Ali, known as "The Greatest," had a boxing career that lasted just over 20 years. His crowning moment came in February 1964 when he won the world heavyweight championship with a 6th-round stoppage of Sonny Liston. He went on to defend his title 11 times against notable opponents like Sonny Liston in a rematch, Floyd Patterson, and Henry Cooper.
Ali's first career defeat came in March 1971 against Joe Frazier. The two would meet twice more, with Ali winning both rematches in 1974 and 1975.
In a resurfaced interview, Ali gave his take on how a fight with Tyson might go. He described Tyson as "awesome," "powerful," "strong," and having a "big punch." Ali admitted, "If he hits you, you're in trouble."
Despite this, Ali predicted he'd win the fantasy fight. He laid out his strategy:
"I'd stick and move, hit and run. I'd tire him out, then move in after round 10."
Fans and pundits have long wondered about this matchup between two heavyweight icons from different eras.
Tyson, now 58, recently returned to boxing after a long hiatus. In November last year, he faced YouTube sensation turned professional fighter Jake "The Problem Child" Paul at AT&T; Stadium in Texas. The fight, Tyson's first professional outing in just under 20 years, lasted 8 rounds and ended in a controversial loss for the former champion.
While we'll never know how a prime Ali vs. prime Tyson fight would have played out, it's clear that Ali's confidence never wavered, even when considering one of boxing's most feared punchers.