BoxRec

Manny happy returns to one of the best and most exciting Heavyweights of all Time.

Damn, that makes me feel old. Was it really 17 years ago that he won the championship?

Not always his biggest fan and don't even put in in my top 5 all time, but the man was certainly the biggest draw since Ali.

Whatever the rest of his life brings him, I hope it includes peace and some kindness

Slapsie

Slapsie Maxie wrote:Damn, that makes me feel old. Was it really 17 years ago that he won the championship?

Not always his biggest fan and don't even put in in my top 5 all time, but the man was certainly the biggest draw since Ali.

Whatever the rest of his life brings him, I hope it includes peace and some kindness

Slapsie

It was 18 years ago.

Nov 22 '86 to be a pedant about it, so we are both 1/2 right

Still makes me feel fricking old

S

How time flies. I remember I was living in Belgium at the time ( grim I'll tell you ) and had to drive down to the coast to a mate's house in Ostend, where he could pick up ITV ( only picked up the Beeb in Brussells ), so we could see Tyson/Berbick.
He was in the kitchen, trying to work out how to use the coffee machine, and I yelled out the fight was about to begin. I heard a loud BANG, and he came staggering through the door covered head to toe in ground coffee and water, he looked like the Swamp Thing!

Credit Iron Mike for saving us from the lost generation of 80's heavyweights. At least we didn't have to sit through too many more 12 round boreathons involving Tubbs and co. ( Bonecrusher aside )

Yes, no matter what criticism Tyson draws, the alternative was far worse, we would have had to have waited for Holyfield to get in on the act, and Lewis was still some time away from greatness.

Yes, happy birthday Mike. Youngest world heavyweight champ ever in 1986 - and still in there punching.