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| Date | June 24, 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | Mr | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tyson wins via 1st-round TKO | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mike Tyson vs. Lou Savarese, billed as Tyson's Back, was a professional boxing match contested on June 24, 2000.
Background
Mike Tyson embarked on a comeback in 1999, marking his return to the ring after a nine-month hiatus, primarily due to a four-month prison sentence.[1] His comeback journey began with a victory on January 16, 1999, when he knocked out former IBF Heavyweight champion Francois Botha in the fifth round. Following this, Tyson faced former WBA Cruiserweight champion Orlin Norris, but their bout ended in a no-contest due to an accidental punch that landed after the bell.[2]
Three months later, Tyson had his first-ever fight in the United Kingdom, defeating British journeyman Julius Francis by a second-round knockout. In February 2000, Tyson announced his next opponent, fringe contender Lou Savarese. Initially slated for Milan, Italy in May,[3] the fight was later rescheduled for June 24, 2000, at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. The decision to allow Tyson back into the United Kingdom sparked protests due to his prior rape conviction,[5] but the Glasgow city council ultimately voted 10–1 in favor of permitting the match to proceed.[6]
The fight
In the bout with Savarese, Tyson made a swift impact with a left hand that sent Savarese to the canvas.[1] Savarese managed to rise but faced a relentless onslaught from Tyson. Referee John Coyle attempted to intervene at 26 seconds, but Tyson continued to attack, even briefly taking down Coyle. Tyson's corner eventually entered the ring, and he regained his composure. The fight was declared a technical knockout victory for Tyson after only 38 seconds of action, making it the second quickest fight of his career, behind only his 30-second victory over Marvis Frazier in 1986.
During his post-fight interview with Jim Gray of Showtime, Tyson called out Lennox Lewis, stating, "I want your heart, I want to eat your children. Praise be to Allah."