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Former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson, returned to the ring in August 1995 to recycle Boston bean can, Peter McNeely, restarting his “sweet science” career after serving a three-year prison sentence for rape.
But the world of combat sports would have irrevocably changed had “Iron Mike” passed on McNeely and instead fought Tank Abbott at UFC 6 that same summer. Perhaps Tyson would have won by devastating knockout — or surrendered by way of foot stomp.
“I don’t know what I would do in the UFC because I watched the UFC a couple of times, and I watched these guys step on people’s feet,” Tyson said during his video spot with GQ Sports. “And I have the worst feet in the world. And if somebody steps on my feet, I would totally tap out. I would just give up, it would be a no-brainer.”
Abbott instead fought Oleg Taktarov, getting submitted by way of rear-naked choke.
As for Tyson, now 53, he was unable to recapture his aura of invincibility inside the squared circle, losing high-profile fights to Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis before hanging up the gloves in late 2005.
For a better look at how Tyson would have fared inside the Octagon click here.