Robert Brizel Editorial: Iron Mike Tyson vs. Muhammad Ali Would End in a 15 Round Draw
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In the recent heavyweight fantasy tournament, the only boxing tournament at the moment, put together by the World Boxing Super Series, Tyson defeated Ali in the final round to win. “I know it’s a fantasy game (tournament). Most likely I would win the fantasy (I agree with the simulated computer result) but I wouldn’t win the real fight,” Tyson told Yahoo Sports. “Ali’s the greatest there’s ever been (in the heavyweight division.” Ali felt Tyson was the best heavyweight ever. This reporter’s response now reanalyzes both combatants.
The real question is which version of Ali would have fought Tyson would have fought. Tyson visually resembles Charles ‘Sonny’ Liston, but fight wise, Tyson was a knowledgeable fight historian. The Kevin Rooney version of Iron Mike Tyson had good head movement, solid confidence, and great determination. However, the Cassius Clay version of Muhammad Ali was too fast. Tyson fighting the 1960’s version of Ali would have come off more like a 1960’s version of former WBA World Heavyweight champion Ernie Terrell. Tyson had a solid chin at this point, just lacked the foot speed to keep up with Ali.
If the later Iron Mike Tyson were to fight the 1970’s version of Muhammad Ali who used the rope-a-dope, Tyson would have had to keep Ali in the center of the ring. However, even if Ali did fight Tyson off the ropes, Ali’s accuracy and ability to slip and block punches would have frustrated the older version of Tyson.
According to Muhammad Ali Jr., “My father would have kicked his butt. Everybody says Mike Tyson would have kicked my father’s butt. I said no (way)!” Ali Jr. told The Sun. However, Ali had technical boxing skills, and a pinpoint jab which would have caused the power-hitting but flat-footed Tyson too much difficulty to keep up with. By the 1970’s, Ali, who had his hands injected with Novocain, would not have been able to take out the prime versions of Iron Mike Tyson, Deontay wilder, Tyson Fury, Andy Ruiz Jr., Anthony Joshua, Rocky Marciano, Vitaly Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe, Buster Douglas or Mike Weaver (a fight which was supposed to take place before over the hill version of Ali took the money bouts with Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick instead). Tyson was forced to go 15 rounds with Bonecrusher Smith, demonstrated a hole in his offensive arsenal against defensive fighters concentrating on footwork. This reporter’s conclusion is Ali versus Tyson would end in a close 15 round majority draw. Ali had tremendous respect for Mike’s power. In a 15 round bout, a defensive-minded Ali would fight a defensive style fight designed to avoid Mike’s power, with frequent holds.
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