Let's End This Once and For All: Prime Tyson vs. Prime Ali

Because he can
Float like a butterfly
And sting like a bee,
Ali via knockout
Ali in three.

Ali could take a punch, Tyson isn't knocking him out early. Ali dances, Tyson is swinging away, gets worn down by the 5th, and Ali puts him away in the 7th. Done.

Btw, I find it amusing that in your eyes, rooting for Tyson is some kind of hip thing that us old-timers wouldn't understand. You do realize that Tyson's prime was over 30 years ago, right? He's not really "modern".

You're getting old too, chief. 😉

Tyson in his prime. Easily. He was a machine.

There’s evasion, and then there’s evading Iron Mike. One good shot, one chink in Ali’s armour, and it’s good night nurse.

I’d be very intrigued by a Wladimir Klitschko v Tyson fight. 8 inches of extra height and 10 inches of extra reach, added with Klitschko’s intelligence and mobility could be enough, as someone else pointed out, for him to withstand Tyson’s attacking rage long enough to tire him out. 

Ali easily. EASILY.

Ali had 12-13 inches of reach on Tyson. With his footwork, Iron Mike never would have touched him. Ali jabs his face into hamburger for a few rounds then drops him like a bad habit. Someone said he was like Frazier x100. Bull, He was like Foreman, but smaller. Foreman was 6'3" with 78" reach and Tyson was 5'10" with a 71" reach. Good enough for opening tomato cans like Marvis Frazier and Tyrell Biggs. But Ali, poppycock.

Did Tyson ever beat beat a talented boxer? Yeah, it wasn't his fault the HW division sucked, but every quality boxer he faced beat him. And don't say Larry Holmes. Larry was 106 years old when they fought.