When did Mike Tyson have his first fight? A look back at the boxing legend’s early days
It feels like a long time since the exciting matchup between “Iron Mike” Tyson and Jake “The Problem Child” Paul was first revealed. After months filled with discussions, delays, and uncertainty about whether the fight would ever take place, we’re now less than ten days away from the date.
At 58 years old, Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion, hasn’t participated in an official match since 2005. While he’s far from the fierce competitor he was in the past, his legacy still casts a significant shadow over the boxing world. Many may not fully grasp the extent of Tyson’s dominance during his prime.
Let’s take a closer look at how Mike Tyson began his boxing journey and if it will impact his upcoming fight with Paul.
Mike Tyson’s debut
After honing his skills as an amateur, Tyson’s first professional fight took place at the age of 18 on March 6, 1985. He won against Hector Mercedes via a first-round TKO. Less than a year later, on February 16, 1986, Tyson fought in his first nationally televised match, defeating Jesse Ferguson when the referee halted the bout in the sixth round.
Accomplishments in Tyson’s career
Throughout his illustrious career, Tyson captured heavyweight titles from various organizations, including the WBA, WBC, and IBF. Notably, he was the first heavyweight in history to simultaneously hold all three titles.
His journey to securing his first heavyweight title came with a second-round TKO victory over Trevor Berbick, which made him the youngest champion at just 20 years and 4 months old.
Tyson started his career by achieving 19 consecutive knockout victories. He quickly built an impressive record of 37 wins (33 by knockout) before experiencing his first defeat at the hands of Buster Douglas on February 11, 1990. Douglas’ victory is remembered as one of the most unexpected upsets in boxing history.
Tyson is also famous for defeating Marvis Frazier by TKO in just 30 seconds.
Tyson’s last official fight
The final professional match for Tyson occurred in 2005 against Kevin McBride, where he left the fight before the seventh round, later admitting he had participated mainly for financial reasons.
Since then, Tyson has only fought in exhibition matches, with his most recent being against Roy Jones Jr. on November 28, 2020, which ended in a split-decision draw.
Details on how to watch Tyson vs. Paul
- Date:Â Friday, November 15
- Time:Â 8 p.m. ET
- TV:Â Not available on television
- Streaming:Â Netflix
