Has Mike Tyson ever been knocked out? Revisiting the boxing legend's 3 worst losses
Mike Tyson's KO losses are few. In fact, his losses, regardless of being stopped or making it to the final round, are few, as he has only tasted defeat seven times in 57 fights. Out of those seven losses, he faced a knockout/TKO defeat on five occasions.
This Friday, 'Iron Mike' returned for his first professional boxing match since 2005, taking on Jake Paul.
Despite promises of knockout from both men, the fight ended with a decision. Tyson looked all 58 years of his age: much slower on the offense, and lacking the cardio and mobility to make his old tricks work. Fortunately, he avoided a knockout loss, losing only via unanimous decision.
It wasn't the worst loss of his career. After all, hardly anyone expected him to win against a foe 31 years his junior. So then, what are his worst-ever losses, and did they lead to knockouts?
Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield 1
Mike Tyson's first outing against Evander Holyfield in November 1996 was one of his worst-ever losses, as Holyfield, by then already a former world heavyweight champion, made use of an exceptional gameplan against the heavy favorite, Tyson.
Besides a stunning right cross that briefly froze Holyfield, Tyson failed to hurt his foe for the remainder of their fight. Known for being a physical juggernaut, Tyson found himself in a rare situation: outmuscled in the clinch. And it was the clinch that Holyfield used to sap Tyson of his cardio.
Check out Mike Tyson's loss to Evander Holyfield:
Before long, he was walking him down, smothering his power-punches and landing his own in sniping combinations. As he schooled Tyson repeatedly, he finally floored him in round six. It was the second knockdown Tyson had ever suffered in his career. The writing was on the wall.
Holyfield spent the next few rounds outboxing 'Iron Mike' and almost knocking him out in round 10. In round 11, the finish finally came, with Holyfield battering a defenseless Tyson until the referee mercifully stepped in.
Mike Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis is one of the greatest British boxers of all time, and was already a former world champion when he and Mike Tyson locked horns in June 2002. The leadup to their fight was defined by several heated moments, with Tyson threatening to eat Lewis' children, even though his foe had none at the time.
Moreover, the two took part in a massive brawl punctuated by Tyson threatening a media member. The fight itself, however, did not go his way. Round one was competitive, but 'Iron Mike' proved to be a force of nature, rocking Lewis, with the Englishman surviving by initiating the clinch to slow him down.
Check out Mike Tyson's loss to Lennox Lewis:
Round two featured more of the same from Lewis, who clinched to interrupt Tyson's offense. He also managed to score with some heavy uppercuts that caught Tyson's notice. As the fight progressed, Tyson's frustration grew, and Lewis was finding his moments.
In round four, he knocked Tyson down with a combination, but it was ruled a slip due to a shove. Gassed and battered, Tyson's offense dipped, with Lewis dominating the fight as time went on. In round eight, Lewis knocked him down again, and this time, Tyson couldn't stand back up.
It was a knockout win for Lewis and a stain for Tyson, whose stint at the top ended in that fight.
Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas
No other fight, besides his first world title win, is more synonymous with Mike Tyson's legacy than Buster Douglas. Unfortunately, the latter is for the worst possible reason. At the time, 'Iron Mike' was undefeated and a massive favorite compared to the 29-4-1 (1) Douglas, who was a 42-1 underdog.
Despite the massive gap between both fighters, Douglas was different from all of Tyson's previous opponents in that he showed no fear. He came to fight, sniping Tyson with jabs and smothering his offense with clinches every time Tyson managed to close the distance.
Douglas' jab and rigcraft became his greatest tools, as he kept landing from a distance, eventually causing Tyson's left eye to swell in an unfamiliar sight. The fight was Douglas' to control until the dying moments of round 8 saw Tyson floor him with a thunderous uppercut.
Check out Mike Tyson's loss to Buster Douglas:
A controversial count from the referee ensued, with many claiming it was slower than usual. Nevertheless, Douglas beat the count. In round 9, Tyson tried to swarm him, but Douglas had recovered well, and his own shots caused his foe's eye to swell completely shut.
Unloading a vicious combination, Douglas rocked Tyson badly but was unable to stop him. A round later, though, the finish would come. Unlike Douglas in round nine, Tyson hadn't recovered. An earth-shattering uppercut from Douglas rocked Tyson again, and several punches later, 'Iron Mike's' back was on the floor.
It was the first knockdown of his career, and the crowd froze in shock. Unable to make it back to his feet, mouthpiece halfway out, Tyson was counted out and Douglas won in one of the biggest upsets in sports history, becoming synonymous with the unlikely underdog.