Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson announced on Thursday that he will be making a comeback to the ring at the age of 54 in an exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr. on September 12.
The legendary American boxer, who finished 50-6 with 44 knockouts in his illustrious career, said that he is excited to get back to the ring and showcase his skills once again.
Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20 years and four months when he stopped Trevor Berbick in the second round in 1986 to win the World Boxing Council crown.
Within a year, Tyson was the undisputed champion and dominated the division, earning his nickname as “The Baddest Man on the Planet” and going 37-0.
But in February 1990 at Tokyo, Tyson suffered a 10th-round knockout at the hands of James “Buster” Douglas in a stunning upset.
Tyson regained the title but lost twice to Evander Holyfield, disqualified the second time for biting his rival’s ear, earning a suspension that kept him sidelined for 18 months.
He had one last chance at the heavyweight crown, losing to Britain’s Lennox Lewis in 2002, and retired after six rounds against Kevin McBride in 2005 in his final fight, days shy of his 39th birthday.
He is known as one of the hardest punchers to have ever competed and some of Tyson’s greatest knockouts include Marvis Frazier (1986), Larry Holmes (1988), Michael Spinks (1988) and Henry Tillman (1990).
Tyson, who competed professionally from 1985 to 2005, was the first heavyweight boxer in history to hold the WBC, WBA and IBF titles at the same time. He remains one of the most fearsome boxers to have ever entered the ring and his knockout victories are the stuff of legend.
Watch Mike Tyson’s greatest knockouts here:
(With inputs from AFP)