It's true, Tyson was a phenom, problem is Jordan's legacy (in a positive light at least) lasted a lot longer and had only 1-2 embarrassing moments in the athletic department...at least to
#23 standards
Tyson on the other hand.......much more
With that said, Tyson has been able to keep himself in the spotlight due to the constant controversy he's kept himself in throughout his entire career, hell he's doing a one-man stand up tour based on his fukk-ups alone
. He's a fascinating character, in his wit and charm combined with his veracity that somehow connects the audience (public) to his story keeping them yearning for more. He came from hard times, he rose, he fell, he rose, he fell, and yet rises again in humble fashion not afraid to show he's more than just a boxer. It does not define the man, just a beginning of his celebrity.
Jordan does not captivate people, at all. His athletic achievements are well known, but that's it. The man himself is just...a man, unless you read books and/or stories off 2nd and 3rd hand accounts. He's successful, he's rich, he's great, he's...just another athlete who was the dominate force in his sport for a great period of time. However, whatever connection people held were due to his athletic contributions alone, for better IMHO.
Being the reigning, defending and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world is a dream held by a lot of people due to the stature that title holds and the men that have carried it from Jack Johnson to Joe Louis to Rocky Marciano to Muhammad Ali to
to finally, Mike Tyson. (I left out plenty of names just to keep it short). You carry not only prestige but in most cases the entire national sport of boxing. The history that title holds is incomparable, no offense to the NBA.
In conclusion, Tyson is more popular, however, moreso because of who he is and not what he achieved
@ the boxing posts
@ the GOAT 
