I had the chance to revisit Mike Tyson’s last professional fight before his retirement from the sport. The date was June 11, 2005, and the venue was the MCI Center in Washington D.C. Tyson, then 38 years old, faced off against the relatively unknown Kevin McBride in a bout that would mark the end of an era.
The fight didn’t even knock Tyson down. In round six, a relatively tame cluster of punches hit him before pushing him onto his backside. Instead of jumping up, Tyson looked for help from referee Joe Cortez, who ordered the former two-time heavyweight champion to rise by himself.
When the bell rang to end the round, an exhausted Tyson trudged to his corner, where trainer and former three-weight world champ Jeff Fenech met him. After a brief exchange, Jeff Fenech decided Tyson could no longer continue, officially marking the sixth loss of his professional career.
“I don’t have the guts to be in this sport anymore,” Tyson said during his post-fight interview. “I don’t want to disrespect the sport that I love. My heart is not into this anymore. I’m sorry for the fans who paid for this. I wish I could have done better. I want to move on with my life. It’s time for me to move forward with my life, become a father, and take care of my children.
It was a heartbreaking end to the career of one of boxing’s all-time greats. Former world champion Tyson was now a shell of his former self, unable to muster the will or energy to continue.
The story of Tyson’s final fight is all too familiar—an aging, beloved, and once-great former champion succumbing to an opponent who would have been light work in the glory years. In Muhammad Ali’s case, it was Trevor Berbick. For Larry Holmes, it was Oliver McCall. With Evander Holyfield, it was, among others, Larry Donald. For Tyson, it was McBride.
Who Is Kevin McBride?
Before facing McBride, Tyson had lost by fourth-round knockout to British product Danny Williams in July 2004. Despite Tyson’s legitimate stoppage, his sprained ankle during the bout made repackaging him relatively easy.
However, Team Tyson required a safe option, so they settled on the huge, albeit limited, Kevin McBride. Goody and Pat Petronelli, who had guided Marvelous Marvin Hagler to middleweight glory, trained McBride, who was born in Clones, Ireland, the same region that produced former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan.
Before facing Tyson, McBride had 37 fights without a signature victory and was considered a journeyman. The biggest name on his record was German star and former title challenger Axel Schulz, who stopped him in nine rounds.
Following his Cinderella story victory over a faded “Iron” Mike, the Irishman went 2-6 in his last eight fights and retired in 2011.
What Happened In Mike Tyson’s last fight?
The 38-year-old Tyson was winning a messy affair by firing the better punches over the first four rounds. However, unlike many opponents the former champion had faced in his career, McBride managed to absorb the damage and remain competitive.
By round five, Tyson was visibly fatigued and became frustrated. In round six, McBride applied a small amount of pressure, deducting two points for roughhouse tactics, leaving him with nothing to offer. Tyson ended his career and retired—or so we thought—with a record of 50-6 (44 KOs).
It was a heartbreaking end to the career of one of boxing’s all-time greats. Former world champion Tyson was now a shell of his former self, unable to muster the will or energy to continue. As he said in his post-fight interview, “I don’t have the guts to be in this sport anymore.” It was a sad and humble admission from a true legend of the sport.
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