THE self-styled invincible vs the self-proclaimed greatest of all-time.
Mike Tyson, heavyweight boxing’s most dangerous whirlwind, has explained how he’d take on Tyson Fury, the prince of stylists, in a dream match-up across the eras.
Iron Mike says at his explosive peak he felt “invincible” for any time “since the beginning of God” – while unbeaten two-time champ Fury insists he would beat anyone as the “greatest fighter that’s ever lived”.
And although Fury was unwilling to “directly” talk about taking on one of his “heroes,” Tyson has readily gone into details about tactics if the two icons from different eras could meet in their prime.
The 5ft 10in American believes aggression and mobility would be his main weapons against 6ft 9ins Fury.
But he still names “morale” as the key factor for any fighter.
Tyson, 54, told Ring magazine in 2020: “Against someone of Tyson Fury‘s size, you’ve got to be aggressive, move your head and be elusive because if you stand still against a man that size, you’re an easy target.
“You need to attack, use angles and stay away from his punching distance.
“You need to be close, but you can’t stay at a distance that allows the bigger fighter to get off.”
Tyson was just 20 when he became the world’s youngest ever world heavyweight champ, knocking out his first 19 opponents with the speed of a middleweight and the power of a man-mountain.
But he added: “Size and style isn’t the most important thing in the ring; it’s the morale of a fighter that leads to victory.
“His determination, his will to win, his desire is what makes him a champion.
‘But at my best, I thought I was the greatest fighter from Achilles, through the Art of War, since the beginning of God, since the beginning of time – I was invincible.”
WBC champ Fury, soon set for a reunification showdown with Anthony Joshua, was coy about revealing how he would take on his fellow legend.
The heavyweight said: “I don’t like to pit myself against boxing heroes in a virtual reality fight, because I find it disrespectful.
“But my answer is that I’ll beat any man born from his mother. I just wouldn’t say that directly about any of the heroes from the past.
“But, deep down, I don’t believe that any fighter from the past can beat me.
“I think I’m the greatest fighter that’s ever lived – from any generation.”
