When Mike Tyson returns to the ring on November 15 against influencer and boxer Jake Paul, one thing will be on fans’ minds: Does “Iron Mike” still have that devastating knockout power in his fists? To get you in the mood for the comeback, here are five of his ten best knockouts.
Lightning knockout for the anniversary
- Mike Tyson vs. Clifford Etienne
- Knockout victory, 1st round
- Date: February 22, 2003
The fight between Mike Tyson and Clifford Etienne was titled “Back to Business”. After his heavy defeat to Lennox Lewis in June 2002, in which Tyson was knocked out in the eighth round, his future in boxing was in doubt. But in November 2002, the ex-champ announced his comeback and took on underdog Clifford Etienne in Memphis. Etienne, who was once considered a promising fighter, had been set back in his career by a defeat to Fres Oquendo in which he was knocked down seven (!) times.
Despite trainer Freddie Roach’s concerns about Tyson’s fitness and mental state, “Iron Mike” went through with the fight after it had initially been canceled at short notice. In the ring, Tyson showed that he still had impressive punching power despite all the doubts. After just a few seconds, he charged at Etienne like a bulldozer. Both stumbled to the floor during a clinch, forcing the referee to call a brief stoppage. Upon resumption, Tyson immediately unleashed a barrage. After Etienne missed with a jab and a right jab, Tyson countered with a right hook that sent Etienne to the ground. “The Black Rhino” lay motionless – knocked out after just 49 seconds of the first round. This victory was the 50th and final win of Mike Tyson’s professional career.
Tyson Power breaks record
- Mike Tyson vs. Trevor Berbick (WBC World Heavyweight Championship)
- T.K.o victory, 2nd round
- Date: November 22, 1986
On November 22, 1986, the 20-year-old Mike Tyson fought Trevor Berbick for the WBC heavyweight title. Despite his experience, defending champion Berbick was the underdog against Tyson. Despite his age, “Iron Mike” had already won 27 fights and was already known for his knockout power. Tyson was aiming to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.
Tyson dominated the fight from the start. In the first round, he put Berbick under heavy pressure with fast, powerful punches. Shortly before the end of the round, he sent Berbick across the ring with a combination of four punches. But he managed to stay on his feet. In the second round, Tyson landed a brutal combination that sent Berbick to the floor. Although the Jamaican got to his feet, he was unable to counter anything offensively.
Iron Mike finally sealed the fight after 2:35 minutes of the second round with a right hook to the body and a left hook to the head. Berbick fell again and was unable to stay on his feet, prompting the referee to stop the fight. With this victory, Tyson secured the WBC title and became the youngest heavyweight world champion in history.
Spectacular showdown
- Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks (IBF, WBA and WBC World Heavyweight Championship)
- Knockout victory, 1st round
- Date: June 27, 1988
On June 27, 1988, Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks squared off in a fight that was billed as “Once and For All”. Both boxers were unbeaten, with Tyson holding the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, while Spinks was the lineal and “The Ring” champion. The fight was seen as a duel between the two best heavyweight boxers of their time and generated a lot of media interest. With a record total turnover of around 70 million US dollars at the time, it was the most lucrative boxing match to date. Shortly before the fight, there was a controversy when Spinks’ team objected to Tyson’s hand bandages. The dispute was resolved, but Iron Mike was visibly upset and determined to dominate Spinks.
Tyson immediately opened the fight aggressively. Within the first few seconds, he landed a hard left hook that forced Spinks to go on the defensive. He tried to protect himself by clinching, but was quickly pushed into the corner. After a combination, including a powerful right body kick, Spinks went down. He got up again, but just seconds later Tyson hit him with an irresistible right hand that put him down for good. The fight was over after just 91 seconds. Spinks was counted out and suffered the first and only defeat of his career. Mike Tyson had impressively proven that he was the undisputed heavyweight king.
Mike Tyson without mercy
- Mike Tyson vs. Tony Tubbs (IBF, WBA and WBC World Heavyweight Championship)
- T.K.O. victory, 2nd round
- Date: 03/21/1988
The fight between Mike Tyson and Tony Tubbs in Tokyo (Japan) marked Tyson’s first title defense outside the USA. After his impressive victory over Larry Holmes a few months earlier, the champ was on his way to a highly anticipated showdown with Michael Spinks. But before that fight could materialize, Tyson had to defend his titles against former WBA world champion Tony Tubbs. In the run-up to the fight, there were discussions about Tubbs’ fitness, particularly his weight. Although he was offered a bonus of 50,000 US dollars if he weighed under 235 pounds, he ultimately came in at 238 pounds. The US boxer nevertheless remained confident and declared that he would surprise “Iron Mike” with his speed and set the pace of the fight.
The first round was even, with Tubbs skillfully dodging the world champion’s punches and scoring with quick jabs himself. One judge gave the round to him, another to Tyson, while the third awarded a draw. In the second round, Tubbs also kept up well at first, landing several punches and appearing to cause Iron Mike problems. But with 30 seconds left in the round, he caught his opponent with a hard combination that pushed him into the ropes. Tubbs staggered, Tyson followed up. A devastating left hook to the head finally sent him to the floor. Shortly afterward, his trainer stormed into the ring and the fight was stopped 2:54 minutes into the second round. Tyson won by technical knockout and defended his world titles impressively.
Ring legend gets knocked out.
- Mike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes (IBF, WBA and WBC World Heavyweight Championship)
- Knockout victory, 4th round
- Date: January 22, 1988
The eagerly awaited duel between Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes, billed as “Heavyweight History”, took place on January 22, 1988. Tyson, who already held the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, faced former world champion Holmes, who had returned from retirement to reassert his claim to the heavyweight title. Tyson was at the peak of his career at the time and was considered an unstoppable force in the ring. Holmes, on the other hand, had fought his last fight in 1986 and was hoping for a spectacular comeback.
But Holmes, who had openly criticized his opponent in the past, could not keep up with Tyson’s speed and power in the fight. The latter took control from the start and put Holmes under pressure. The experienced ex-champ tried to slow down the aggressive Tyson by clinching, but “Iron Mike” did not let up. In the fourth round, the knockout machine hit the “Easton Assassin” with a hard right hook and sent him to the floor. Holmes got back to his feet, but Tyson immediately followed up. Another combination sent Holmes down a second time. Back on his feet, Iron Mike struck again brutally, whereupon his challenger went down a third time. The referee stopped the fight and Tyson won by technical knockout.
Text by Robin Josten