Career Timeline of Mike Tyson: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Mike Tyson made an impact.
Mike Tyson, nicknamed "Iron Mike," is a former American professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2024. He is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers ever, reigning as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990.
1965: Half-Brother's Football Integration
In 1965, Mike Tyson's half-brother, Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, contributed to the integration of Charlotte high school football.
1981: Junior Olympics Gold Medal
In 1981, Mike Tyson won a gold medal at the Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez.
1982: Second Junior Olympics Gold Medal
In 1982, Mike Tyson secured his second gold medal at the Junior Olympic Games, defeating Kelton Brown.
1984: Sparring with Lennox Lewis
In 1984, Mike Tyson sparred with Lennox Lewis at a training camp arranged by Cus D'Amato when both were promising fighters.
1984: National Golden Gloves Gold Medal
In 1984, Tyson won a gold medal at the National Golden Gloves held in New York, defeating Jonathan Littles.
1984: Victory Over Tyrell Biggs
In October of 1984, Mike Tyson was victorious in a fight against 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs, winning by TKO in the seventh round.
March 6, 1985: Professional Debut
On March 6, 1985, Mike Tyson made his professional boxing debut in Albany, New York, defeating Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO.
1985: Spinks Takes Heavyweight Championship
In 1985, Michael Spinks took the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision.
1985: Professional Boxing Debut
In 1985, Mike Tyson started his professional boxing career.
February 16, 1986: First Nationally Televised Bout
On February 16, 1986, Mike Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place against Jesse Ferguson, resulting in a TKO victory for Tyson after Ferguson's nose was broken.
November 22, 1986: Won WBC Heavyweight Championship
On November 22, 1986, Mike Tyson won his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship, becoming the youngest heavyweight champion in history at 20 years and 4 months old.
March 7, 1987: Defended Title Against James Smith
On March 7, 1987, Mike Tyson defended his title against James Smith, winning by unanimous decision and adding Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt.
1987: Added WBA and IBF Titles
In 1987, Mike Tyson added the WBA and IBF titles to his WBC title after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker.
1987: Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion
In 1987, Mike Tyson became the undisputed world heavyweight champion.
January 22, 1988: Victory Over Larry Holmes
On January 22, 1988, Mike Tyson defeated Larry Holmes by TKO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes had in 75 professional fights.
June 27, 1988: Defeated Michael Spinks
On June 27, 1988, Mike Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round after 91 seconds.
1989: Fights Against Bruno and Williams
In 1989, Mike Tyson had two fights. He knocked out Frank Bruno in February and Carl "The Truth" Williams in July, amid personal turmoil.
1989: Tyson receives honorary doctorate
In 1989, Mike Tyson was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters by Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. The university stated, "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
February 11, 1990: Loss to Buster Douglas
On February 11, 1990, Mike Tyson lost his undisputed championship title to Buster Douglas in Tokyo. Despite being a heavy favorite with 42/1 odds, Tyson struggled against Douglas's jab and ultimately lost by knockout in the tenth round. After the fight, Tyson's camp complained about the slow count given to Douglas after Tyson knocked him down in the eighth round.
1990: Loss to Buster Douglas
In 1990, Mike Tyson lost the undisputed heavyweight championship to Buster Douglas in what was considered one of boxing's biggest upsets.
1990: Reign as Champion Ends
In 1990, Tyson's reign as the undisputed world heavyweight champion came to an end.
March 18, 1991: Controversial Victory Over Donovan Ruddock
On March 18, 1991, Mike Tyson faced Donovan "Razor" Ruddock in Las Vegas. Tyson won after a controversial stoppage by referee Richard Steele in the seventh round. The decision sparked a melee among the audience and Steele had to be escorted from the ring.
November 8, 1991: Holyfield Fight Postponed Due to Injury
On November 8, 1991, a scheduled fight between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield for the undisputed championship was postponed after Tyson sustained a rib cartilage injury during training.
1994: Holyfield's Retirement and Comeback
In 1994, Evander Holyfield retired from boxing after losing his championship to Michael Moorer. He later made a comeback, leading to a fight with Tyson.
March 1996: WBC Title Win Against Frank Bruno
In March 1996, Mike Tyson regained a boxing title by defeating Frank Bruno to win the WBC title, knocking him out in the third round.
November 9, 1996: Loss to Evander Holyfield
On November 9, 1996, Mike Tyson fought Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas and lost by TKO in the eleventh round. Holyfield's victory was controversial due to allegations of frequent headbutts during the fight.
