If Tyson had come back like Ali would he have been the undisputed GOAT?

[QueensburyRules]

--- Ain't about whose the fav, I mean it was so lopsided only one sports book in Vegas took the fight.

From afar, first there were reports of his bad training camp. Then his MickeyMouse corner hired by King had to use an iced rubber glove for endswell, a collection of stooges. Then his need of strong sedatives after a suicide attempt in his Rolls. Warning signs flashing red warnings everywhere, but the "experts" diminished Buster who had proven to be a good, tough contender against Tony Tucker.

Experts never liked fat fighters until Big George 2.0 showed up.

[The Old LefHook]

Both Tyson and Ali lost about 3 years each in their primes due outside circumstances. However Ali came back and eventually returned to form as champion and Mike continued on with his slide that began with just prior to going to jail.

If Tyson was able to come back and capture the heavyweight title at least a couple more times like Ali did would he have gone down as GOAT?

If Marciano had been as fast as Ali, he would have been the greatest. If Ali had hit like Foreman, no one would have ever beaten him. If Patterson had been as tall as Wilt Chamberlain, he would have been unbeatable.

[BKM-]

If Marciano had been as fast as Ali, he would have been the greatest. If Ali had hit like Foreman, no one would have ever beaten him. If Patterson had been as tall as Wilt Chamberlain, he would have been unbeatable.

If the letter S wasn't in the English alphabet, Mike Tyson would have been the greatest speaker of our time.

[sentax]

If Marciano had been as fast as Ali, he would have been the greatest. If Ali had hit like Foreman, no one would have ever beaten him. If Patterson had been as tall as Wilt Chamberlain, he would have been unbeatable.

A couple of those things were physical determinations.

There was no physical reason Tyson couldn't have been dominant post-prison, he was still in his 20's when he got out. It was more a lack of focus and the terrible people around him than anything.

[Joe Beamish]

If Marciano had been as fast as Ali, he would have been the greatest. If Ali had hit like Foreman, no one would have ever beaten him. If Patterson had been as tall as Wilt Chamberlain, he would have been unbeatable.

If I played like Hendrix, I'd be the greatest guitar player ever. Or tied for it.

[Ben Bolt]

Both Tyson and Ali lost about 3 years each in their primes due outside circumstances. However Ali came back and eventually returned to form as champion and Mike continued on with his slide that began with just prior to going to jail. If Tyson was able to come back and capture the heavyweight title at least a couple more times like Ali did would he have gone down as GOAT?

You could argue, not only a boxer’s skills, but also his personality, makes a GOAT.

“Both Tyson and Ali lost about 3 years each in their primes” but for different reasons.
At the time Ali made his decision, it definitely honors him. (His personality turned a bit more mean in the 70’s).

The tragedy that is Mike Tyson from a boxing perspective is that he could indeed have--as Kevin Rooney suggested--been not only the youngest heavyweight champion, but the greatest; could have gone 60-0, retired undefeated, etc.

Nope. As Angelo Dundee (and other trainers stated when Tyson was in his prime), a good technician popping up and Tyson would be beaten. Or a fearless man with tremendous strength, like Holyfield.

Still, Tyson was a terrific and courageous fighter. And who to choose the Greatest of All Time? In my opinion, severals deserve the label. I don’t mind if Tyson being one of them.

[Sugarj]

10 years after that Tyson would have blasted Douglas

I seem to recall that in the year 2000 Tyson did have a pretty good year; not impossible at all.

[Sugarj]

He never seemed the same to me after he lost to Douglas. I feel like we all wanted that air of invincibility back, but something was missing. I'm not saying he wasn't still a great fighter, but that aura and desire has diminished if not disappeared. He talked the talk and looked the part, but once he was in the ring....he seemed vulnerable. Maybe because we (me) built him up so high. I just didn't see the same fire.

I suppose seeing him in a daze trying to grab his mouthpiece off the canvas didn't leave the best impression. He never got his full array of technical skills back again sadly....

[OctoberRed]

I suppose seeing him in a daze trying to grab his mouthpiece off the canvas didn't leave the best impression. He never got his full array of technical skills back again sadly....

That image sticks out in my mind the most.

[HOUDINI563]

Tyson was out of the game for four years. No chance any fighter returns after four years of not competing and is still as good as/as dominant as he was.