MIKE TYSON’S boxing career spanned two decades before he ‘retired’, including both incredible victories, shocking defeats and controversy in and out of the ringing.
Earning the monikers “Iron Mike” and “The Baddest Man on the Planet” along the way, he’s not done yet — he takes on Jake Paul on November 15 in one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year.
AFPMike Tyson pushed Jake Paul when they faced off ahead of their Netflix showdown[/caption]
Mike Tyson’s full boxing record
Mike Tyson‘s professional boxing record stands at 50 wins, 6 losses and 2 no contests.
Of his 50 victories, an astonishing 44 came by way of knockout, showcasing his devastating punching power.
Tyson‘s career began in 1985 and officially ended in 2005, although he later participated in exhibition bouts, including against Roy Jones Jr in 2020.
He has come out of retirement to go toe-to-toe with the Problem Child — 31 years his junior.
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Rise to dominance
Tyson‘s ascent in the boxing world was meteoric.
He won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, with 12 of those victories coming in the first round, setting the stage for his historic championship run.
Trevor Berbick
GettyMike Tyson demolished champion Trevor Berbick in two rounds to become the youngest ever heavyweight world champion[/caption]
On November 22, 1986, a 20-year-old Tyson faced Trevor Berbick for the WBC heavyweight title.
Iron Mike demolished Berbick in just two rounds, becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history – a record he still holds.
The victory marked the beginning of Tyson’s reign of terror in the heavyweight division.
Larry Holmes
Tyson handed Larry Holmes his first taste of defeat via KO
Tyson‘s bout against former champion Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, was a passing of the torch.
The young champion knocked out 38-year-old Holmes in the fourth round.
It was the first and only time Holmes was knocked out in his own Hall of Fame career.
Tony Tubbs
Getty(Left to right) Muhammad Ali, Don King, Tony Tubbs and Tim Witherspoon[/caption]
On March 21, 1988, Tyson defended his titles against Tony Tubbs.
After Tubbs enjoyed some success in the first round, Mike stopped him in the second.
The fight was notable for taking place in the Tokyo Dome, Japan, marking the first time Iron Mike had fought outside the United States.
He earned a whopping $10m for the fight, with Tubbs paid just $500k.
Michael Spinks
GettyAt the time, Tyson vs Michael Spinks was the richest fight in boxing history[/caption]
Arguably Tyson‘s most impressive victory came on June 27, 1988, against Michael Spinks.
In a battle of undefeated champions, The Baddest Man on the Planet knocked out Spinks in just 91 seconds.
At the time, the fight was the richest in boxing history, with Tyson paid $22m and Spinks earning $13.5m.
It cemented Iron Mike’s status as the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Frank Bruno
APFrank Bruno landed a powerful left hook on Tyson in their 1989 classic[/caption]
Tyson’s first fight against Frank Bruno on February 25, 1989, saw him retain his titles with a fifth-round TKO.
The fight was originally meant to be at Wembley Stadium but had to be rescheduled after a street fight with Mitch Green left Tyson with a broken hand.
It showcased the champ’s ability to overcome adversity after British favourite Bruno had some early success before Tyson’s power prevailed.
Aura of invincibility shattered
Buster Douglas
APBuster Douglas shocked the world of boxing when he beat Iron Mike[/caption]
Tyson’s aura of invincibility was shattered when he faced James “Buster” Douglas in Tokyo on February 11, 1990.
In one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, Douglas knocked out the undisputed heavyweight king in the 10th round.
The shocking upset expose chinks in Tyson’s armor.
Douglas, a 42-1 underdog, weathered Tyson’s early storm and capitalised on his lack of conditioning.
The loss marked the beginning of Tyson’s decline and remains a pivotal moment in boxing history.
Prison
AFPMike Tyson served three years in prison after being convicted of rape[/caption]
Tyson’s career was interrupted in 1992 when he was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison.
He had been arrested for the rape of Desiree Washington in Indiana, who was 18 at the time and had previously been crowned Miss Black Rhode Island.
He served three years before being released on parole in 1995.
Comeback
Frank Bruno 2
The TimesTyson savouring victory as the referee went to Frank Bruno’s aid after calling a halt to proceedings[/caption]
After his release from prison, Tyson had warm up fights against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis in 1995.
Tyson then reclaimed the WBC title by defeating Frank Bruno in their rematch on March 16, 1996.
Tyson, who was paid $30m for the fight, stopped Bruno in the third round, showing flashes of his former dominance.
Evander Holyfield 1 & 2
Tyson was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield in their second fight
After another title defence against Bruce Seldon, Tyson‘s comeback hit a roadblock when he faced Evander Holyfield on November 9, 1996.
Holyfield, considered past his prime after three defeats in his previous seven, shocked the boxing world by stopping Mike in the 11th round.
The defeat set the stage for one of the most infamous moments in boxing history.
On June 28, 1997, the rematch ended in controversy when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ear.
The incident not only severely damaged Iron Mike’s reputation, but also resulted in his boxing licence being revoked for over a year.
Andrew Golota
REUTERSTyson’s victory against Andrew Golota was overturned to a no-contest after Iron Mike tested positive for marijuana[/caption]
On October 20, 2000, The Baddest Man on the Planet‘s bout against Andrew Golota initially resulted in a TKO victory for Tyson.
However, the result was later changed to a no contest when Tyson tested positive for marijuana.
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis Lewis KO’d Tyson in the eighth round
On June 8, 2002, Tyson faced Lennox Lewis in a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown.
Reigning champion Lewis totally dominated the fight, knocking out Tyson in the eighth round.
He used his size and reach advantage to control the former undisputed champ, exposing the limitations of the ageing fighter.
