| Tiger | Lion |
|---|---|
|
|
| Wins 66.50% of 1k fights | Wins 33.50% of 1k fights |
The largest tiger in the world, the Siberian tiger would defeat the largest Lion species in the world in one on one combat. The tiger outweighs the lion by hundreds of pounds and has a massive muscle mass advantage.
The only way a lion would stand a chance is if it brought its entire pride along with the battle. Tigers, being mostly asocial unless it is breeding season, are unlikely to have any backup in a confrontation.
Here is a visual comparison of tiger size vs lion size. As you can see, tigers are slightly shorter but bulkier. A full grown male lion caps out at around 550 pounds, whereas Siberian tigers max out at over 800 pounds.
A fight between these two would further underscore why weight classes are needed in any combat sport. Skill and mental toughness can seldom overcome enormous disadvantages of size and strength.
Imagine what would happen if Mike Tyson in his prime fought Floyd Mayweather. Though Mayweather possibly has the speed and agility advantage, one or two punches from the larger, stronger Tyson would cause massive damage.
A tiger has a stronger bite force than a lion. Lions chomp their jaws at a very impressive 650 pounds per square inch. Tigers, however, can exert around 1,050 psi with each bite.
This is more than enough to sever a tendon and crush bone with ease. If a tiger was to get its jaws around the neck or limbs of the lion, they'd have no problem snapping it in two.
Though male lions have a bit more armor given their thick manes, this likely would not be enough to stop the tiger's teeth from sinking in. I imagine it would make it a little harder to get a firm grip but I doubt hair will deter the most powerful cat on Earth.
When it comes to outright speed, lions are faster than tigers. The fastest a tiger can run in 30 to 40 miles per hour, while a lion can run up to 50 miles per hour.
Both animals are fast enough to catch me easily but given the lion's habitat, it had to evolve to run fast in an open area. Tigers tend to live in dense forests where stealth is needed over raw speed.
When it comes to agility the tiger wins. Tigers have more flexible spines and a muscular structure more suite for agile, quick movements. They hunt prey in forests and jungles, so they need to be nimble enough to weave through terrain and capture prey.
We can see that Siberian tigers outclass African lions, but how would the smaller species of tiger fare?
In a Bengal tiger vs lion bout, the Bengal Tiger would win in most cases, although the lion would not get beaten as badly as he would if facing off against a Siberian tiger. The difference in muscle mass would prove too hard to overcome.
The lion's best chance to win is if he's traveling with fellow bachelor lions or has a pride of strong, agile females to back him up.
There are a couple of hypothetical situations that would result in the lion being victorious. The King of the jungle's chances are slim, but here are the scenarios that are most likely to result in a W for the warrior with the regal mane.
The male lion is traveling in a bachelor crew.
The fight becomes an endurance battle.
The fight takes place in the steaming hot savannah.
Male lions will sometimes travel in groups of 3 or more bachelors. These beasts will hunt, sleep, and fight together.
As such, if an aggressive, territorial tiger were to come and threaten one of them, they'd attack in unison. If even the largest tiger on record was to fight two lions at once, it'd get turned into kitty chow.
Lions are used to hunting very fast and agile prey, so they've developed decent cardio as they've evolved. Tigers, by contrast, are much bigger and bulkier and don't pursue prey over as far as lions do.
Tigers are fast but tend to gas out quicker than lions do in hunts and fights. Both animals have pretty poor stamina when compared to canines but the edge goes to the lion on this one.
This is similar to what happened in the FantasyBrawls battle simulator in the bout between the American Alligator and the Crocodile.
Siberian tigers are designed to withstand the obscenely cold temperatures of Russia, so they have a super thick coat. If a fight were to take place in lion's habitat, where temperatures can reach as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the tiger would likely suffer a heatstroke.
And if you're wondering if a lion can survive the cold, the answer is yes. Lions are all over Africa, and certain countries on the African continent experience extreme cold like other parts of the world. In fact, Sutherland experienced temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lions and Tigers are both, big, beautiful beasts that I love to observe and learn about. Sadly, like most things, we have severely impacted their ability to live and reproduce.
Humans have hunted both regal creatures for their fur, bones, and flesh, which is used in Eastern medicine. To ensure that our grandchildren can live in a world populated by these awesome animals, we need to leave them, their habitat, and their prey items alone!
If you love animals like I do and enjoyed this hypothetical matchup between two of nature' mightiest cats, check out the showdown between a Silverback Gorilla and a Grizzly Bear.
Posted by: Matt Irving on 04/16/2024