1996: Regained WBA and WBC Titles
In 1996, after his release from prison, Mike Tyson regained the WBA and WBC titles, joining a select group of boxers who have reclaimed a heavyweight championship after losing it.
June 28, 1997: The Bite Fight
On June 28, 1997, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield fought in a rematch that became known as "The Sound and the Fury" and grossed $100 million. During the fight, Tyson bit both of Holyfield's ears, resulting in his disqualification.
1997: Disqualification Against Holyfield
In 1997, Mike Tyson's rematch against Evander Holyfield ended with Tyson being disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears.
January 1999: Fight Against Francois Botha
In January 1999, Mike Tyson fought Francois Botha. Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up. Tyson won by knockout in the fifth round, but his tactics and an expletive-filled tirade on WWOR-TV stirred controversy.
October 23, 1999: Fight Against Orlin Norris Ruled No Contest
On October 23, 1999, Mike Tyson fought Orlin Norris. Tyson knocked down Norris after the bell, leading to Norris's injury and the bout being ruled a no contest.
June 2000: Victory Over Lou Savarese
In June 2000, Mike Tyson defeated Lou Savarese in Glasgow, with the fight lasting only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee stopped the fight and then called out Lennox Lewis in a post-fight speech.
2001: TKO Victory Over Brian Nielsen
In 2001, Mike Tyson beat Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
2002: World Heavyweight Title Fight Loss
In 2002, Mike Tyson fought Lennox Lewis for the world heavyweight title but lost by knockout.
February 22, 2003: Victory Over Clifford Etienne
On February 22, 2003, Mike Tyson defeated Clifford Etienne in Memphis, Tennessee, 49 seconds into the first round. This marked Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
August 13, 2003: Confrontation with Bob Sapp
On August 13, 2003, Mike Tyson confronted K-1 fighter Bob Sapp in Las Vegas. A potential fight was discussed, but it never materialized due to Tyson's felony history preventing him from obtaining a visa to enter Japan.
July 30, 2004: Loss to Danny Williams
On July 30, 2004, Mike Tyson faced Danny Williams, dominating the first two rounds, but ultimately lost by knockout in the fourth round after Williams landed powerful punches. Tyson's manager later stated Tyson tore a knee ligament in the first round, impacting his performance.
June 11, 2005: Tyson Quits Against Kevin McBride
On June 11, 2005, Mike Tyson quit before the seventh round in a fight against Kevin McBride, later admitting he fought for a payday and lacked passion for boxing.
2006: Cameo in Rocky Balboa
In 2006, Mike Tyson appeared as himself in a cameo role in the film "Rocky Balboa".
2006: Exhibition Bout Against Corey Sanders
In 2006, Mike Tyson returned to the ring for a four-round exhibition bout against Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio, to pay off debts. The bout was poorly received and the tour was canceled.
May 5, 2007: Pay-per-view Record Surpassed
On May 5, 2007, the pay-per-view buy rate record, previously held by Tyson vs. Holyfield II, was surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
October 2012: Launch of Mike Tyson Cares Foundation
In October 2012, Mike Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation, aiming to provide comprehensive support to kids from broken homes.
February 2013: National Tour of Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth
In February 2013, Mike Tyson took his one-man show "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth" on a 36-city, three-month national tour, where he discussed his personal and professional life.
August 2013: Formation of Iron Mike Productions
In August 2013, Mike Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
September 2013: Appearance on Fox Sports 1
In September 2013, Mike Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 documenting his personal and private life, entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
November 16, 2013: HBO Airing of One-Man Show
On November 16, 2013, Mike Tyson's one-man show was aired on HBO.
2013: Appearance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
In 2013, Mike Tyson appeared in an episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" as a survivor of child abuse awaiting execution for murder.
October 27, 2014: Premiere of Mike Tyson Mysteries
On October 27, 2014, "Mike Tyson Mysteries", an animated series where Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself solving mysteries, premiered on Adult Swim.
2014: Interview with The Ring Magazine
In 2014, Mike Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for an interview with The Ring magazine.
March 2015: Feature on Madonna's Album Rebel Heart
In early March 2015, Mike Tyson was featured on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album "Rebel Heart", where he spoke some lines at the beginning of the song.
March 2015: Casting in Ip Man 3 Announced
In late March 2015, it was announced that Mike Tyson would join the cast of "Ip Man 3" as Frank, an American property developer and proficient boxer.
