How Close Did Mike Tyson Come To Achieving Ali Status?

[sonship]

How close or by how many margins more did Mike Tyson come close to achieving what Mohammed Ali achieved in boxing?

[Tom Cruise]

Quite a long way off really.

They were similarly viewed in the first parts of their careers, phenomenal athletes and seen as unbeatable. While neither era was a great era, Ali had the wins over prime Liston to really legitimise his early reign.

To match Alis 70s run he would have had to beat Holyfield twice after losing to him, beat Lewis against all the odds. Then add in a load of the top contenders of the decade as well, the likes of Bowe, Tua, Mercer, Morrison etc etc.

What Ali did was almost unfathomable really.

[QueensburyRules]

Quite a long way off really.

They were similarly viewed in the first parts of their careers, phenomenal athletes and seen as unbeatable. While neither era was a great era, Ali had the wins over prime Liston to really legitimise his early reign.

To match Alis 70s run he would have had to beat Holyfield twice after losing to him, beat Lewis against all the odds. Then add in a load of the top contenders of the decade as well, the likes of Bowe, Tua, Mercer, Morrison etc etc.

What Ali did was almost unfathomable really.

- -OP wants an oil and water comparison. Ain't taking the bait.

Liston nearing 40 according to wags and arrest records trained for a four round fight with plenty of whiskey and nightlife for Ali seen as a cream puff then.

20 yr old Tyson dispatched a prime, hungry champ and the consolidated 4 belts in a flash, something Ali never had to do. Age 22 and set up in a retirement fund already far surpass Ali's career earnings with the world his oyster.

Ali struggled getting fighters, purses, and venues because of NOI connections that saw him stripped and set adrift for 3 yrs of purgatory.

Makes a comeback to be bludgeoned by Frazier in rare fashion and then whipped again vs Norton, but then praise be Allah! Knocks out Foreman under some of the most dubious circumstances in fight history as the Vietnam War ends to become a cult and eventually American, nay World hero and sainted to this very day, NOT Mike.

Oil and water comparisons will never mix...the end...

[BKM-]

Not even remotely close. Tython is not a top 10 heavyweith. Ali is #1 GOAT hw by such a massive gap that the rest can never catch up.

[Marchegiano]

Ali defended undisputed 11 times. Tyson did it 9. so, like two fights.

Had Tyson beaten Holy and Lewis maybe he'd be the goat.

[Willie Pep 229]

I am with Queen on this (I think, never really sure) . . . if it's about achievement in boxing (and not legacy) Tyson's career compares quite well.

Besides the usual measurements here's an outlier:

Ali was never seen as unbeatable. Not that it's actually a measurement of greatness, but it is an extra praise we reserve for few champions.

Marciano had a two year period wearing that moniker, as did Dempsey, Louis, Jeffries, and Sullivan. It is a fight game acme (even if it is only fan perception) Ali never attained. He never 'cleared out the division.'

Tyson, well yea!

[PRINCEKOOL]

Quite a long way off really.

They were similarly viewed in the first parts of their careers, phenomenal athletes and seen as unbeatable. While neither era was a great era, Ali had the wins over prime Liston to really legitimise his early reign.

To match Alis 70s run he would have had to beat Holyfield twice after losing to him, beat Lewis against all the odds. Then add in a load of the top contenders of the decade as well, the likes of Bowe, Tua, Mercer, Morrison etc etc.

What Ali did was almost unfathomable really.

The 1960's/70's was the greatest era in heavyweight boxing history.

Muhammad Ali & Mike Tyson are the only two boxers that have seemingly transcended time 'These two fighters are in a separate realm set apart from everybody else'.

All athletes in combat sports are still trying to duplicate what both of these boxers achieved 'Whether this be Conor Mcgregor being compared to Mike Tyson, or the media's insistence on making comparisons between Muhammad Ali an Tyson Fury' etc

[Willie Pep 229]

The 1960's/70's was the greatest era in heavyweight boxing history.

Muhammad Ali & Mike Tyson are the only two boxers that have seemingly transcended time 'These two fighters are in a separate realm set apart from everybody else'.

All athletes in combat sports are still trying to duplicate what both of these boxers achieved 'Whether this be Conor Mcgregor being compared to Mike Tyson, or the media's insistence on making comparisons between Muhammad Ali an Tyson Fury' etc

Tyson was never as popular as Dempsey and Louis! And what popularity he did achieve faded fast.

Ali was only as popular because of his political stand, not his prize fighting.

[Tatabanya]

The big difference was that Ali kept his sexual activities more disguised than Tyson's, and didn't end in jail.

[Willie Pep 229]

The big difference is that Ali made a great personal sacrifice for principle (whether we agree with that principle or not) while Tyson never got pass just being mean.