Mike Tyson was one of the most formidable heavyweights during his prime years.
In a career that spanned 20 years, before he made his initial retirement in 2005, ‘Iron’ Mike held the undisputed heavyweight championship for several years in the late 1980s, with a fighting style that made him one of most feared fighters on the planet.
He became the youngest world heavyweight champion history, a record that still stands today, when he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the 2nd round of their bout in November 1986. Tyson was just 20-years-old when he captured Berbick’s WBC crown.
Despite proving to be such a dominant force during his career, where he claimed wins against the likes of Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks and Frank Bruno, there has been an admission made by a former opponent of ‘Iron’ Mike that he would not have been as prominent if he was around during another golden era of heavyweight boxing.
Holmes, who was known as ‘The Easton Assassin’, is another legendary heavyweight who clashed with Tyson at the back end of his glittering career, suffering a 4th-round knockout to ‘Iron’ Mike in January 1988.
In a clip that surfaced on YouTube, Holmes provided this response to the interviewee mentioning Tyson’s name.
“Who?.”
He was then asked if he could have beaten ‘Iron’ Mike in his prime, to which he said this.
“Everybody in this room here would have been able to beat Mike Tyson.
Mike Tyson was born right. You would of never heard of him.”
The 58-year-old made a sensational return to boxing last November, facing YouTube sensation turned professional boxer Jake Paul in an eight-round contest at the AT&T Stadium in Texas. Despite his best efforts, Tyson lost in a comprehensive points decision against the 27-year-old.
