't get hit in the head very often. Other than the first Frazier fight, and when Norton broke his jaw, his face was usually unmarked and he would constantly point out how "pretty" he was.

    I think his Parkinson's was probably going to happen if he was a boxer or not, otherwise why wouldn't more boxers have it?

    Boxing may have made things worse, but I just don't think Ali got hit in the head nearly as often as this "someone's" guess.

    @galaxy27 said:
    in my opinion, Tyson doesn't even sniff the top-10 all time when you objectively break down his career. sure, he laid waste to fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he went up against an elite pugilist he always lost. and i'm not talking about those b-level, middle-of-the-road dudes he took a belt from. i'm referring to the handful of really good boxers he fought throughout his career. but even lesser fighters eventually gave him fits if their arms were longer than his.

    early on he dropped tomato cans in eye-popping fashion, but fights against Quick Tillis and Blood Green were an anticipatory sign of what was to come. both of those guys fought Tyson before he turned 20-years-old and went the distance...........and each of them had reaches of 80 inches or more. the next year, Bonecrusher Smith (82") and Tony Tucker (82") made it to a decision as well. the handwriting was starting to form on the wall -- a chink in Tyson's armor was manifest when he went up against guys whose hands could consistently reach his face before his reached theirs. all of a sudden, his overwhelming power was becoming neutralized.

    then, a few years later, it happened. someone with a significant reach advantage finally got him, and that someone was a fit Buster Douglas (83") who had just lost his mother and had nothing to lose. in my opinion, that fight signaled the beginning of the end for Tyson. gone were the days of him using his textbook peek-a-boo defense with punches thrown in numbers to floor a bunch of chumps. instead, when pitted against someone who could box a lick, he regularly hid his face behind his gloves and tried to explode to catch his opponent with one big shot. seriously, go watch the 10th round against Douglas again and take note of what is happening right before the end of the fight. Douglas was using his jab to set up the kill shot and Tyson was doing virtually nothing outside of sticking his gloves in front of his face. next thing you know, Iron Mike absorbed an uppercut that turned him part bobblehead.

    fast forward to 2002 and Lennox Lewis (84") all but put an end to Tyson's career.

    Muhammad Ali's reach didn't quite hit 80, but the most uniquely skilled boxer in the history of the sport still would have had 7 inches on Tyson.

    there's your answer

    Fantastic post!

    I would add that except for Ali/Frazier 1 he never lost a unanimous decision, and he always came back to defeat the men who originally beat him, except at the very end of his career.

    Tyson couldn't beat Holyfield, that's why he tried to eat him.

    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You know, the Rocky movies were all created because of an Ali fight. When Ali fought Chuck Wepner, Sylvester Stallone was watching the fight, and before the fight, Wepner had said all he wanted to do was go the distance with Ali. So, Wepner showed a lot of heart in that fight, and Sylvester Stallone took notice and created the character of Rocky Balboa based on Chuck Wepner. If you've seen the original Rocky movie, you'll notice in the movie Rocky says all he wants to do is go the distance with Apollo Creed, just like Wepner said about Ali. Now, in the actual Ali vs Wepner fight, Chuck Wepner knocked Ali down, and when Ali got up, he was embarrassed and pissed, and began to pound Wepner all to hell. A lot of people claim that Ali wasn't knocked down and that when Wepner hit Ali, he stepped on his foot causing him to lose his balance. I've looked at the photos of that knockdown, and you can see that Wepner actually did step on Ali's foot. Nevertheless, the supposed knockdown is still legendary, and when they made a movie about Chuck Wepner's life called "Chuck" they portrayed it as an actual knockdown, but as you can see from this photo, Wepner clearly stepped on Ali's foot.

  • doubledragondoubledragon Posts: 23,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    And also, ESPN made a documentary about Rocky Balboa being based on Chuck Wepner.

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