there is someone, somewhere who punches harder than tyson did in his prime. that doesn't make him the best boxer.
I'm not saying he was the best boxer. And there very well may be someone, somewhere who punched harder than Tyson did in his prime. I'm just saying I'd rather get hit by Ali than Tyson.
first of all, this isn't a discussion. tyson may have had the talent, but it never materialized. it isn't even like mcgrady. mcgrady had a decent career taking into account length. tyson's downfall is more like steve francis, not to compare steve as far as tyson going to prison. but steve coming in with a flurry and just never taking it to another level. also, i saw a documentary on ali about a year ago, he was training in miami for the liston fight. any boxing fan needs to see this
Tyson had better boxing skills than he is given credit for, especially offensively. He proved that he had an iron jaw as well, based on his later fights. It is too bad, I believe if he would have fought in a better era, he may have become the best boxer ever. Ali, I suspect would win, he is not as powerful as Tyson, but he had been through the battles and knew how to win fights that went to decision. People need to realize, both Tyson and Ali took years off at one point.
Tyson accomplished more than TMac or Francis. For years Tyson was unquestionably the best heavy weight fighter in the world. TMac and Francis were never the best basketball players in the world. Even after Tyson lost a step, he was a top 3-4 heavy weight in the world. The boxing historians even have Tyson in the top 20 heavyweights ever.
who said they accomplished more? the point is tyson's career didn't pan out. yes he was the champ, against a bunch of no names in retrospect. you shouldn't take the comparison so literal, it would be a lot harder to be the best basketball player, two different sports, just comparing career trajecteries.
without reading any posts in this thread, those of you who voted/are arguing for Mike Tyson know nothing about boxing Ali = MJ Tyson = Reggie Miller
This. I think Foreman's post-40 comeback makes people forget just exactly how freaking badass he was when in his prime.
Ali was smarter, funnier, meaner, faster, and more stylish than Tyson, and he risked going to prison by standing up to the U.S. government when they tried to get rid of him back when many equated refusing military service to cowardice at best and treason at worst. He won titanic bouts against the best and became an international icon who broke African-American stereotypes. Tyson was better at hurting people than Ali. He knocked people out in the first round so often he looked unbeatable. People were scared to fight him. Later in his career, after D'amato died, he lost focus and slipped in his training and prep work. When he was labeled a wife beater and later went to prison for rape, he reinforced African-American stereotypes. Biting Holyfield's ear off didn't help. In the end, he because a circus act, as many of the moneymakers in boxing do. All told, he was no Ali.
That was pure comedy! Lennox was not even in Ali's class. When the conversation about the greatest boxers of all time comes up Lennox is not even considered.
