‘He was very strong in the clinches’: Mike Tyson didn’t hesitate when naming the only boxer who could take his full punch power | HO

Mike Tyson is one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all-time and dominated the sport for much of the 1980s and 1990s.

Tyson had a total of 58 professional boxing bouts between 1985 and 2005 in a career which spanned three decades and came to a conclusion as he approached his 39th birthday.

In that time, Tyson chalked up 50 wins and just six losses, with an astounding 44 victories on knockout as he demonstrated his stopping power in the ring.

Evander Holyfield beat Tyson twice in the 1990s in back to back defeats, while Briton Lennox Lewis knocked out Iron Mike at a contest in 2002.

Buster Douglas, Danny Williams and Kevin McBride were the other three fighters to have knocked out Tyson in his professional career.

But neither of these three, nor Holyfield or Lewis, were once named by Tyson as the opponent who could live with his punches.

That accolade goes to Jose Ribalta, whom Tyson fought in his 26th bout at the age of just 20 in August 1986.

Tyson won that bout with a technical knockout in the 10th round at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City in New Jersey.

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The victory was a remarkable 26 without loss for Tyson, who only lost his first professional fight in 1990 when he took on Douglas in what was then his 38th bout, having been the undisputed world heavyweight champion between then and 1987.

Speaking back in 2014 to Ring TV in a Q&A, Tyson felt that Ribalta was the one fighter who was able to take his punches as he believes the opponent had the best chin and was the strongest he faced.

He said: “I hit Jose Ribalta with everything, and he took everything and kept coming back for more.

“Jose Ribalta stood toe to toe with me. He was very strong in the clinches.”

Tyson was originally scheduled to face YouTuber turned-boxer Jake Paul on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

However, the bout was postponed after the 57-year-old suffered a medical scare, as a result, the fight has been rescheduled for November 15.