Wins
0
%
Bouts
0
KO's
0
%
Iron Mike, Kid Dynamite,
The Baddest Man on the Planet
50-6-0
W-L-D
Boxing
Heavyweight
Height: 5ft 10in
(178cm)
Stance:
Orthodox
JUN. 30, 1966
USA
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed “Iron Mike” and “Kid Dynamite” in his early career, and later known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, Tyson is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990.
Won 50 (KOs 44) | Lost 6 (KOs 5)
Drawn 0 | Bouts 58 (No Contest 2)
Rounds 215 | Debut 1985-03-06
58 Loss (50-6-0) vs Kevin McBride
RTD R6 (10), 3:00 | Jun 11, 2005
57 Loss (50-5-0) vs Danny Williams
KO R4 (10), 2:51 | Jul 30, 2004
56 Win (50-4-0) vs Clifford Etienne
KO R1 (10), 0:49 | Feb 22, 2003
55 Loss (49-4-0) vs Lennox Lewis
KO R8 (12), 2:25 | Jun 8, 2002
For WBC, IBF, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles
54 Win (49-3-0) vs Brian Nielsen
RTD R6 (10), 3:00 | Oct 13, 2001
53 NC (48-3-0) vs Andrew Golota
RTD R3 (10), 3:00 | Oct 20, 2000
Originally an RTD win for Tyson, later ruled an NC after he failed a drug test
52 Win (48-3-0) vs Lou Savarese
TKO R1 (10), 0:38 | Jun 24, 2000
51 Win (47-3-0) vs Julius Francis
TKO R2 (10), 1:03 | Jan 29, 2000
50 NC (46-3-0) vs Orlin Norris
NC R1 (10), 3:00 | Oct 23, 1999
Norris unable to continue after a Tyson foul
49 Win (46-3-0) vs Francois Botha
KO R5 (10), 2:59 | Jan 16, 1999
48 Loss (45-3-0) vs Evander Holyfield
DQ R3 (12), 3:00 | Jun 28, 1997
For WBA heavyweight title, Tyson disqualified for biting
47 Loss (45-2-0) vs Evander Holyfield
TKO R11 (12), 0:37 | Nov 9, 1996
Lost WBA heavyweight title
46 Win (45-1-0) vs Bruce Seldon
TKO R1 (12), 1:49 | Sep 7, 1996
Won WBA heavyweight title
45 Win (44-1-0) vs Frank Bruno
TKO R3 (12), 0:50 | Mar 16, 1996
Won WBC heavyweight title
44 Win (43-1-0) vs Buster Mathis Jr.
KO R3 (12), 2:32 | Dec 16, 1995
43 Win (42-1-0) vs Peter McNeeley
DQ R1 (10), 1:29 | Aug 19, 1995
McNeeley disqualified after his manager entered the ring
42 Win (41-1-0) vs Donovan Ruddock
UD R12 | Jun 28, 1991
41 Win (40-1-0) vs Donovan Ruddock
TKO R7 (12), 2:22 | Mar 18, 1991
40 Win (39-1-0) vs Alex Stewart
TKO R1 (10), 2:27 | Dec 8, 1990
39 Win (38-1-0) vs Henry Tillman
KO R1 (10), 2:47 | Jun 16, 1990
38 Loss (37-1-0) vs Buster Douglas
KO R10 (12), 1:22 | Feb 11, 1990
Lost WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles
37 Win (37-0-0) vs Carl Williams
TKO R1 (12), 1:33 | Jul 21, 1989
Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring heavyweight titles
36 Win (36-0-0) vs Frank Bruno
TKO R5 (12), 2:55 | Feb 25, 1989
Retained WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring heavyweight titles
35 Win (35-0-0) vs Michael Spinks
KO 1 (12), 1:31 | Jun 27, 1988
Retained WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles. Won The Ring heavyweight title
34 Win (34-0-0) vs Tony Tubbs
TKO 2 (12), 2:54 | Mar 21, 1988
Retained WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles
33 Win (33-0-0) vs Larry Holmes
TKO R4 (12), 2:55 | Jan 22, 1988
Retained WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles
