Mike Tyson will enter his monumental showdown against YouTube star Jake Paul on November 15 with a rich history of producing brutal knockouts.
Throughout the 1980s, ‘Iron Mike’ was able to cultivate one of the most formidable reputations boxing has ever seen, steamrolling each of his rivals one by one.
Then, after becoming the youngest world heavyweight champion of all time, the Brooklyn-born bruiser made nine defenses of his crown before running into James ‘Buster’ Douglas.
And yet, prior to losing in arguably the most stunning upset in sporting history, Mike Tyson was, without question, the closest thing to an unstoppable force.
5. Mike Tyson vs Frank Bruno
Before colliding with Tyson back in 1989, Frank Bruno had captured the hearts and minds of British fight fans, with many tipping him for greatness.
That was until he found himself on the receiving end of a torrid beatdown, culminating in a vicious onslaught of upper cuts from his more explosive opponent.
In truth, Tyson had his man gunned down in every department, even before the ruthless fifth-round finish finally arrived.
4. Mike Tyson vs Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes, one of the most decorated heavyweight champions of all time, was a vastly faded version of his former self in 1988.
But still, many believed that the seasoned veteran’s notoriously sharp jab would, at the very least, offer some resistance against Tyson.
In reality, though, the younger, fresher operator made light work of his widely revered opponent, flooring him twice in round four before ending proceedings with a lethal right hand.
3. Mike Tyson vs Marvis Frazier
As the son of a legendary boxer, Marvis Frazier carried an enormous weight of expectation upon his shoulders when he locked horns with Tyson in 1986.
Shortly after the opening bell rang, however, it was strikingly evident that the unproven American was a far cry from former heavyweight king Joe Frazier.
Tyson was in fact, able to record his fastest ever stoppage, emphatically ending his opponent’s dreams within the first 30 seconds of their contest.
2. Mike Tyson vs Trevor Berbick
In many ways, this was Tyson’s coming out party: a chance for him to prove that, aside from being a pulverizing puncher, he was indeed a highly skilled technician too.
And so, with Trevor Berbick’s WBC trinket on the line, the dynamic knockout artist had every incentive to put on one of his most punishing displays.
In the end, it was a crushing left hook in the second round that left his opponent sprawled across the canvas, with Tyson claiming his first world title at the age of 20.
1. Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks
This was, of course, the night that Tyson practically had his opponent beat before their brief encounter even commenced.
Fans will remember the menacing stare down that had Michael Spinks, an Olympic gold medallist and former light heavyweight champion, shivering in his boots just moments before their first round.
And sure enough, Spinks failed to make it into the second round, as Tyson continued his relentless attack before landing a bone-shuddering right hand to close the show in terrifying fashion.