The loss effectively ended Tyson‘s status as an elite heavyweight.
‘Final’ bouts
Danny Williams
Danny Williams famously knocked Tyson out
Tyson’s decline continued with a shocking fourth-round knockout loss to Brit contender Danny Williams on July 30, 2004.
This upset loss came as Tyson, by then aged 38, was clearly past his prime.
A knee injury during the fight contributed to Tyson’s defeat, but it was evident that his skills had significantly diminished.
This defeat raised further questions about his future in the sport.
Kevin McBride
Irishman Kevin McBride put a beating on the former undisputed heavyweight champion
Tyson’s final professional fight came on June 11, 2005, against Kevin McBride.
In his final professional bout, he quit on his stool after six rounds against the unheralded McBride.
After the fight, Tyson admitted that he no longer had “the fighting guts or the heart anymore.”
Exhibition era
Roy Jones Jr
Iron Mike landed some solid body shots on Roy Jones Jr
On November 28, 2020, at the age of 54, Tyson returned to the ring for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr.
The fight was ruled a draw, but Mike’s performance garnered praise and reignited interest in his boxing career.
Jones Jr did the perfect job of stifling Tyson throughout the entire fight by clinching at any opportunity he could.
‘Iron’ Mike Tyson’s full boxing record
Mike Tyson fought 58 professional fights, resulting in 50 wins (44 by knockout), 6 losses, and 2 no contests. Here’s his record in chronological order:
March 6, 1985 – Hector Mercedes – Win by KO, Round 1
April 10, 1985 – Trent Singleton – Win by TKO, Round 1
May 23, 1985 – Don Halpin – Win by KO, Round 4
June 20, 1985 – Ricardo Spain – Win by TKO, Round 1
July 11, 1985 – John Alderson – Win by TKO, Round 2
July 19, 1985 – Larry Sims – Win by KO, Round 3
August 15, 1985 – Lorenzo Canady – Win by KO, Round 1
September 5, 1985 – Michael Johnson – Win by KO, Round 1
October 9, 1985 – Donnie Long – Win by TKO, Round 1
October 25, 1985 – Robert Colay – Win by KO, Round 1
November 1, 1985 – Sterling Benjamin – Win by TKO, Round 1
November 13, 1985 – Eddie Richardson – Win by KO, Round 1
November 22, 1985 – Conroy Nelson – Win by TKO, Round 2
December 6, 1985 – Sammy Scaff – Win by TKO, Round 1
December 27, 1985 – Mark Young – Win by TKO, Round 1
January 11, 1986 – David Jaco – Win by TKO, Round 1
January 24, 1986 – Mike Jameson – Win by TKO, Round 5
February 16, 1986 – Jesse Ferguson – Win by TKO, Round 6
March 10, 1986 – Steve Zouski – Win by KO, Round 3
May 3, 1986 – James Tillis – Win by UD
May 20, 1986 – Mitch Green – Win by UD
June 13, 1986 – Reggie Gross – Win by TKO, Round 1
June 28, 1986 – William Hosea – Win by KO, Round 1
July 11, 1986 – Lorenzo Boyd – Win by KO, Round 2
July 26, 1986 – Marvis Frazier – Win by KO, Round 1
August 17, 1986 – Jose Ribalta – Win by TKO, Round 10
September 6, 1986 – Alfonzo Ratliff – Win by TKO, Round 2
November 22, 1986 – Trevor Berbick – Win by TKO, Round 2
March 7, 1987 – James Smith – Win by UD
May 30, 1987 – Pinklon Thomas – Win by TKO, Round 6
August 1, 1987 – Tony Tucker – Win by UD
October 16, 1987 – Tyrell Biggs – Win by TKO, Round 7
January 22, 1988 – Larry Holmes – Win by TKO, Round 4
March 21, 1988 – Tony Tubbs – Win by TKO, Round 2
June 27, 1988 – Michael Spinks – Win by KO, Round 1
February 25, 1989 – Frank Bruno – Win by TKO, Round 5
July 21, 1989 – Carl Williams – Win by TKO, Round 1
February 11, 1990 – Buster Douglas – Loss by KO, Round 10
June 16, 1990 – Henry Tillman – Win by KO, Round 1
December 8, 1990 – Alex Stewart – Win by TKO, Round 1
March 18, 1991 – Donovan Ruddock – Win by TKO, Round 7
June 28, 1991 – Donovan Ruddock – Win by UD
August 19, 1995 – Peter McNeeley – Win by DQ, Round 1
December 16, 1995 – Buster Mathis Jr – Win by KO, Round 3
March 16, 1996 – Frank Bruno – Win by TKO, Round 3
September 7, 1996 – Bruce Seldon – Win by TKO, Round 1
November 9, 1996 – Evander Holyfield – Loss by TKO, Round 11
June 28, 1997 – Evander Holyfield – Loss by DQ, Round 3
January 16, 1999 – Francois Botha – Win by KO, Round 5
October 23, 1999 – Orlin Norris – No Contest
January 29, 2000 – Julius Francis – Win by TKO, Round 2
June 24, 2000 – Lou Savarese – Win by TKO, Round 1
October 20, 2000 – Andrew Golota – No Contest (originally Win by TKO, Round 3)
October 13, 2001 – Brian Nielsen – Win by RTD, Round 7
June 8, 2002 – Lennox Lewis – Loss by KO, Round 8
February 22, 2003 – Clifford Etienne – Win by KO, Round 1
July 30, 2004 – Danny Williams – Loss by KO, Round 4
June 11, 2005 – Kevin McBride – Loss by RTD, Round 6
KO = knockout, TKO = technical knockout, UD = unanimous decision, DQ = disqualified, RTD = retired
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