Mike Tyson fought some of the best of all time during his career.
He became the youngest world heavyweight champion in history at the age of 20 years, 4 months and 22 days when he knocked out Trevor Berbick inside two rounds.
Tyson then fought pretty much everybody there was to fight during his era, taking on the likes of Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, Frank Bruno, Michael Spinks and Tony Tucker, with differing success in those bouts.
There was one man that ‘Iron Mike’ famously didn’t meet inside the ring though, and that was former world champion Riddick Bowe.
Bowe held world honours on two occasions, first becoming world champion in 1992 when he defeated Holyfield, before ‘The Real Deal’ got revenge when they met again 12 months later. A third fight took place in 1995, with Bowe winning by eighth round stoppage.
The loss in 1993 was the only defeat of Bowe’s career, who ended his career with a record of 43-1 and one no contest, and Tyson explained in a clip from his fighting days why he never wanted to take on ‘Big Daddy.’
“I love Riddick Bowe. We went to school together. That’s one thing I would take different. At this stage of my life and being as conscience as I am, I don’t think I would [fight him]. It’s just too disrespectful.
“The only reason you put your hands on somebody even in a street fight if you’re conscious is because you have no respect for them. Kids fight because they don’t know any better. But as grown men fighting, if they’re conscious, the only reason I’ll put my hands on you is because I have no respect for you if we have a fight.”
Tyson recently returned to the professional ring for the first time in nearly 20 years to take on Jake Paul, and ‘Iron Mike’ has made it clear whether he plans on fighting again following that bout.
