Mike Tyson vs Mitch Green 20.05.1986

NEW YORK – Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, a 19-year-old Mike Tyson extended his unbeaten streak to 20 victories with a convincing but rugged unanimous decision win over Mitch “Blood” Green in a ten-round heavyweight bout headlining New York Is Busting Out.

While Tyson had built a reputation on a string of thunderous knockouts, this clash marked a more measured, though no less intense, performance by the Brooklyn-born phenom. Green, known for his size and unorthodox style, used frequent clinching to smother Tyson’s trademark aggression and survived the storm for the full ten rounds—only the second man to do so at the time.

Coming off a points win just weeks earlier against veteran James “Quick” Tillis, Tyson entered the Garden with a 19-0 record, 19 of those wins coming via knockout. Green, ranked just above Tyson by the WBC and sporting a 16-1-1 record, threatened to withdraw from the bout over purse disputes—he was set to earn just $30,000 to Tyson’s $250,000—but ultimately stepped into the ring when reminded that a title shot hung in the balance.

Tyson quickly made his presence known. He charged forward from the opening bell, swarming Green with body hooks and uppercuts. By the third round, Tyson had already knocked Green’s mouthpiece into the crowd with a sharp left hook. A similar blow in the fourth dislodged part of Green’s dental bridge, sending debris flying toward the apron. Despite absorbing over 280 clean punches, Green’s iron chin kept him upright.

Green managed to land in spots—most notably during Tyson’s rare defensive lapses—but his offense was limited, and the constant holding drew jeers from the restless New York crowd. Tyson, meanwhile, stayed relentless, finishing the fight as the aggressor and out landing Green by a wide margin.

Judges scored the bout decisively in Tyson’s favour: 9-1, 9-1, and 8-2. While the knockout never came, Tyson’s power and endurance were on full display against a fighter intent on survival.

The win moves Tyson to 20-0 and solidifies his climb toward the top of the heavyweight ranks. Though not the explosive finish fans hoped for, the bout proved that Tyson could go the distance—and dominate—when raw power alone wasn’t enough.