Mike Tyson will forever be remembered as one of the most ferocious heavyweights to exist, but a young up-and-comer seems set to follow in his footsteps.
Mike Tyson‘s record as the youngest ever heavyweight champion is safe and sound as the only man to pose a threat to it, Moses Itauma, missed the shot to beat Tyson’s record, though many believe this was more due to timing than ability.
The 20-year-old knocked out former interim champion Dillian Whyte in one round this past weekend, but now Itauma can only be the second youngest heavyweight champion, provided he wins a title in just under two years.
The pair have often been compared to one another, as Itauma rises through the ranks leaving knockout reel highlights wherever he goes, but there is actually just a few connections separating the pair in the ring.
Mike Tyson’s nightmare Kevin McBride was retired by Moses Itauma’s victim Mariusz Wach
In 2002, Tyson lost via eighth-round stoppage to Lennox Lewis. After a comeback win eight months later, Tyson wouldn’t fight for almost a year and a half.
When he returned, the 50-4 Tyson was knocked out in four rounds by 31-3 Danny Williams. Tyson was up on every scorecard at the time.
Almost a year after that loss, Tyson fought once more, against 32-4-1 Kevin McBride. He quit after six rounds, despite being up on two scorecards.
He revealed in his post-fight interview that he felt like he just didn’t have it in him anymore.
McBride went on to amass a record of 35-10-1, with his final fight coming in 2011 against Mariusz Wach, who retired him with a fourth-round knockout.
13 years after that, Wach, albeit a faded version of the fighter who shared the ring with Wladimir Klitschko, was obliterated in two rounds by Moses Itauma.
The next Mike Tyson’s easy night’s work is the same man that retired the real Mike Tyson’s final nightmare.
Mike Tyson’s last opponent was born months before Iron Mike’s infamous disqualification
Much to the horror of boxing fans, and fans of Tyson, Iron Mike returned to the ring last year after almost 20 years of retirement.
The near-60-year-old Tyson faced YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who seems set to face Anthony Joshua next year.
Tyson was comprehensively beaten after looking like a shell of his former self, with age and inactivity playing huge roles in his terrible showing.
Paul wasn’t even born until Tyson had already amassed a boxing record of 45-2, and was alive just a few months before Tyson infamously bit the ear of Evander Holyfield to secure his third loss.