Tyson's Lost 3 Years vs. Ali's Lost 3 Years

[diamonddavestafford]

There's a big difference.

Ali was just peaking when he was exiled from boxing. He was getting more and more dominant with each fight.
Tyson, on the other hand, was already on the downside when he was sent away. His skills were already eroding, his dedication to training was already non-existent.

Ali paid a far bigger price. If he continued fighting from '67-'70, he would've beaten everyone in his path. A young, mobile Ali doesn't lose to Frazier in the first fight.
Tyson would've lost fights during his 3 years. His inevitable downfall was simply delayed by three years because of the prison stint.

That about sums it up...