As we all anxiously await the fight that will take place on Friday night in Texas, when the remnants of Mike Tyson will face the much fresher, but also somewhat ordinary (in terms of boxing skills, not business sense and acumen) Jake Paul, many boxing websites have been busy taking a walk down memory lane and reminiscing about “Iron Mike’s” best moments.

It’s a lot of fun ranking Tyson’s most terrifying knockouts and his deadliest displays of skillful workmanship. Tyson was exceptional in the 1980s and early 1990s, and his terrifying mix of speed and power was too much for so many high-profile fighters. Tyson was also entertained when he was in (all too brief) great form, as the following knockouts remind us.

Tyson’s 5 greatest hits!

1: KO 2 by Trevor Berbick.

Tyson was able to defeat better, better fighters than Berbick, but his coronation, which occurred at the tender age of 20, was unique and unforgettable. Tyson, with his burning hands and razor-sharp reflexes befitting “bad intentions,” ruined a good, tough heavyweight. And Tyson did it in a terrifying and humiliating way. Who can forget how Berbick fell time and time again after one punch from Tyson! His senses gone, Berbick was toasted within two rounds.

2: KO 1 Michael Spinks.

Absolute pinnacle Mike Tyson, that’s what the experts say and say. Before the “Once and For All” unification showdown, some good judges picked the undefeated Spinks as the winner. Instead, Tyson, who famously “punched holes in the dressing room wall” before the fight, annihilated Spinks in 91 seconds. Yes, Spinks, the former lithe heavyweight king who rose to dethrone Larry Holmes and become the heavyweight boss, was terrified when he entered the ring, but the way Tyson’s devastating punches were delivered, would it have made much of a difference if Spinks had entered the ring? ring? ring ready for battle?

3: KO 4 by Larry Holmes.

Holmes was 38 years venerable, had been inactive for several years, and Larry only came back for the money. Still, after his fourth-round KO, Tyson is the only man to ever knock out Holmes. And when we remember what Holmes did after his date ended in disaster (winning against Ray Mercer, Holmes pushing Evander Holyfield and Oliver McCall quite tough in their world title fights), it becomes clear that Tyson destroyed a fighter who was far from shot. This 1988 fight really makes the fan wonder what Tyson’s encounter with the peak Holmes might have been like……

4: KO 6 Pinklon Thomas.

Tyson’s combinations have never been more impressive and ruthless. In brief, Tyson blew the game away, having once defeated “Pinky” with everything he had in his wicked arsenal: hooks, body shots, uppercuts, lefts and rights. And the final 16-punch combination in which Tyson crushed Thomas amazingly highlighted how astonishingly true Tyson’s deadly hands were.

5: KO 1 Marvis Frazier.

The most devastating 30 seconds of Tyson’s career? Maybe. Marvis was no Joe, and his pop was later heavily criticized for putting his son on Tyson’s team. On this night, however, “Kid Dynamite” was behaving like a beast, and his power shots left Frazier, a good boxer, in a half-sitting position, his head getting punched over and over again. Tyson was speedy, wild and ruthless. Tyson really smoked that night.

And we think that today we will have a great marathon, all-night fight cards! Well, here we are, saying what you want (and have said) about Turki Alalshikh and his seemingly hellish desire to “take over” boxing. Still, we had some great stacked fight cards thanks to a Saudi financier’s involvement in our great sport (let’s just hope it always remains ours for all to enjoy and respect).

But there have been great all-night parties before – many times. But one of the very special, most memorable and outstanding all-night boxing events worth the money took place on this day in 1996. Slightly older UK fight fans may remember where they were on Judgment Night – November 9, 1996.

Sky Sports was still up-to-date to the UK at the time, while pay-per-view services were even newer and cheaper than they would become. But regardless of the price, fight fans knew they could NOT miss it. This bill. Live, from the comfort of their front rooms, millions of British boxing fans made themselves comfortable, ordered pints and takeaways and watched the action:

From the Nynex Arena in Manchester:

Ronald Winky Wright Ensley Bingham Fight
Naseem Hamed vs. Remigio Molina
Danny Williams Michael Murray fight
Steve Collins Nigel Benn fight (rematch)
Herbie Hide vs. Frankie Swindell
Michael Brodie Miguel Matthews Fight.

