Lion vs tiger: who would win in a fight?

....who would win, usually, in a fight to the death?......well, i believe the lion would, on most occasions, win such a battle.

lions have the greater stamina. they have the larger heart size;

lions;




tigers;






here`s the heart size of another lion given as 1,175 g;



...it seems lions have the larger heart.

......studies also indicate that tigers often chase prey from a much closer distance than do lions;

tigers;







lions;



....in africa, lions must often hunt in the open plains, where the greater prey densities make it difficult to surprise most prey animals, so they opt to change such difficulties by hunting in groups, oftentimes surrounding prey animals and prevent possible escape routes, where great speed isn`t neccesary. tigers, on the other hand, live in thick, forested areas where prey are more scattered.....likewise, studies indicate they prefer denser cover when going for the hunt, as the above sources indicate. simply put, in africa, the lion gets more practice at long distance running.

skull size comparison;




more comparisons;

lion;



tiger;



...lions have, on average, the larger skull, and a higher sagittal crest, which equates to a more powerful bite;





lions also have the greater paw size, based on a comparison between two adult specimens, in captivity.

paw size comparison;



....tigers have, on average, the greater percentage of fat, which increases overall mass, reducing the percentage of mass occupied by bone....hence, a smaller skeletal structure. a slighter skeletal structure offers less resistance in terms of speed/agility. the lion, of greater bone density, is more 'weighed' down, and consequently less agile in his movements.

...while i do not have any studies upon the bone density of tigers, it has been suggested that their density may be less than that of the lion. they are more adapted for swiftness, and speed in agility...the lion, for awesome fighting abilities. studies seem to indicate the lion is more combative than the tiger, and clyde has stated;

"if what i have witnessed in the arena applies to an encounter in the open, the tiger would try to get away. the lion would pursue him and try to engage him. in an enclosure-and this is based on forty years of observation-the lion is almost invariably the aggressor and the tiger habitually tries to avoid him."

he has also said;

"occasionally i am told that i am prejudiced on the subject. if i am, it is a prejudice born of experience. the sum total of what i have witnessed in the arena tells me over and over again that the lion is the "king of beasts". or at least the mightiest of the big cats."

...it seems that the lion, on most occasions, would defeat the tiger in fight, and studies seem to indicate the lion is more geared towards fighting.