Tyson burst onto the boxing scene in 1985 at just 18 years old. He quickly made a name for himself as a devastating puncher. In 1986, he became the youngest world heavyweight champion ever when he stopped Trevor Berbick in the second round in Las Vegas. That record still stands today.
'Iron Mike' didn't stop there. By 1987, at the ripe old age of 21, he'd unified all the belts. He beat James Smith for the WBA title and Tony Tucker for the IBF crown, becoming the undisputed heavyweight king.
But even with all that success, Tyson's trainer had some sobering words for him. In his autobiography, Tyson wrote:
"Cus told me once that no matter what I did, I probably wouldn't beat [Muhammad] Ali. That wasn't to put me down, but to make me realise I had to build my own path and style, not try to be someone else."
D'Amato's words might seem harsh, but they make sense when you consider Ali's reputation. Many folks call him the greatest fighter of all time. He won the world heavyweight championship three times and beat legends like Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman.
Tyson took D'Amato's advice to heart. He carved out his own path in boxing history, becoming one of the most feared and respected heavyweights ever. While we'll never know how a prime Tyson vs. Ali match-up would've gone down, it's clear that both men left an indelible mark on the sport.