March 25, 2015: Principal Photography Begins for Ip Man 3
On March 25, 2015, principal photography began for "Ip Man 3", featuring Mike Tyson as Frank.
December 16, 2015: Premiere of Ip Man 3 in Hong Kong
On December 16, 2015, "Ip Man 3" premiered in Hong Kong, featuring Mike Tyson as Frank.
August 2016: Shooting of Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters
Shooting of the film "Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters", in which Tyson appears as 'Dragon', took place around Vietnam in August 2016
January 2017: Launch of YouTube Channel
In January 2017, Mike Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, featuring comedy videos and music parodies.
October 2017: Announcement as Face of Ultra Tune
In October 2017, Mike Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune, replacing Jean-Claude van Damme.
January 2018: First Ultra Tune Ad Airs
In January 2018, Mike Tyson's first television commercial for Ultra Tune aired during the Australian Open, but it was criticized for being "a little sexist."
March 2018: Release of Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters
In March 2018, the film "Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters", featuring Mike Tyson as "Dragon", was released.
May 12, 2020: Instagram Video Hinting at Boxing Return
On May 12, 2020, Mike Tyson posted a training video on his Instagram account, ending it with the phrase "I'm back", hinting at a potential return to boxing.
May 23, 2020: AEW Double or Nothing Appearance
On May 23, 2020, Mike Tyson appeared at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing event, helping Cody defeat Lance Archer. He also presented Cody with the inaugural AEW TNT Championship.
July 2020: Creation of Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League in partnership with Sophie Watts and Eros Innovations, providing retired athletes a chance to compete.
July 2020: Contract Signed for Exhibition Fight
In July 2020, it was announced that Mike Tyson signed a contract to face Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition fight, scheduled initially for September 12 but later pushed back to November 28.
October 2020: Release of Dance Music Single "Mike Tyson"
In October 2020, Tiki Lau released a dance music single titled "Mike Tyson", which includes vocals from Mike Tyson.
November 28, 2020: Fight Against Roy Jones Jr.
On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The fight went the full eight rounds and was declared a draw.
March 2021: Announcement of Tyson Scripted Series
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx would star in and executive produce an official scripted series about Mike Tyson's life, directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
April 7, 2021: AEW Dynamite Appearance
On April 7, 2021, Mike Tyson returned to AEW Dynamite and intervened to protect Chris Jericho from an attack by The Pinnacle, assaulting Shawn Spears in the process.
May 25, 2021: Premiere of Mike Tyson: The Knockout
On May 25, 2021, a two-part documentary series titled "Mike Tyson: The Knockout" premiered on ABC.
June 7, 2021: Appearance on Hell's Kitchen
On June 7, 2021, Mike Tyson and his family appeared as VIP guests in the Blue Team's kitchen during the opening dinner service of Season 20's 300th episode of "Hell's Kitchen".
2021: Ads for Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer
In 2021, Mike Tyson was featured in ads for Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer.
August 6, 2022: Tyson accuses Hulu of stealing his story
On August 6, 2022, Mike Tyson accused Hulu of stealing his story for the biographical drama limited series, Mike. He stated, "Hulu stole my story" and told the service that "I'm not a n****r you can sell on the auction block."
August 25, 2022: Cameo Appearance in Liger
On August 25, 2022, Mike Tyson made a cameo appearance in the Telugu-Hindi movie "Liger".
March 2024: Announcement of Return Fight
In March 2024, it was announced that Mike Tyson would return to the ring to fight Jake Paul on July 20, 2024, at AT&T Stadium.
May 31, 2024: Tyson-Paul Fight Postponed
On May 31, 2024, the fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul was postponed due to medical advice from Tyson's doctor following his ulcer flare-up.
June 7, 2024: Rescheduled Fight Date
On June 7, 2024, it was announced that the fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul was rescheduled to take place at the same stadium on November 15, 2024.
July 20, 2024: Heavyweight Bout against Jake Paul (Original Date)
Originally scheduled for July 20, 2024, Mike Tyson was set to make his ring return against Jake Paul in a heavyweight bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
November 15, 2024: Rescheduled Fight Date
On November 15, 2024, the fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will take place at the same stadium.
2024: Tyson's Last Boxing Fight
In 2024, Michael Gerard Tyson ended his professional boxing career.
September 4, 2025: Exhibition Bout Agreed
On September 4, 2025, it was announced that Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have agreed to fight each other in an exhibition bout some time in Spring 2026.
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