Ranking Mike Tyson’s Fastest Knockouts

KO King Mike Tyson was once known as the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ for his pure punching power that enabled him to KO 44 of his 50 victims.

‘Iron Mike’ ruled heavyweight boxing for 10 years between the 80s and 90s, in an era when he was feared all over the planet for his destructive power and sheer aggression that saw him score 33 knockouts within his first 37 bouts before taking his first loss as a professional to Buster Douglas in 1990.

During those first five years of utter devastation, not only did he become the youngest ever world heavyweight champion at just 20-years-old, but also the first to ever unify all three world titles available at the time at heavyweight.

The two-time world heavyweight champion finished his incredible career with 50 wins, six defeats, and 44 knockouts – that’s a whopping 88% KO ratio!

24 of those stoppages came within the very first-round, but which were his 10 quickest? Astonishingly, nine of these came within just a single minute, see the full list below:

Mike Tyson vs Marvis Frazier – 30 seconds

Not only is this Mike’s fastest career KO, but it’s also listed in the top 15 fastest KOs in boxing history.

The son of heavyweight legend Joe Frazier, Marvis, couldn’t continue his father’s legacy after Tyson caught him in the corner with three huge uppercuts to stop the fight in only 30 seconds, making it the most memorable of his 24 first-round KOs.

Mike Tyson vs Robert Colay – 37 seconds

Tyson clashed with ‘Big Bob’ Colay in his 10th pro bout in Atlantic City and destroyed the Floridian in just 37 seconds to secure his seventh first-round KO.

Before being signed by promoter Don King, Tyson landed two successive left hooks to the head of the 14-5 Colay, who carried his right hand way too low. The taller man bravely got to his feet, but the fight was not allowed to continue.

Mike Tyson vs Lou Savarese – 38 seconds

Who ever imagined Mike Tyson would one day fight in Scotland? Well, he did, on a Frank Warren show, and Glaswegians were treated to a devastating 38-second stoppage spectacle.

The American’s second shot dropped Saverese, a grazing left hook on the top of the forehead. Another huge left hook landed as the New Yorker went in for the kill, which forced referee John Coyle to step in, but confusion ensued and the enthused Tyson continued his assault, bundling the ref over to the floor, who tried in vain to stop the contest.

Mike Tyson vs Ricardo Spain – 39 seconds

Just four fights into his pro career and only days before his 19th birthday, the Catskills youngster landed his third first-round KO, the quickest one yet against Ohio’s ‘Rick Spain’ in under 40 seconds.

Sporting plain white Adidas shorts, Tyson started blisteringly fast, landing a dozen shots in the opening seconds. The left-right combo that first put the Colombus combatant on the canvas was described as a ‘steam-hammer’ from ringside. One more left hook and it was all over.

Mike Tyson vs Michael Johnson – 39 seconds

Just six months into his pro career, Tyson scored his joint quickest KO, after previously stopping Ricardo Spain within the same time four fights prior, both in Atlantic City.

It was Michael John Jackson’s second fight in seven days and it didn’t last long or go well for him. Tyson dropped ‘Jack’ with an amazingly skilful body shot, rolling underneath a wild right hook to step in to his left to land a huge left hook to the open right side of his opponent’s body. Then an even better shot came in, if it was even possible – a single overhand right flush on the chin to ice the heavyweight from Florida out cold.

Mike Tyson vs Clifford Ettiene – 49 seconds

Not only was this Tyson’s last first-round KO, but it also served as his last ever knockout and victory in a boxing ring.

After stopping ‘The Black Rhino’ from Louisiana, who is now serving 150 years in prison, the former two-time world champ lost his last two bouts to Brit Danny Williams and Irishman Kevin McBride, where he announced his retirement on his stool.

Mike Tyson vs Mark Young – 50 seconds

Two days after Christmas in 1985, Tyson finished his debut year on 15-0, wrapping it up neatly in a bow with a 50-second KO.

Young was wild, throwing around 10 shots in the opening seconds, but none finding their target. A Tyson jab pushed him far back, then a right hook that came from down low KO’d the North Carolinian out cold.

Mike Tyson vs Trent Singleton – 52 seconds

Aged 18, in just his second pro bout, he secured his quickest KO, but only briefly until he smashed the record two fights later! Tyson blasted through Chicago’s Singleton in under a minute, prompting the heavyweight to retire from his boxing career straight after.

Smartly starting on his jab, Tyson was soon in close landing a big right hook to deck Singleton, who was a little too jerky and nervy. A big left hook floored him again, then a further volley of half a dozen hooks had him down a third time and the fight was rightly stopped. 

The teenager walked back to his corner casually without celebrating as if nothing had happened.

Mike Tyson vs Sterling Benjamin – 54 seconds

In his New York home city, Tyson sent yet another heavyweight into retirement. The Trinidad & Tobago title contender, Sterling Benjamin, who lived in New York, quit his career after feeling the wrath of the young ‘Kid Dynamite’, unable to make it past the first minute of the scheduled eight-round contest.

After getting back to his feet from an early knockdown, courtesy of a short left hook to the head, Benjamin tucked up tight behind a high guard, but that allowed Tyson to land no less than six big hooks to the body to finish him off.

After the fight, the shellshocked Benjamin likened Tyson’s punches to a ‘sledgehammer’ and admitted it’s the hardest he had ever been hit. No wonder he retired immediately after.