Then from MGM in Las Vegas:

Scott Welch Daniel Eduardo Netto Fight
Christy Martin vs. Bethany Payne
Henry Akinwande vs. Alexander Zhovkin
Michael Moorer Frans Botha fight
Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield.

Phew!

And on top of a yearly subscription, it was all available to fight fans in the UK for just £10! Of course, the Tyson fight really got us all involved. So many of us, in fact almost all of us, felt that Tyson would almost kill Holyfield – the brave fighter who had recently suffered a “heart attack” and who was now being “fed” with the “better than ever” Tyson. I remember almost getting laughed at in the pub the night before the fight. This suggests that Holyfield may have a chance against Tyson!

It was depressed to see Nigel Benn end at the hands of the teak-proof Collins, while ‘Prince’ Naseem was established as a massive star in the UK. It was great to see the wonderful Winky Wright box in the UK, which was avoided by the elite as Winky was in the US, you might say, dodged. Herbie Hide has always been entertaining, while Danny Williams, like Mike Tyson, is still fighting (or trying to do so) today!

Women’s boxing was still too up-to-date for most of us to appreciate and understand, but Christy Martin proved to be a true pioneer who changed our perception when it came to watching women fight in the ring. Michael Moorer, of course best known then as now for being on the wrong side of George Foreman’s punch for the ages (or ages) in November 1994, put in a fine performance against a stubborn but ultimately held off Botha.

And then came the BIG one. Tyson vs. Tyson Holyfield – “Finally!”

It was already early morning in the UK, but none of us at my party were thinking about going to sleep. Accompanied on screen by superstars Barry McGuigan, Paul Dempsey and Emanuel Steward (who gave excellent interviews during the long broadcast), we were all wide awake when Tyson entered the ring. Quite amazingly, Tyson was met with a few boos mixed with cheers. Holyfield was a hero and plenty of fans were rooting for him to become an even bigger hero.

And it happened. Holyfield shocked, stunned, excited and moved us when he fought one of his best fights, defeating Tyson. Knocking Tyson down, punching him, beating Tyson, and then, in the 11th round, stopping the man he had always wanted to fight, “The Real Deal” was a hit, a puncher, on top of the world. It was a great moment, the culmination of a truly great, multi-hour thriller marathon or fight night.

“Judgment Night”.

Where were you and do you still clearly remember the magical glow that illuminated us that night 28 years ago?

No great ring should ever be forgotten, especially not one who is currently fighting against one of the most cruel enemies imaginable. Mexican fighter Israel Vazquez, also known as “Magnifico”, is currently battling cancer. The gloomy news was interrupted by a WBC press article in which the governing body asked us all to “unite for Israel Vazquez.”

It’s the least we can do.

Vazquez, who went to war in extremely fierce and inspiring fights with Rafael Marquez (four times, the first three fights considered contemporary classics at a lower weight, then two Mexicans fought a fourth fight and their intense rivalry ended with a score of 2-2), and Oscar Larios and Jhonny Gonzalez finished their ring careers with a good record of 44-5(32).

After retiring in 2010, Vazquez was at risk of losing one eye, which had to be removed and replaced with a prosthesis. I think – and hope – that in the end it didn’t happen and the eye was saved. But now, at the age of 46 (Israel was born on Christmas Day 1977), the former three-time king of the ring goes to war with one of his most formidable opponents.

Fundraising efforts are currently underway to facilitate this fallen but always incredibly proud warrior, and articles about Israel’s plight have appeared around the world. Vazquez, who lit up the 122-pound division and wowed millions, is too proud to ask for facilitate, so others do it for him.

If you would like to facilitate this great former champion in his time of need, you can do so here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/stand-with-israel-vasquez-against-cancer

Let us never, ever forget our great kings of the ring, especially when they are still here to receive your cheers and facilitate.

Israel Vazquez has given us some truly unique fights during his illustrious boxing career. He was and is a truly exceptional person.