1988 Mike Tyson vs 1966 Muhammad Ali?

[MartialMind]

Who wins in this match-up?

22 years, 5'10.5", 71" reach



24 years, 6'3", 78" reach

[Rusty Tromboni]

Tyson does a better job of getting to Ali than Liston did. And he's gonna hit a lot harder and more often than Chuvalo.


Ali via narrow UD.


Post-exile Ali does much better.


I do pick Tyson to beat Frazier, though. Almost as easily as Foreman did.

[Sugarj]

This would be potentially the biggest fantasy fight purse in history!

I'd have Ali by close decision too; but a superb contest!

[Ben Bolt]

Yes, it’s heavyweight boxing, so Ali could get caught.

But if not, the ?6 Ali was already a mastermind in reading and preparing for his opponents.
I can see Ali dance and snapping punches to Tyson’s shoulders, having Tyson’s heavy artillery anesthetized.

Ali by wide decision.

[Joe Beamish]

Great matchup, of course.

Neither guy -- the '88 Tyson or the '66 Ali -- ever faced an opponent like the other guy. Tyson is going to bring even more offense (combos, angles, power in both hands, twitchy speed) to the table than Frazier did in his 70s fights, all of which troubled the somewhat older, post-ban Ali. And Ali brings a freedom of movement that Tyson never had to contend with.

Look at Cleveland Williams against Ali in '66. Ali looked magnificent, a god of gods. But Williams's style of stand-here-and-jab was a relic, a far cry from Tyson.

I see Tyson knocking down Ali and winning a decision. But I see Ali winning in the rematch, also by decision, won mainly in the second half of the fight.

[OctoberRed]

Yes, it’s heavyweight boxing, so Ali could get caught.

But if not, the ?6 Ali was already a mastermind in reading and preparing for his opponents.
I can see Ali dance and snapping punches to Tyson’s shoulders, having Tyson’s heavy artillery anesthetized.

Ali by wide decision.

Exactly!

[them_apples]

I got ali by a pretty wide decision or even a ko. Tyson won't do better than Liston. Ali's reach is usually listed at about 80" not that it matters, ali is gonna move around way too fast and frustrate Tyson whos gonna be swinging at air.

Chuvalo is not a good example, because although he did eventually get to Alis body, he has a head of stone and took a horrendous beating in doing so. I don't see Tyson going after Ali with 2 shut eyes.

[QueensburyRules]

Yes, it’s heavyweight boxing, so Ali could get caught.

But if not, the ?6 Ali was already a mastermind in reading and preparing for his opponents.
I can see Ali dance and snapping punches to Tyson’s shoulders, having Tyson’s heavy artillery anesthetized.

Ali by wide decision.

- -Ali all flash and less substance in his first iteration.

Tyson would not only walk through his comp in 1/4th the number of rds it took Ali, he wouldn't be getting dropped by Banks and Cooper.

Ali can run and shuffle and clown all he wants, but we know he couldn't do it more than a few rds. Watch what slowmo Chuvalo did to him, but instead of just mauling his body, Mike sparks him TFO.

There would be no call for a rematch either.

[Ben Bolt]

Ali can clown all he wants

Another factor I want to add.
Young Tyson’s self-esteem was vulnerable.
I can see Ali’s prefight boasting and babbling getting under Tyson’s skin.
It hadn’t done Tyson any good.

[OctoberRed]

Another factor I want to add.
Young Tyson’s self-esteem was vulnerable.
I can see Ali’s prefight boasting and babbling getting under Tyson’s skin.
It hadn’t done Tyson any good.

^^^^^^