Mike Tyson struck fear into the hearts of opponents during his prime. But even at his peak, his mentor believed there was one fighter he couldn't beat.
Tyson burst onto the professional boxing scene in 1985 at just 18 years old. His rise was meteoric. A mere 18 months after his debut, he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the second round to claim the WBC heavyweight title. This victory made him the youngest world heavyweight champion ever. Tyson didn't stop there. He unified the division by adding the WBA and IBF belts to his collection, all before he turned 21.
Despite Tyson's dominance, his former mentor and trainer Cus D'Amato had a surprising opinion. In his autobiography, Tyson revealed a conversation with D'Amato that stuck with him:
"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 weren't meant to discourage Tyson. Instead, they pushed him to forge his own unique style and legacy in the sport.
Ali's boxing career spanned 21 years. He became a three-time world heavyweight champion and racked up wins against legends like Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman. Many consider Ali the greatest heavyweight of all time.
While we'll never know how a prime Tyson would have fared against Ali, D'Amato's advice helped shape Tyson into the fearsome fighter he became. It's a reminder that even the most dominant athletes can learn from those who came before them.
