For decades, boxing fans have debated whether the best version of “Iron” Mike Tyson could defeat a prime Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight who declared himself “The Greatest” and then backed up those words in the ring.

Now Vice TV’s “The Verdict” is weighing in on that debate in its latest episode, which will premiere on Tuesday, March 31 at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

For what it’s worth, Ali and Tyson were both asked about this very question over the years.

In Ali’s case, the question came on an August 1989 episode of The Arsenio Hall Show, with Tyson seated nearby alongside Sugar Ray Leonard. At the time, Tyson was still undefeated and the undisputed heavyweight champion; he had yet to suffer his upset loss to Buster Douglas.

“Who woulda won if you fought this man in your prime?” Hall asked.

Ali pointed to Tyson, who waved his hands to indicate “no.”

“I wasn’t that powerful. I was so fast. If he hit me…” Ali said, then leaned back in his chair to feign a knockout. “That’s if you catch me.”

Tyson demurred.

“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. [...] The champ is very modest. I’ve seen him in the ring with killers, like [George] Foreman and [Earnie] Shavers, guys that hit much harder than I. He takes these guys’ greatest punches.”

And Tyson has remained consistent with that opinion over the years, including after a video game virtual tournament in 2020 showed him beating Ali.

“I wouldn't win the real fight, but the fantasy fight is good,” Tyson told combat sports writer Kevin Iole.

This is the second episode of The Verdict’s second season. The first season was wholly dedicated to whether quarterback Tom Brady or head coach Bill Belichick deserves more credit for the success of the New England Patriots. 

Other episodes in this second season cover historical debates in the worlds of baseball (Babe Ruth vs. Shohei Otani); golf (Jack Nicklaus vs. Tiger Woods); two-sport pro football and baseball players (Bo Jackson vs. Deion Sanders); and the greatest of three modern tennis players (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic).

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2. David’s book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.