As it pertains to boxing.... Tyson was the most fierce, most dreaded opponent going back to Ali imo.... during his prime, mind you... but unlike Ali - Tyson's intensity level at least put his opponents out of their misery early. Ali was methodical in his fights, capturing everything one wanted then (and now) to see in a boxing phenom... predicting when the knockout would occur, strategic in his fighting philosophy, allowing his opponents to wear themselves out before taking ultimate control and dictating the narrative, in a fight that lasted more than 1 or 2 rounds.
Ali dictated the fights he fought, and so did Tyson for that matter. The difference was in their respective strategies. Ali was much more strategic and philosophical with how he fought, whereas Tyson was as much a calculated brawler who wanted the fight to end early as he was a boxer.
So you put Ali in his prime versus Tyson back in his prime? It'd be no less interesting compared to how Jack would've fared against Tiger back in his prime.
The difference is that professional golf has only increased in interest since the days of Jack, whereas the interest in professional boxing was tainted because of big-money and promotional whores looking to capitalize during Tyson's reign. The sport really hasn't recovered since, although it's desperately trying to make a comeback. But without the big names and the high-profile fights, I think they still have a long road ahead, if they ever get back to that level.
Yet, still, I couldn't imagine a more entertaining spectacle in all of sports if we could somehow pit Ali back in his prime vs Tyson in his prime. Could Ali take the punishing blows of Tyson early on in the fight and wear him down and take him out methodically like he did just about everybody else back then? Or would Tyson make quick work of the greatest, most strategic boxer who ever lived with his power and unrelenting style?
It makes for an interesting discussion, for sure.