Muhammad Ali is one of boxing’s greatest ever fighters, but once revealed there was just one man he would have fallen short against.
After winning an Olympic gold medal at the 1960 games in Rome, Ali made a move into the professional ranks shortly after and established himself as a major player in an exciting heavyweight division.
He captured world honours for the first time when he defeated Sonny Liston in their 1964 showdown, before making nine successful defences of his crown which included a rematch victory over Liston.
‘The Greatest’ put his career on hold for several years after he failed to enlist in the Vietnam War, but made a sensational return in 1970. He would go on to win the world heavyweight champion once again when he defeated George Foreman in ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’ in 1974, one of boxing’s most iconic moments.
Despite coming up against an abundance of great fighters and heavyweight icons throughout his tenure, Ali once said that he would have been no match for the once feared ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson during any stage of his career.
“I’m scared of him. He’s a real champ. [Tyson would have won].
I was a dancing master. You are that powerful and so fast. If he hit me [mimics falling over].”
At the peak of his powers, Tyson was the most ferocious and formidable heavyweight on the planet. Perhaps the most memorable moment of his storied career came in 1986 when he defeated Trevor Berbick to become WBC heavyweight champion, the youngest fighter to achieve this feat in the history of the division.
