Mike Tyson knows all about testing the punch resistance of fighters.
The heavyweight known as ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ hung up the gloves on an undisputed championship-winning career with 50 wins and an incredible 44 stoppages. It was in his 20th fight he was first taken the distance.
Known for his ferocious and fearless style, many opponents looked beaten before they stepped through the ropes with Tyson. Should they put up a good fight, more often than not it would end early via winging hooks.
A compliment from ‘Iron’ Mike regarding the ability to take a punch should not be understated, and he has given that to the current world heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury.
During the press conference for the Brit’s fight with MMA star, Francis Ngannou – the man the heavyweight legend has been guiding – he praised Fury’s chin. It was slightly back-handed, given he expects Ngannou to be the first man to crack it.
“Hey listen, no one takes a better punch than Tyson Fury, but this is a different type of punch. I don’t think anyone has experienced a punch like this apart from those guys in the UFC. So this is going to be a very complex moment for Champ.”
The man from Morecambe has withstood the power of Wladimir Klitschko and, perhaps more impressively, Deontay Wilder. The hard-hitting American has 42 knockouts from 43 wins, and dropped Fury four times over the course of their heavyweight trilogy.
Those shots weren’t enough to keep ‘The Gypsy King’ down though, and he won two of the three after drawing the first.
Ngannou – who will fight as a boxer for the first time this weekend – has vowed to test Fury’s whiskers, but the vast majority of fans, fighters and pundits believe he won’t have the technique to get close enough in Riyadh on October 28.