What better way to spend some time in coronavirus lockdown than by reminding yourself of the phenomenon that was Mike Tyson?
The youngest ever heavyweight champion – at the age of just 20 years and four months – was a walking highlight reel and delivered 44 knockouts during his extraordinary career.
Here, Sportsmail has selected a top 10, exhibiting all that was explosive, technical and terrifying about ‘Iron Mike’.
Mike Tyson delivered an eye-watering 44 knockouts over the course of his career
10. Frank Bruno: 1986 – Civic Centre, New York
The British fighter showed his typically doggedness but it became clear as the contest wore on that it was a matter of time before the inevitable happened.
Tyson was constantly marching Bruno down and eventually in the fifth deployed one of his most dangerous weapons to superb effect.
He landed a stream of uppercuts and gave the referee no choice but to step in and save the beaten man.
Frank Bruno was saved by the referee after an onslaught of uppercuts mid-way through
9. Carl Williams: 1989 – Convention Hall, New Jersey
One of the many quick nights for Tyson. Those arriving late to the party would have missed the 93-second KO of Williams.
Williams came out with a level of aggression that was unwise against the concussive power of his competitor.
Tyson connected with a left hook and should probably have stayed down. He beat the count but was all at sea and finished off quickly.
Carl Williams slumps backwards onto the ropes as Tyson strolls to his corner casually in 1989
8. Tony Tubbs: 1988 – Tokyo Dome, Japan
This was a relatively even fight until it wasn’t. Tyson was in his prime but Tubbs, a former world champion, had found some success early on.
But physically Tyson looked sensational and it didn’t take long for him to seize the initiative.
Tubbs wobbled comically after eating a monstrous left hook, holding onto the ropes for dear life before falling backwards, as if in slow motion.
Tony Tubbs battled bravely but his legs betrayed him when Tyson landed power shots
7. Clifford Etienne: 2003 – The Pyramid, Tennessee
This was the final knockout and final victory of Tyson’s career. If he’d have stopped here, it would have been a fitting ending.
Those inside The Pyramid, Memphis watched as the favourite planted a right hand on Etienne’s chin.
The ‘Black Rhino’ collapsed like a foldable chair. Perhaps he’d been spooked by the famous face tattoo that Tyson unveiled to the world in the build-up.
The third fight from the end of Tyson’s career was this knockout of Clifford Etienne
6. Francois Botha: 1999 – MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
Something switched in Tyson’s head in this one.
For four rounds he had looked a shadow of his former self having been out of action for 19 months after biting Evander Holyfield’s ear.
Only one of the judges had given him one round against Botha when suddenly Tyson looked a man transformed, smashed his opponent with a right hand precisely on the chin and the South African failed to beat the count, stumbling into the ropes.
South Africa’s Francois Botha felt the ferocity of Tyson when they met back in 1998
5. Larry Holmes: 1988 – Trump Plaza, New Jersey
Holmes is not a bad name to have on your CV but in truth the Hall of Fame former champion was well past his best.
He was also fighting for the first time in two years when he met Tyson, who was near his prime at the time. Not one he’ll thank the match-makers for.
Tyson cut through him like a knife through butter with a blitz of punches preceding a big right to put Holmes on his back.
Tyson dealt with the legendary Larry Holmes with ease but his rival was past his best
4. Henry Tillman: 1990 – Cesars Palace, Las Vegas
This one was a bit of a revenge mission for Tyson. Tillman had beaten him twice before they turned professional and cost him a place on the 1984 US Olympic team.
The infamous Buster Douglas defeat was his fight before, so Tyson came out with something to prove.
He hunted Tillman down and caught him with a meaty right hook, putting him on his back, and that was all she wrote.
Henry Tillman is surrounded by concerned onlookers and Tyson himself after the KO
3. Marvis Frazier: 1986 – Civic Centre, New York
Who suffered the quickest KO of Tyson’s career? The unfortunate answer to that pub quiz question in the years since is Marvis Frazier, who lasted only 30 seconds.
Tyson was in no mood to hang around that night, landing a video-game-like combination to put his opponent on his knees.
This was a sign of things to come in the power-puncher’s career and whilst he was far from the finished article, he showcased his raw devastating power for a quick night’s work.
The American bludgeoned his way to victory over Marvis Frazier (right) in 1986
2. Trevor Berbick: 1986 – Hilton, Las Vegas
This KO was significant for more than just the earth-shattering left hook.
Tyson was only 20 and the victory secured his status as the youngest ever heavyweight world champion.
He’d softened Berbick up with a knockdown early in the second before landing the fight-ending shot. To the former champion’s credit, he tried to carry on but his bravery outweighed his balance and he stumbled into the ropes, prompting the referee to mercifully wave it off.
Tyson looked physically sensational and obliterated Trevor Berbick to become champion
1. Michael Spinks: 1988 – Convention Hall, New Jersey
It took just 91 seconds for Tyson to obliterate Spinks but in that time he showcased all the menacing power and ferocity that made him so feared.
Spinks was a lineal champion at the time but the 22-year-old Tyson polished him off with ease. He put him on the canvas with a right to the body and then followed up with a gargantuan left-right combination.
Despite the magnitude of his win against a previously undefeated fighter, his reaction was understated if to say: ‘Are you not entertained?’
Tyson’s knockout out Michael Spinks showcased all that was menacing about him