"I'm gonna be a vicious bastard - and he's going to get hurt," promised Frank Bruno before his rematch with Iron Mike for the WBC heavyweight crown.
Unfortunately while the lovable Londoner talked the talk, his ring walk betrayed his fears. Bruno looked overwhelmed "crossing himself repeatedly, like a cardinal on speed" as ringside reporter Hugh McIlvanney put it, as he made his way out to meet Tyson.
Bruno had briefly rocked Tyson when they first fought in 1989, before being stopped in the fifth round. That - and Bruno's ownership of the WBC title - were the selling points of this rematch, Tyson's third fight since his return to the sport from prison.
Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Junior had proved pathetic opposition and Bruno, while a big underdog, was expected to put up a bit more resistance against the brooding ex-champ.
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But despite being a 6ft 3in Adonis, Bruno never really had a natural fighter's instincts. Unlike Tyson. Nobody would question his heart, but Bruno's chin - and his tactics - weren't always perfect.
The first round was action-packed as, rather than keeping the fight at range, Bruno traded hooks and uppercuts with Iron Mike. Not a strategy we would advise for any sane human.
Bruno had one nifty tactic: the old grab 'n' hold. He used it so often that, in round two, referee Mills Lane took a point away - but it was clearly not going to the scorecards by the stage.
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A minute into round three, Tyson dipped his knees and used a series of hooks to open up Bruno like a tin of tuna. A pair of brutal right uppercuts sent Bruno sprawling into the ropes, which held him up as Tyson rained in power punches
Mercifully, Mills was quick on the scene to wave off the fight with Bruno in no position to defend himself.
Tyson spread his arms wide before dropping to his knees - a world champion once again.
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The Las Vegas fight, which was the first boxing event to be shown on box office in the UK, had lasted around eight minutes.
"He was right on me like a harbour shark," admitted Bruno, who earned $6 million for the fight compared to Tyson's $30 million. Wisely, he decided to get out of boxing's shark-infested waters by retiring at age 34.
Tyson, 29 but already past his destructive prime, added the WBA title in his next fight when Bruce Seldon chucked himself to the canvas rather than endure a pasting (finally a tactic we can get behind).
At least Bruno, unlike Seldon, bravely faced Tyson's incoming fire and deserved the support of his army of fans. But after two beatings at Tyson's fists, absolutely nobody was calling for them to complete the trilogy.
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Featured image credit: PA Images
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Mike Tyson, Boxing News, Boxing