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This was the fight in which Tyson, three days short of his 22nd birthday, Spinks was less than a month from his 32 birthday and had campaigned the vast majority of his professional career as a light heavyweight, produced what is widely regarded as the most dominant performance of his career. Many experts agree that Tyson would have been a match for any heavyweight in history on this night.
- Spinks, who didn't hold a belt but was regarded as the linear champion after twice beating Larry Holmes, had a perfect 31-0 record. Tyson had won 34 bouts in a row, with 30 KOs, including seven world title wins in 16 months.
- The fight, at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, attracted enormous worldwide interest and was billed "Once and for all", meaning the winner would be recognised beyond dispute as the real heavyweight champion.
- Tyson came out in his usual aggressive style, immediately putting Spinks on the back foot. With just over a minute gone, Tyson dropped Spinks with a right hand to the body - the second time for the former light-heavyweight champion had been down in his career (first time was against Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1983).
- Spinks got up but was caught with another big right, this time on the chin, and counted out after one minute 31 seconds of the first round.
- Tyson earned a record USD 22 million for the fight, the biggest purse ever paid to a boxer at that time. (BR) |
