VIDEO: 37 years ago, Mike Tyson faced the Jamaican champion who held Ali’s scalp. It took less than six minutes to become the youngest champion in history

22. november 1986, Mike Tyson made an indelible mark on boxing history. At the age of just twenty, he became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history. This impressive record has not been broken to this day.

37 years ago, Mike Tyson was given the chance to become the youngest champion in history

A doomsday that would prove fatal for the Jamaican champion. Just 20 years old, the stormtrooper flew into the ring like a hurricane and absolutely demolished his larger opponent by a head. He set a record that has never been broken.

The year was 1986 and the then 20-year-old Mike Tyson shocked the boxing world. In just one year, he had twelve fights, all of which he won, and only two of them went to the judges on points.

A year after the death of his life mentor and coach, Cus D’Amato, he was given the chance to fulfill their shared dream: to become the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history.

All boxing fans wanted to see if a scary young man with a 27-0 record (including 25 stoppages before the limit) could break Floyd Patterson’s record. He became the youngest heavyweight champion at just 21 years old when he knocked out the legendary Archie Moore in the fifth round.

On November 22, 1986, he challenged Jamaican WBC heavyweight champion Trevor Berbick. The latter became especially famous for being the last opponent of the legendary Muhammad Ali, whose scalp he eventually took after winning on points.

It must be added, however, that Ali had already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the time and the fight was therefore held in the Bahamas, as the ailing Ali would not have been licensed anywhere else. Five years later, Mike Tyson had the opportunity to avenge his legendary idol.

It took him less than six minutes to demolish the Jamaican champion

The doomsday fight itself, held in Las Vegas, had a pretty straightforward course. Tyson, despite being twelve years younger than his opponent, was the clear favourite and played his part fairly from the opening bell.

Berbick might have been glad he lasted the first round. Mike Tyson was moving so fast around the ring that the 32-year-old champion was absolutely unable to keep up with his pace. Then towards the end of the round, Iron Mike landed a hard combination that the champion was lucky to stay on his feet. So he welcomed the bell announcing the end of the first round.

But Tyson slammed his opponent right at the start of the second round and it didn’t take ten seconds for the champion to be on the floor. He still got out of the first count and then capitalized on his wealth of experience throughout the round by tying up his fearsome opponent and not letting him land any more crushing blows.

But Mike Tyson waited patiently for his opportunity, which came late in the second round. From the retreat, he landed a hard left hook that sent Berbick to the floor again. The champion tried to get up, but even three attempts were not enough and after a dance in the middle of the ring, referee Mills Lane stopped the fight.

At just twenty years old, Mike Tyson became the youngest champion in boxing history and held the title for more than three years. But then he went down the path of a professional athlete, and his career and personal life suffered significant cracks.

Yet, after an incredible 37 years, his record is still unbroken and Tyson remains one of the legends of the sport today.

Source: WBC, Wikipedia, Twitter / X