Throughout his historic career, Mike Tyson fought just about everyone that came his way. That included elite boxers who ended up beating Iron Mike. Fighters like Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, to name some of the very best.
But surprisingly, none of those boxers were named by Tyson as the toughest fight of his career. Instead, it was a lesser-known fighter who had struggled with a heroin addiction for a big portion of his life.
Who is Pinklon Thomas, Mike Tyson’s “toughest opponent”?
Tyson revealed as much in an interview with History Bites, calling Pinklon Thomas his “toughest opponent“.
I never thought him, but two years ago I watched the tape of him, a friend of mine told me to watch it. I hit him with seventeen punches, flat, on the face, he went down but it was seventeen punches… Seventeen punches, flush, all of them were as hard as they could be and the last one he just passed out. I thought ‘God, that is my toughest fight, he took seventeen on the chin’.
History Bites
“Pink” Thomas was the WBC champion from 1984 to 1986 but lost the title to Trevor Berbick. He rebounded with three straight victories and set up a world title fight against Tyson in 1987. Iron Mike ended up knocking him out in Round 6, but it took more than Tyson expected.
Thomas once told The Ring Magazine that he began using heroin at the age of 12 and had made it a daily habit by 14. That addiction continued for a very long time, but his pure talent continued to shine through as he began his pro career. He claims he has been clean since the age of 30.