Growing up Mike Tyson, among others, worshipped Muhammad Ali
He learned a great deal of boxing watching Muhammad Ali fight. In fact, when Ali lost to Joe Frazier, Tyson took the defeat personally and looked forward to handing Frazier back the punishment he imposed on ‘The Greatest’.
Ali was one of the figures that Tyson studied watching television and standing outside the ring. However, Tyson’s mentor Cus D’Amato stood the closest to ‘Kid Dynamite’ and taught him the fundamentals of boxing. In his recent interview with iD Boxing, on yet another occasion being asked about his relationship with Ali, Tyson admitted that he worshipped him.
However, who motivated the former heavyweight champion of the world to worship Ali? Tyson referred to his mentor and coach Cus D’Amato who worshipped Muhammad Ali as well and thus motivated Tyson to start admiring Ali.
“I worshipped him [Muhammad Ali]. Cus D’Amato worshipped him. So, that’s my mentor worshipping this guy, I’m going to worship whoever my mentor tells me to worship,” told Tyson to iD Boxing quite frankly.
When Mike Tyson appreciated Muhammad Ali complimenting him but rejected the idea of defeating him in boxing
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Who would not want to see prime Muhammad Ali square off against prime Mike Tyson inside the boxing ring? When Tyson and Ali both appeared on the Arsenio Hall Show, the host observing the opportunity popped the question. While Ali informed of being the “dancing master”, he acknowledged not being as powerful as Mike Tyson in the ring.
However, Tyson felt otherwise. “I don’t believe that. The champ [Ali] is very modest because I’ve seen him in the ring with killers.”
“I’m vain, I know I’m great, but can I tell you something? In this situation, every head must bow, every tongue must confess. This is the greatest of all time,” Tyson added by saying. What do you feel about Tyson’s undying admiration for Muhammad Ali? Do you think Tyson would admire Ali even without instructions from D’Amato?