On this Day: Mike Tyson KOs Pinklon Thomas
On this day in 1987, Mike Tyson scored a destructive knockout over Pinklon Thomas.
The bout was set to be one half of a heavyweight unification series on pay-per-view. 'Iron' Mike was set for the main event against Thomas as he looked to make his second title defense of his WBC Championship. He also captured the WBA Heavyweight Title the fight prior with a win over James Smith.
Set for the co-main event was an IBF Heavyweight Title bout between Tony Tucker and Buster Douglas. The expectation was that the winners of the top two bouts would face off later in the year. While the co-main event was a bit of a tossup, everyone expected Tyson to prevail in the headliner.
Tyson sought out to accomplish what everyone expected. At the Las Vegas Hilton in Nevada, Tyson nearly scored a first-round knockout with a devastating combination. However, Thomas was able to fight on, and made it out of the round.
The next four rounds saw Thomas find a home for his jab. He did a great job circling away from Tyson's power shots. However, the success was short-lived. The heavyweight champion scored a massive knockout with a lengthy combination. Thomas' trainer Angelo Dundee then threw in the towel, causing a halt to the bout.
With that, Tyson had made a successful defense of his WBA and WBC Heavyweight Titles. The bout brought him to 30-0, and cemented 'Iron' Mike's place as the greatest heavyweight on the planet.
Watch Mike Tyson vs. Pinklon Thomas below:
35 years ago today Mike Tyson stopped Pinklon Thomas to retain the WBC and WBA titles, setting up an undisputed clash with Tony Tucker who stopped Buster Douglas on the same card.
Which fighters today flip that switch when they smell blood?
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Mike Tyson went on to face Tony Tucker later that year
Mike Tyson's knockout of Pinklon Thomas largely overshadowed the co-main event, which saw Tony Tucker stop Buster Douglas to earn IBF Heavyweight gold.
With that, Tyson was set for a unification bout against a new face. The bout was set for August 1987, at the Las Vegas Hilton in Nevada. Unlike most previous challengers, Tucker posed a threat to Tyson on paper.
At 34-0, some thought that 'TNT' had the firepower to keep Tyson off of him. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case, as he too would fall victim to the superstar. While Tucker had an admirable showing, Tyson was able to fire off combinations and keep the pressure on.
Tyson wound up picking up the victory via unanimous decision. With the win, he was the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since Leon Spinks in nearly a decade.