32 Win (32-0-0) vs Tyrell Biggs
TKO R7 (15), 2:59 | Oct 16, 1987
Retained WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles
31 Win (31-0-0) vs Tony Tucker
UD R12 | Aug 1, 1987
Retained WBA and WBC heavyweight titles. Won IBF heavyweight title. Heavyweight unification series
30 Win (30-0-0) vs Pinklon Thomas
TKO R6 (12), 2:00 | May 30, 1987
Retained WBA and WBC heavyweight titles. Heavyweight unification series
29 Win (29-0-0) vs James Smith
UD R12 | Mar 7, 1987
Retained WBC heavyweight title. Won WBA heavyweight title. Heavyweight unification series
28 Win (28-0-0) vs Trevor Berbick
TKO R2 (12), 2:35 | Nov 22, 1986
27 Win (27-0-0) vs Alfonso Ratliff
TKO R2 (10), 1:41 | Sep 6, 1986
26 Win (26-0-0) vs José Ribalta
TKO R10 (10), 1:37 | Aug 17, 1986
25 Win (25-0-0) vs Marvis Frazier
KO R1 (10), 0:30 | Jul 26, 1986
24 Win (24-0-0) vs Lorenzo Boyd
KO R2 (10), 1:43 | Jul 11, 1986
23 Win (23-0-0) vs William Hosea
KO R1 (10), 2:03 | Jun 28, 1986
22 Win (22-0-0) vs Reggie Gross
TKO R1 (10), 2:36 | Jun 13, 1986
21 Win (21-0-0) vs Mitch Green
UD R10 | May 20, 1986
20 Win (20-0-0) vs James Tillis
UD R10 | May 3, 1986
19 Win (19-0-0) vs Steve Zouski
KO R3 (10), 2:39 | Mar 10, 1986
18 Win (18-0-0) vs Jesse Ferguson
TKO R6 (10), 1:19 | Feb 16, 1986
Originally a DQ win for Tyson, later ruled a TKO
17 Win (17-0-0) vs Mike Jameson
TKO R5 (8), 0:46 | Jan 24, 1986
16 Win (16-0-0) vs David Jaco
TKO R1 (10), 2:16 | Jan 11, 1986
15 Win (15-0-0) vs Mark Young
TKO R1 (10), 0:50 | Dec 27, 1985
14 Win (14-0-0) vs Sammy Scaff
TKO R1 (10), 1:19 | Dec 6, 1985
13 Win (13-0-0) vs Conroy Nelson
TKO R2 (8), 0:30 | Nov 22, 1985
12 Win (12-0-0) vs Eddie Richardson
KO R1 (8), 1:17 | Nov 13, 1985
11 Win (11-0-0) vs Sterling Benjamin
TKO R1 (8), 0:54 | Nov 1, 1985
10 Win (10-0-0) vs Robert Colay
KO R1 (8), 0:37 | Oct 25, 1985
9 Win (9-0-0) vs Donnie Long
TKO R1 (6), 1:28 | Oct 9, 1985
8 Win (8-0-0) vs Michael Johnson
KO R1 (6), 0:39 | Sep 5, 1985
7 Win (7-0-0) vs Lorenzo Canady
KO R1 (6), 1:05 | Aug 15, 1985
6 Win (6-0-0) vs Larry Sims
KO R3 (6), 2:04 | Jul 19, 1985
5 Win (5-0-0) vs John Alderson
TKO R2 (6), 3:00 | Jul 11, 1985
4 Win (4-0-0) vs Ricardo Spain
TKO R1 (6), 0:39 | Jun 20, 1985
3 Win (3-0-0) vs Don Halpin
KO R4 (6), 1:04 | May 23, 1985
2 Win (2-0-0) vs Trent Singleton
TKO R1 (4), 0:52 | Apr 10, 1985
1 Win (1-0-0) vs Hector Mercedes
TKO R1 (4), 1:47 | Mar 6, 1985
Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson lost the titles to underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history, when he was knocked out in the tenth round.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield’s ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine’s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN’s list of “The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History”. Sky Sports described him as “perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring”. He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Coverphoto: Brian Birzer, www.brianbirzer.com, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.