“Get him for me” – When Mike Tyson fulfilled Muhammad Ali’s only wish of beating Larry Holmes


“Get him for me” – When Mike Tyson fulfilled Muhammad Ali’s only wish of beating Larry Holmes

Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali faced Larry Holmes in 1980 at Caesars Palace Las Vegas for the WBC and The Ring heavyweight championship. By then Muhammad Ali was at the twilight of his career and this match was sold as a last hurrah for Ali. Larry Holmes completely dominated the fight and defeated Ali after Ali’s trainer stopped the fight in the tenth round. 

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These results upset then-14-year-old Mike Tyson who worshipped Ali as his idol and inspiration. Mike Tyson revealed in a 2011 interview with ESPN about his feelings after watching his idol getting beaten.

Tyson said, “I was offended by how bad he beat up Ali. When we drove home to Catskill [about an hour from Albany], nobody in the car said a word, we were all so upset. The next morning, Cus was on the phone with Muhammad Ali. He said to Ali, ‘I have this young black kid who is going to be a heavyweight champion someday and I want you to talk to him,“.

Cus D’Amato(Mike’s mentor) called Ali the next morning and had Mike Tyson speak with him. Mike told Ali, “When I grow up, I’ll fight Holmes and I’ll get him back for you”. On January 2nd, 1988 Mike Tyson finally got his long-awaited revenge in front of Ali present at the ringside. Mike Tyson faced Larry Holmes who came out of retirement to compete for the WBA Heavyweight championship. Ali was a special guest for the match and before the match told Tyson, “Get him(Larry) for me“.

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Tyson kept his childhood promise and destroyed Larry in the fight and won the fight. Mike Tyson went all out on Larry Holmes out of his respect for Muhammad Ali and wanted to restore his idol’s honor.

Read More: “That’s not cool” – Floyd Mayweather once went on a never-ending rant against Muhammad Ali

When Muhammad Ali admitted Mike Tyson could have defeated him

Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson
Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson

Ali once spoke that Mike Tyson could have smashed his face in a fight. The names of Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson will forever be written in golden letters in the history of boxing. The Greatest was Iron Mike’s idol growing up and his inspiration to become a boxer.

Muhammad Ali was famous for trash-talking in his prime. But had nothing but words of praise for Mike Tyson speaking once on a talk show.

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Also Read: Why did Muhammad Ali refuse the Vietnam War Draft?

In 1989 appearing on  The Arsenio Hall Show that the two legends shared a couch. When the host asked Ali about his fight against Mike Ali said, “Iron Mike might have put him to sleep”. Tyson was only 23 then at the peak of his power and held the WBA, WBC, IBF, and ‘The Ring’ heavyweight titles, while his idol was eight years into retirement. 

Also Read: When Muhammad Ali crossed paths with international terrorist Osama Bin Laden