Mike Tyson revealed the only opponent capable of taking his power was little-known heavyweight Jose Ribalta – who retired with 17 defeats.
ATLANTIC CITY – AUGUST 17,1986: Mike Tyson (R) moves in for the punch to Jose Ribalta during a bout at Trump Plaza Hotel on August 17, 1986 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.Mike Tyson defeated Jose Ribalta TKO 10. (Photo by: The Ring Magazine via Getty Images)
A 20-year-old Tyson knocked out Ribalta in 1986 – two fights and three months before beating Trevor Berbick to become the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.
But it took Iron Mike all ten rounds to finally finish Ribalta, which he did with just under a minute remaining in the fight.
After Tyson hammered away all night long with hooks and uppercuts, Ribalta hit the deck in rounds two and eight, but beat the count both times.
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In the final round he was again dropped after a heavy combination and despite again getting up, he could not survive the final bell as he was stopped on his feet.
But in a 2014 interview with The Ring, Tyson – who fought heavy-hitters Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Frank Bruno – claimed Ribalta was his strongest ever opponent and had the best chin of all his rivals.
He said: “I hit Jose Ribalta with everything, and he took everything and kept coming back for more.
“Jose Ribalta stood toe to toe with me. He was very strong in the clinches.”
Tyson still stands as the youngest heavyweight champion in history, aged 20 years and four months.
After losing his title in a shock defeat to ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990, he spent three years in prison after being convicted of rape in 1992.
After his jail sentence Tyson won the WBC and WBA titles in 1996 but in the same year lost to Holyfield and infamously bit his ear in their rematch a year later.
The knockout artist retired in 2005 after losing to Kevin McBride and left the sport with a record of 50–6 and remains one of the most celebrated heavyweights of all time.
And after a 20-year career in the ring, the American named former crusierweight and heavyweight champion Holyfield as the best opponent he ever faced.
He said: “He threw terrific shots with both hands and with bad intentions.
“Great champion: chin, heart, determination, work ethic, demeanor.”
