Boxing History: Iron Mike and Muhammad Ali On This Day

Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali are two of the greatest and most well-known fighters in the history of boxing. On this day back in 1988, “Iron” Mike defeated Michael Spinks in 91 seconds. Yes, 91 SECONDS. In 1979, Ali retired after regaining the heavyweight title. That retirement did not last long. He returned to the ring in 1980. Both of them created many memorable moments throughout their careers. 

Mike Tyson Wins in 91 Seconds

Tyson knocked out Spinks in 91 seconds in Atlantic City, NJ. At the time, Tyson was 34-0. Spinks was 31-0. Both were champions in the heavyweight division as Tyson was the WBA, WBC, and IBF champ, and Spinks held the lineal and Ring Magazine belts. 

Ali Retires From Boxing For a Third Time

The heavyweight champion, born Cassius Clay, retired for the third time in 1979. A little over a year later, on October 2, 1980, Ali returned to the ring again to fight Larry Holmes. It was known as “The Last Hurrah” and Ali was defeated by TKO in round 11. 

Legacies

Tyson still holds the record as the youngest heavyweight champion in history, winning it at 20 years and 4 months old. He was on the wrong side of one of the biggest upsets in the history of sports when he was knocked out by 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas in February 1990 in Tokyo. We recently got to see him return to the ring live on Netflix against Jake Paul. 

Ali accomplished so much in the ring as well as outside of it. His legacy lives on after passing away in 2016. He is still considered by many as the greatest of all time. In 1996, millions of people around the world watched “The People’s Champion” light the Olympic Torch for the Summer Games in Atlanta. The Muhammad Ali Center, in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, was founded by him and his wife Lonnie in 2005.