Ali and Tyson are certainly the two most popular and well known boxing figures worldwide. Even casual people who don't follow boxing know their names.
So who was the bigger superstar at their peak of popularity?
It was Ali.
I lived through all those decades and it was Ali.
You need to keep in mind that Ali was in the public consciousness since 1960 when he represented the US in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. In those Olympics, he was still Cassius Clay and won the gold medal in light-heavyweight boxing but was only 18 years old.
The 1960s were a turbulent time with Black civil rights being an important part of the decade. Ali, never one to keep quiet, did three major things in that decade.
Ali was a household name long before 1971 when the first of three historic fights with Joe Frazier occurred. Ali lost the first one with Frazier becoming the champion, but Ali won the next two.
Something else you need to understand. Back then, cable hardly existed. Very few people had cable. So, without cable, there's no "pay-per-view" and fights were televised for free on broadcast TV - usually on ABC where Ali and ABC's also-very-famous Howard Cosell stuck up an unlikely friendship.
Ali was greatly disliked (by the majority White folks) for most of his time, but some revisionist history painted him in a more positive light. Things are swinging back a bit.
Tyson, by contrast, was a hurricane. His fame came and went. He was last truly famous boxer. Sure, other boxers came and went like Evander Holyfield, but Tyson was a whirlwind. I got to be aware of him before he was famous because he'd box at my college in upstate NY. We knew he was destined for boxing greatness which he eventually was. His personal life became something of a tabloid issue too. Eventually, he fell in with the wrong crowd and that got the better of him which is why he lost to Buster Douglas in 1991 despite being a vastly superior fighter. (Buster promptly lost in his first title defense fight.)
I am glad Tyson is still with us and he is definitely famous, but Ali was probably more famous than Tyson at Tyson's peak. Ali had been a household name for over 30 years when Tyson lost to Douglas.
There's no question that Ali was the bigger "superstar" than Tyson.
The real questions are who was a better fighter and who would have won in a match between them in their prime.
Ali was a worldwide phenomenon, while Tyson was mainly an American (ghetto, exactly) icon who clicked with some who wished to vicariously mainline Tyson's dangerous aura.
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Have to go with Clay but Tyson is my fav along with Marciano who was before my time but heard a lot about him from my dad who was a pro middle weight during the same period as Rocky was coming up the ranks. He actually saw a bout live at the arena.
u Ali was more of a star... and more than just boxing
Tyson WAS boxing itself
meh! both over rated. in 90s t. Morrison won the WBO heavyweight TITLE in 1993 victory over even George Foreman!
Ali was always respected and a much bigger person. May he rest in peace.
Ali he was the greatest
u Tyson but it’s real close hard to call it
Ali...
Mohammed.
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