On Friday, November 15, legendary former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will return to boxing for the first time in 20 years – yes, 20 years – when he takes on influencer and boxing novice Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The bout will be contested over eight two-minute rounds.
Tyson, 58, had his last professional boxing match in June 2005 when he was stopped ignominiously by Irish journeyman Kevin McBride in six rounds. The last time the former champ won a fight was in February 2003 when he knocked out the hapless Clifford Etienne in one.
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Paul, 27, made a name for himself as a YouTuber and entrepreneur. Despite his 10-1 boxing record being built against undistinguished opposition, Paul’s drawing power among Generation Z is colossal, which is why this bizarre multi-million-dollar event is being broadcast for a global audience on Netflix.
For context on the age difference, by the time Paul was born on January 17, 1997, Tyson’s time as a world champion was over. Two months earlier, “The Baddest Man on the Planet” was soundly beaten and dethroned by fellow heavyweight great Evander Holyfield. He would never win another world title fight.
Despite any views one might have on the Paul vs. Tyson extravaganza, it’s impossible to overstate how big an attraction Tyson was during his fighting prime.
The Sporting News takes a look back at the ex-champ’s Hall of Fame career and notable triumphs.
What are Mike Tyson’s career highlights?
Tyson turned professional in March 1985 at the age of 18. He won his first 19 fights by knockout – twelve of them in the first round – before being taken the distance by James “Quick” Tillis in May 1986.
The former champ’s quickest first-round knockout was a scary 30-second blowout of Marvis Frazier, the son of former heavyweight champion Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Overall, Tyson scored 24 first-round knockouts in his 20-year professional career.
His overall record is 50-6 (44 KOs) and he was 12-4 in world title fights.
What are Mike Tyson’s career accomplishments?
“Iron” Mike is a two-time heavyweight champion of the world and was once undisputed.
Tyson won the WBC title in 1986, breaking Floyd Patterson’s record as the youngest heavyweight champion ever. In 1987, the hard-hitting Brooklynite outpointed WBA champ James “Bonecrusher” Smith and IBF counterpart Tony Tucker.
The only fighter left to challenge Tyson’s superiority was Michael Spinks, one of the greatest light heavyweights of all time and, at that time, the lineal and Ring Magazine heavyweight king. Spinks had previously scored two decision wins over the great Larry Holmes, but he was annihilated by Tyson in just 91 seconds.
Following his conviction for rape in 1992, Tyson served three years in an Indiana State Prison. Upon his release, the enigmatic knockout artist set about regaining his old belts and got himself back into fighting shape. Within months, he destroyed Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon to claim WBC and WBA titles, respectively.
In 2011, Tyson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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What are Mike Tyson’s best wins?
The subject of Tyson’s career-best wins has created debate among fight fans for a long time, with many claiming that “Iron” Mike never defeated a great heavyweight in their prime.
While that might be true, the method of Tyson’s victories was what made him special. Blasting out Michael Spinks and Carl “The Truth” Williams inside one round were eye-popping results at that time. And handing Pinklon Thomas and an aging Larry Holmes their first stoppage defeats was no mean feat.
One fighter that Tyson doesn’t get enough credit for besting is “Razor” Ruddock, who was a feared heavyweight force in the early 1990s. Tyson handed the Canadian contender his first loss with a seventh-round stoppage before outpointing him three months later.