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The time Mike Tyson came to Scotland and KO’d the referee amid comical 38-second Hampden blow-out
Mike Tyson will step into a professional boxing ring for the first time in nearly 20 years on Friday night when he finally gets it on with YouTube star-turned fighter Jake Paul.
Tyson fought former four weight world champion Roy Jones Jr in a eight round exhibition contest in November 2020 but last laced the gloves up in a professional sphere when he suffered a shock stoppage defeat to Irish heavyweight Kevin McBride in June 2005. At the turn of the 21st century, ex-undisputed heavyweight champion Tyson had launched one final attempt to regain his former glory with a string of fights between 1999 and 2002.
And it was during that time 'Iron Mike' fought in Scotland for the only time in his career. After knocking out Brit Julius Francis a the MEN Arena in Manchester in January 2000, it was announced that Scottish fans would have the chance to see the ageing star in action with Tyson facing off against another fringe level heavyweight in American boxer Lou Saverese at Hampden Park on June 24, 2000.
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The bout had initially been stated to take place in Milan in May but was given a new date and venue after Tyson reportedly requested more time to train. The decision to allow Tyson back into the country for a second fight sparked protests due to his prior rape conviction – for which he served only three years of a six year sentence between 1992 and 1995 – but Glasgow City Council ultimately voted 10–1 in favour of the bout going ahead.
In a bid to raise his popularity, Tyson donned a Scotland shirt in the build-up to the fight, but as he made his ring walk at the national stadium on a rainy Saturday in Glasgow, the heavy-hitter was greeted by a half-empty Hampden Park with a lot of supporters simply able to walk up and purchase tickets on the night. But for those who were in attendance, the contest proved to be a both memorable and infamous at the same time.
Tyson, then 38, quickly realised he was up against an inferior opponent who could not withstand his punch power. Within six seconds of the first bell, Savarese was sent to the canvas with a sharp left hook to the head. The Bronx fighter was able to get back to his feet but soon walked onto another barrage of punches from Tyson who was aiming for the kind of first round knockouts that had seen him take the heavyweight division by storm in the late 1980s.
In a desperate attempt to call the fight off and save Savarese from further punishment, referee John Coyle tried to step between the two boxers in the ring only to almost comically get knocked out by Tyson himself. Coyle later recalled the incident, saying: "Tyson was behind me and a left hook came in from Tyson to hit Savarese, caught my shoulder and sent me down."
Eventually the official was able to get Tyson's attention and the former champion was given the victory by technical knockout after just 38 seconds of action, the second quickest knockout of his career after he stopped Marvis Frazier - the son of legendary heavyweight star Joe Frazier - 14 years earlier in 1986. However, the farcical events of the round were not missed by the crowd, and Tyson was roundly booed by large sections of those who had gathered inside Hampden.
Tyson followed up the win against Savarese with another victory against Polish contender Andrew Golota who informed the referee that he no longer wanted to continue during the third round. The bout was later ruled as a no-contest due to Tyson failing a post-fight drugs test, but the former two-time world champion did go onto land one more crack at the world title by setting up a showdown with unified champion Lennox Lewis in June 2002 after defeating Danish Olympic gold medallist Brian Nielsen inside six rounds.
However, Lewis knocked out the American in the eighth round and firmly cemented his own position as arguably the finest heavyweight of his generation. Although Tyson bounced back with a first round stoppage of Clifford Etienne in the following year, his professional career ultimately ended on a sour note with defeats to Danny Williams and McBride, two opponents he would have simply brushed aside in his prime.
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