“I hit him with seventeen punches, flat, on the face, he went down but it was seventeen punches!”: Mike Tyson didn’t hesitate when naming the toughest opponent he faced in his legendary boxing career
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson didn’t hesitate to name his toughest-ever opponent in a recent interview.
The American superstar has faced some big opponents throughout his illustrious career but there is one who sticks out to him as the toughest.
It’s not Evander Holyfield neither is it Lennox Lewis, it’s Pinklon Thomas.
The pair boxed all the way back in 1987 for the WBA and WBC World Heavyweight title which was held by Tyson.
Thomas was a former WBC champion having lost the belt to Trever Berbick whom Tyson then beat to become the youngest-ever heavyweight champion, a record he still holds today.
Tyson was on top for nearly the entirety of his fight with Thomas, and despite the all-out aggression, he didn’t win until the sixth round via a technical knockout.
When asked in an interview who his toughest opponent was, as per The Sun, Tyson said: “I thought it was Pinklon Thomas, he was my toughest opponent.
“I never thought of him, but two years ago I watched the tape of him, and a friend of mine told me to watch it.
“I hit him with seventeen punches, flat, on the face, he went down but it was seventeen punches!
“Seventeen punches, flush, all of them were as hard as they could be and the last one he just passed out.
“I thought ‘God, that is my toughest fight, he took seventeen on the chin!’”
He retired in 2005 before making a shock comeback back in 2020 for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr.
Despite rumours of a potential fight with YouTube boxer Jake Paul, Tyson confirmed on his podcast last year that he will be staying retired.
“No way. I’m not fighting nobody, I’m just chilling,” he said.
