Renowned heavyweight boxing icon Mike Tyson is certain about which match was the finest of his lengthy career.
In 2005, Mike Tyson gracefully exited the boxing arena and left behind an extraordinary legacy. He retired with a remarkable record of 50 victories and 6 defeats. His reign as the undisputed heavyweight world champion for nearly three years showcased his unparalleled prowess.
Presently, Tyson is channeling his wealth of expertise to mentor the former UFC champion, Francis Ngannou. This mentorship comes as Ngannou readies himself for an extraordinary crossover event, transitioning from the UFC octagon to the squared circle.
Scheduled for October 28, the monumental event will witness Ngannou square off against the reigning WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury. This much-anticipated showdown will unfold in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Before embarking on his professional boxing venture, Ngannou solidified his reputation as a feared striker in the realm of mixed martial arts. His defining moment arrived when he secured the UFC heavyweight title with a ferocious second-round knockout against Stipe Miocic in their UFC 260 rematch.
Nonetheless, Ngannou’s initial encounter with Miocic yielded notably contrasting results. In January 2018, Ngannou endured a unanimous decision loss to Miocic—marking the first defeat of his UFC career.
Reflecting on this pivotal setback during an episode of the ‘Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson’ podcast, Ngannou divulged that this loss to Miocic was the most pivotal bout in his career.
Ngannou stated: “That was my real first fight [against Miocic], I lost that fight and then I think that, from that night, I understood everything. If you ask me, so far, that was the best fight in my career.”
Mike Tyson empathized with Ngannou’s sentiments, drawing parallels to his own career-defining moment: his astonishing upset defeat to Buster Douglas in 1990.
Tyson shared: “That’s how I feel about my fight with Buster Douglas. It was the best fight of my career. People won’t understand it.”
While the historic clash with Buster Douglas saw Mike Tyson relinquish the undisputed heavyweight title, he emerged from the setback with renewed determination. Following a four-year hiatus from the sport, Tyson made a remarkable comeback and secured eight consecutive victories. He went on to regain both the WBC and WBA world championships.