Mike Tyson had a number of fierce rivalries during his professional career.
Tyson remains the youngest world heavyweight champion in history, having first claimed world honours in 1986 at the age of 20 years, 4 months and 22 days.
From that point on, any Tyson fight was a must-see spectacle, and sometimes there was nearly as much excitement outside of the ring as there was inside of it.
‘Iron Mike’ famously had a brawl with his rival Lennox Lewis during a press conference in New York, while the aftermath of his second fight with Evander Holyfield saw the police have a stand-off with Tyson.
That rematch with Holyfield came after their initial bout seven months earlier, which Holyfield won by 11th round stoppage, and Tyson has stated that it was that fight that made him love and hate ‘The Real Deal’ in equal measure.
“I just thought he was awesome. I had great admiration and respect for him but I just never thought he could beat me.
I’m winning the first round, this is what amazed me about him. In the first round I hit him with a right hand to the body and I heard him screaming. Next thing I know I’m on the ropes for 10 rounds, 11 rounds.
I wish I never hit this guy. I hit this guy to the body, he tried to kill me. I heard him screaming then he tried to really kill me. That’s why I despised him so much because I admire him so much. I want to kill him.”
Tyson controversially returned to the ring in November after nearly 20 years away, losing to Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, with that fight week also seeing ‘Iron Mike’ get heated.
