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Mike Tyson's Last Ever Opponent Lives A Very Different Life Despite Ending Iron Mike's Career

Mike Tyson's Last Ever Opponent Lives A Very Different Life Despite Ending Iron Mike's Career

Mike Tyson steps inside a ring for the first time since 2005, the last time it happened he lost to Ireland's Kevin McBride.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Mike Tyson stepping into to the ring for the first time in 15 years is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, however whilst the world talks about Tyson his previous opponent remains in obscurity, and he's happy with that.

The former heavyweight world champion makes his return to action against Roy Jones Jr on Saturday night, and he might be in better shape than his final fight.

Tyson's time in boxing fizzled out in the early-mid 00s as he lost three of his final four fights. His last fight came in June 2005 where he was stopped in the sixth round by relatively unknown Irishman Kevin McBride.

The 47-year-old's career didn't go too well after the famous win and he retired in 2011 and his life is very different now. "I work with a tree surgeon now. He has me dropping trees, clearing snow, shouting 'timber' and all that. It is good," McBride told the Daily Mail.

"It keeps me busy. My job is I pick things up and I put things down."

It's a fight that many wouldn't normally recall but the Irishman say it's coming up more often because of the comeback, "It is coming up more often at the moment because every time they say about him making a comeback, they say I was the last guy to beat him.

"I like that. I don't sit around re-watching the fight but someone put a clip on Facebook recently and I saw it - dream come true, isn't it?"

McBride and Tyson at the weight in. Image: PA Images
McBride and Tyson at the weight in. Image: PA Images

Tyson lost twice to Evander Holyfield in 1996 and 1997 but he then went on a run of six fights undefeated, with four wins and two no contests, to set up another shot at the heavyweight title, this time against Lennox Lewis.

It would prove to be his final fight against top tier opposition as the British world champion stopped him in the eighth round.

Iron Mike won his next fight against Clifford Etienne in 2003 but he then lost to Britain's Danny Williams and finally to McBride, to bring the curtain down his career.

The loss to Lewis was the beginning of the end for Tyson. Image: PA Images
The loss to Lewis was the beginning of the end for Tyson. Image: PA Images

The Irishman signed with Don King, after defeating the former world champion, beat Byron Polley in his next fight but then lost six of his next seven fights.

15 years on and McBride certainly seems happy that his time in the spotlight was short lived but certainly a big highlight of his career.

Tyson on the other hand obviously feels he has some sort of unfinished business, and will look to put that right when he steps into the ring with Roy Jones Jr on Saturday.


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Topics: Heavyweight boxing, American boxing, Mike Tyson, Boxing News, Roy Jones Jr, Boxing, American sports