In the “Art of Fighting” panel at Tekken 8 , Tyson recalled a moment from early in his career when he considered stopping mid-fight.
The event, which featured Cris Cyborg and WWE Superstar Xavier Woods (Austin Creed), focused on the evolution of fighting techniques in combat sports and video games, but Mike Tyson’s personal story stole the show.
While answering a question from a fan, Tyson recalled his fight against Mark Young in December 1985. Tyson was just beginning to build his reputation as one of the most dangerous fighters in boxing history. But what fans didn’t know was that Tyson came close to quitting during that fight.
“My second fight was 10 rounds — the guy wasn’t a really good fighter,” Tyson said. “But he hit me in the stomach a couple times and it hurt, and I wanted to stop.”
Despite the pain, Tyson did not give up. On the contrary, he continued to fight and finished the first round with a knockout victory, achieving his 15th consecutive victory.
Tyson went on to win by knockout in his next four fights, before earning his first unanimous decision win against James Tellus in 1986.
But the blows he received from Mark Young left a lasting impact on Tyson, with him later revealing: “I couldn’t walk for three days.” This led one fan to suggest that Tyson might try to avoid body blows in future fights.
“No, not really,” Tyson replied, “but now I know how to handle it.”
Fast forward to 2024, and Tyson is back in the ring again—this time against a new generation of contenders: YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. In a 10-round exhibition bout in Arlington, Texas, despite the unanimous decision win, Tyson’s performance took everyone by surprise.
Many pundits speculated that age and fatigue played a role in Tyson’s defeat, but Tyson denied those claims.
“Magically, it happened so fast. The eight rounds went so fast. I wasn’t tired, I wasn’t sweating. I didn’t understand it,” Tyson told 7 News .
Mike Tyson’s story has inspired many boxing fans through the determination and perseverance he has shown in the ring over many years. His biography has once again sparked discussion and interest in the sporting community, especially in light of the development of modern competitions.
The fight against Jake Paul could just be the beginning of a new chapter in Tyson’s sporting career, and the upcoming rounds seem set to continue to raise a lot of questions and expectations.
