Unified World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua believes that the best version of Mike Tyson would have beaten that of the great Muhammad Ali. Speaking in a JD Sports Live Instagram Q&A, Joshua explained why he believes that the “more developed” ‘Iron Mike’ would have prevailed.
“It’s quite interesting because in the era of Ali’s heavyweight reign, the heavyweights were ranked as cruiserweights,” Joshua said. “So in the Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis era; they started getting bigger.
“Hence why, in the amateurs, they then created a super heavyweight division. He [Ali] wouldn’t have been a fully fledged heavyweight. Let’s say we bulked Ali up and added size and strength to him, I truly believe Mike Tyson would have won.
“Reason being, when you watch the fight between Joe Frazier and Ali you see a certain Tyson-esque style in Frazier. Tyson used to study Frazier – moving, moving, hooks, hooks. He managed to put Ali down, it was a very tough fight for him.
“I just believe Tyson was better schooled because times have evolved, he was more developed with more science, more information. So Tyson would have won – in my humble opinion.”
In-line with Joshua’s pick, Mike Tyson recently won the inaugural e-World Boxing Super Series – a computer game-simulated eight-man heavyweight tournament. The former wrecking ball outpointed ‘The Greatest’ to become the first virtual fighter to claim the e-Ali Trophy.