MIKE TYSON named a little-known opponent who he made PASS OUT as the toughest fight in his career.
Tyson still reigns as the youngest heavyweight champion in history, following his 1986 knockout over Trevor Berbick aged just 20.
Mike Tyson poses for a portrait in 1987
The American legend went on to face some of the biggest names in boxing history.
That includes Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis – but none stand out to Tyson as much as Pinklon Thomas.
Iron Mike knocked out Thomas in round six of their 1987 bout, but one onslaught of combination punching sticks in the memory.
Asked by History Bites on what his hardest fight was, Tyson revealed: “I thought it was Pinklon Thomas, he was my toughest opponent.
“I never thought him, but two years ago I watched the tape of him, 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!’”
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Thomas, now 65, had a respectable career, winning the WBC title against Tim Witherspoon in 1984.
He went on to retire following defeat to Lawrence Carter in 1993, after bouts against Berbick, Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.
Tyson, 56, meanwhile hung up his gloves in 2005 in the aftermath of dismal defeats to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride.
But he made a shock comeback in 2020 for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr.
And despite speculation over a similar spectacle bout against YouTube star Jake Paul, 26, Tyson confirmed he is staying retired.
He said on his podcast: “No way. I’m not fighting nobody, I’m just chilling.”
Mike Tyson is staying retired from boxing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average time it takes to learn to box.
Boxing is one among the oldest martial arts known. China recorded the first boxing match in 2200 BC. For thousands of years, boxing has been practiced. Today, boxing is still loved by celebrities and athletes. It takes around 10 months for a boxer to be proficient.
Because boxing involves so many movements, it is slow to learn. Each movement requires specific muscles in order to be effective. It takes time to train these muscles.
You can learn how to move your body and then you can begin practicing any type boxing technique. Each technique will become easier over time.
Can you train yourself to box?
You can box if you want. All you have to do is find a nearby boxing club and join a class. Many gyms offer classes for free, but you can also search Google for local boxing clubs.
You will also need gloves, mouthpieces and headgear to sparring with your partners. Once you have the necessary equipment, you are ready to practice your punches or kicks.
How can I box without a partner?
You can also watch professional boxing matches live on TV if you don’t have a partner and want to learn boxing. Or you can find an amateur boxing club near you. Amateur boxing clubs often hold regular training sessions. These sessions often involve sparring partners who hit the pads together.
You can also use punching bags to practice boxing. Before you use the bag, be sure to protect yourself with gloves or boxing gloves.
Statistics
- This article received 39 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. (wikihow.com)
- It is just like normal sparring with a partner, but you want to throw punches at 75% of your normal speed. (wikihow.com)
External Links
boxandflow.com
expertboxing.com
How To
These are the basic skills of boxing
How to box effectively
Boxing has become a very popular sport. It involves two people who attempt to knock each other out of their heads. There are different rules for boxing, and they vary from one country to the next. There are generally three types of boxing: Amateur, Professional, and Olympic.
Amateur boxing can be practiced at school or college. This form of boxing involves sparring with no protection and using padded gloves. Amateur boxing competitions usually last three rounds and last five minutes each. There are many styles to amateur boxing like Kickboxing. Muay Thai. Taekwondo. Karate. Judo. Wrestling.
Most professional boxing takes place in gyms, clubs, and stadiums. They have protective equipment such as mouthpieces. Professional boxing competitions consist of six rounds lasting four minutes each. There are many styles to professional boxing.
Olympic boxing is performed at the Olympics. Boxers wear special protective gear, which must conform to international standards. The competition lasts eight rounds of three minutes each. There are only two styles of Olympic boxing; Light Flyweight and Heavyweight.
Boxing is based on the following skills:
- Punching techniques
- Guarding techniques
- Footwork
- Stance
- Moving your body
- Defense
- Combination
- Rotation
- Spare parts
Punching Techniques
There are seven kinds of punches: Left Hook, Right Hook, Uppercut, Cross, Straight, Overhand and Underhand. Each punch is different. Some punches require greater strength than others. For example, an uppercut requires great force. On the other hand, a straight punch requires less power but it is faster than other punches.
There are also various punching combinations. These are combinations which combine several punches in order to achieve a specific goal. One combination can have many parts. For example, a combination of a left and right hook will result in damage to the opponent’s jaw.
Guard Techniques
To defend himself from being attacked, a boxer uses his entire body. He does this by using his legs, arms, elbows, hands, knees and feet.
Legs
Boxers should use their legs to defend against kicks. If he gets kicked, he raises one leg and turns away from his attacker. To avoid being kicked in the side, he bends down if the attacker attacks from the front. He will block the kick with his foot if the attack is coming from behind.
Elbows
Elbow strikes are very effective because they inflict much pain. An elbow strike may be delivered directly or in an indirect manner. Directly means that your opponent is hit with your forearm. However, indirectly means that your elbow strike is delivered with another part or your arm.
Hands
Boxers use the power of their hands to block any incoming blows. To do so, they raise their fists above their head and move them towards the direction of the attack. They then make contact with their attacker’s fist.
Knees
Boxers should bend their knees when receiving blows to the abdomen, stomach, or chest. Knee strikes are often used for defense purposes.
Feet
A boxer should take control of an attack and respond with counter-attacks. This will allow him to gain distance from his opponent. A boxer must also maintain his balance when responding to an opponent’s counter-attack.
Stances
In order to box effectively, a boxer needs to establish a stance. How he defends his self will depend on how he stances. It defines where he faces his opponent and how he positions his body. Boxers can take many different stances. Here are the most commonly used ones:
- A low stance
- High stance
- Southpaw stance
- Western stance
Move your body
To win a fight, a fighter must move around the opponent. This includes changing speed, position and rhythm.
Rotation
Rotating his arm to increase the puncher’s reach is a key part of boxing. Depending on the type and size of punch, the speed at which the rotation takes place varies.
Combinations
Timing of each punch is crucial to the effectiveness of a combination. A combination of strong and weak punches will produce a good result.
Sparring
Sparring, a boxing practice session, is designed to improve your boxing skills. A sparring session is where a boxer trains both his mind and his body. Sparring, in conclusion, is about learning how to fight and not getting hurt.
Learning to box takes dedication and patience. Boxing is a sport that requires dedication and perseverance.
