Muhammad Ali, widely known as "The Greatest," once admitted he lacked the confidence to beat Mike Tyson in the ring. This surprising revelation came from George Foreman, who shared the insight while speaking for a book about Ali.
Ali's career was filled with remarkable achievements both inside and outside the boxing ring. He gave up his prime years by refusing the Vietnam War draft, yet returned to become the heavyweight ruler. From 1974 to 1978, Ali reigned as the undisputed champion, facing off against all the stars of his era including George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston, and Larry Holmes.
Despite his legendary status and numerous accomplishments, Ali apparently harbored doubts about his ability to defeat Mike Tyson. Foreman, who became the oldest ever world heavyweight champion, revealed this unexpected admission.
"He told me once that he didn't have the confidence he could have beaten Mike Tyson,"Foreman said, adding that Ali had commented,
"Man, Tyson hits so hard."
Foreman went on to compare the two boxing icons. He described Ali as having blinding speed and being both a dancer in the ring and a fighter. In contrast, Tyson possessed awesome, devastating power and a menacing presence that made opponents shiver in their bones. Tyson sought to destroy his opponents, Foreman explained.
Tyson's career was nothing short of impressive. He became the youngest man to win a world championship in the heavyweight division. Fans and experts feared him for his high percentage punching ratio, blistering speed, and fight-ending power.
After initially retiring in 2005 following back-to-back losses, Tyson made a comeback to the ring in November. His return resulted in a wide points loss to Jake Paul.
Despite Ali's alleged fears, Tyson himself expressed deep respect for his predecessor. He stated that he "could never beat the man who came before him," referring to Ali.
This revelation about Ali's lack of confidence against Tyson offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of boxing's greatest figures, showing that even legends can have moments of doubt.
