Mike Tyson’s Greatest Boxing Moments Highlight His Dominance

Mike Tyson’s legendary status speaks for itself. The two-time WBC Heavyweight Champion amassed a 50-4 career professional record and is regarded as the most feared fighter of his era. Still, at 58 years old, he believes he has a little more to prove.

Tyson squares off with the equally controversial Jake Paul Friday night at AT&T Stadium in a Netflix-exclusive fight. And while the event has been scrutinized by many, an improbable Tyson win would almost certainly be considered one of the highlights of his career.

That would be saying something, given Tyson’s career is one of the most decorated in boxing history. It’s one full of fury, speed, and some of the greatest boxing moments his generation of fighters produced.

1. Winning the WBC Heavyweight Title vs. Trevor Berbick (November 22, 1986)

Tyson’s stock was skyrocketing as a 20-year-old, with his first WBC Heavyweight title match taking place about a year and a half after his professional debut. Still, Tyson’s sheer athleticism set him up well against Berbick, as the former had 27 fights to his name already in such a short period of time.

Berbick was a 10-year veteran who had just four professional losses to that point. But Tyson’s agility and speed overwhelmed him in the early goings. Tyson landed an uppercut-hook combo in the second round and sent a wobbling Berbick to the mat. He attempted to get up, but immediately crashed back down, giving Tyson the win via TKO. He was the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

2. Knocking Out Michael Spinks in 91 Seconds (June 27, 1988)

Michael Spinks was an undefeated Olympian who was seen as one of Tyson’s biggest tests to date in 1988. Spinks was 31-0 entering the fight, with 21 of those wins coming via knockout. He held The Ring Heavyweight Championship, and was stripped of his world title by the IBF years prior after refusing a fight, earning him claim to being the linear champion.

All of that meant Tyson’s reputation would be on the line against Spinks, and it didn’t phase him. Tyson buried punches in Spinks’ abdomen, before delivering an uppercut that knocked Spinks out instantly. It was a decisive, clean win for Tyson that cemented him as the best in the world in the eyes of many.

3. First Title Defense vs. James “Bonecrusher” Smith (March 7, 1987)

So a 20-year-old Tyson was the world champion by the end of 1986, and he decided to take a few months off after taking 28 fights in a year and a half. He’d return to the ring on March 7, 1987, to face James “Bonecrusher” Smith, a formidable test for his first title defense.

Smith displayed an impressive amount of stamina against the young and hungry Tyson, but absorbed plenty of punishment across 12 rounds. Tyson would accuse him of attempting to grab at him after he landed hits, with Smith finally landing a blow to Tyson’s head in the final round. It was ultimately to no avail though, as Tyson won via unanimous decision. The judges scored every round to Tyson, and he showed the world he was more than a knockout aficionado.

4. Knocking Out Larry Holmes (January 22, 1988)

Five months before the Sprinks fight, Tyson squared off with the legendary Larry Holmes, a man widely viewed as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. So if Tyson wanted to sit in that company, he had only one way to prove he belonged: knock out Holmes.

Holmes was undefeated prior to facing Spinks and lost consecutive bouts against him. He would go on to retire in 1986, but came out of it in order to face Tyson. The 21-year-old responded by breaking down Holmes in a systematic fashion, landing blow after blow all over his body. A lethal combination would send Holmes down on his back in the fourth round, earning Tyson yet another victory via knockout, this time by defeating one of the best ever.

5. Comeback Fight vs. Peter McNeeley (August 19, 1995)

Tyson is one of the most controversial athletes in American sports history, not just for his in-ring tactics, but his personal life as well. He was convicted of rape in 1992, and would spend the next three years in prison. The arrest ultimately would not cost him his career, and he was permitted to compete again in 1995.

Journeyman heavyweight Peter McNeeley was selected as his first opponent back, with the fight going down Aug. 19, 1995. The one-loss Tyson was quickly charged out of the gates by an aggressive McNeeley, but he didn’t fret. He quickly dropped McNeeley twice in the first minute and a half of the fight. Though McNeeley was technically disqualified for his manager entering the ring to stop the bout, he was effectively knocked out by a man who had been out of the ring for more than four years.

6. Defeating Frank Bruno in a Rematch (March 16, 1996)

The McNeely fight was in Tyson’s rearview mirror come spring of 1996, and he was set on trying to recapture the WBC Heavyweight Championship after his four-year layoff. Frank Bruno stood in his way of making that happen.

The two faced off at the MGM Grand in March, with the 38-4 Bruno attempting to halt Tyson’s comeback at glory. Tyson’s speed and power were once again on full display in this one, with his combination work far outmatching Bruno’s. The latter would force the fight into the third round, where Tyson delivered consecutive blows that forced the referee to step in and stop the fight. Tyson was once again at the top of the boxing world, avenging his title loss six years earlier to Buster Douglas.