At 20-years-old I was still living at home with my parents, struggling to pull birds, grow a proper beard, get a job and generally be much good at life. At the same age Mike Tyson was heavyweight champion of the world and the most feared man on the planet. He was truly terrifying.
30 years ago today on 22 November 1986, Tyson completed a startling rise from troubled street kid to boxing's biggest name. At the Las Vegas Hilton, Tyson made mincemeat of a petrified Trevor Berbick in a little under two rounds to win the WBC belt and take his place as the youngest ever heavyweight champion in the sport.
For both boxing connoisseurs and casuals alike, Tyson's blitz or Berbick remains one of the most iconic events in the sports long, deep and storied history. Back then the heavyweight division had fallen into disrepair - a far cry from its glory years and reeling for a successor from the previous decades classic duels between Ali, Frazier and Foreman.
Heavyweight boxing needed much more than a champion. It needed a personality, an icon and a brand - Tyson as all of that and much, much more.
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Raised in Brooklyn, Tyson's early life was a familiar story of hardship and woe. Born into a dysfunctional family, the youngster had a lengthy police rap sheet and was moved around various youth correctional facilities before falling into boxing and into the hands and mind of legendary boxing trainer Cus D'Amato.
Under the stewardship of D'Amato, Tyson tore through the junior ranks, pummelling all before him en-route to 1981 and 1982 junior Olympic gold medals. After missing out on selection for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Tyson turned pro and embarked on a five year reign of terror eventually brought down only by self destruction.
After making his pro debut in March 1985 with a first round KO of Hector Mercedes, 'Iron Mike' quickly obliterated another 26 opponents - 24 by stoppage - over the next 18 months to tee up the bout against Berbick. D'Amato sadly passed away in November 1985, a year before Tyson's night of reckoning.
The world was already in awe at the ferocity and power of Tyson, who intimidated and unnerved otherwise fearless fighters. His highlight reel of knockouts was shuddering, the contortion of his body in delivering concussive punches was an unpalatable sight for opponents who had to witness many before them try and fail almost fatally to contend with the protege.
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Everything about the fight is pure sporting poetry, now forever embedded in the rich tapestry of the most iconic scenes from any sport of any era. The commentary is chilling, 'Here at the Hilton Hotel there is electricity in the crowd.'
Even watching again now 30 years on will give you goosebumps
Tyson's eventual downfall was a self-inflicted tragedy which robbed himself of being potentially the greatest boxer of all-time. However, his record and legend still stands and any fan should watch and appreciate the savage beauty of what Tyson achieved 30 years ago, just months past his 20th birthday.
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