Kevin McBride acknowledges that the Mike Tyson he beat was well past his prime but he’ll take it.
McBride, an Irish-born resident of Brockton, Massachusetts, stopped Iron Mike in six rounds on June 11, 2005 at MCI Center in Washington, D.C. Tyson, who would turn 39 weeks later, never fought again.
“I’m dancing and delighted and at the same time I know that wasn’t the Tyson of his prime,” McBride told The (U.K.) Mail. “But I fought the man on the night and won. … I remember to this day he hit me so hard in the sixth it was like leprechauns playing drums in my head.
“On instinct I said, ‘Is that all you got? You’re in trouble’. That’s when he tried things. First, he got my left arm in a hold and tried to break it. He tried to bite my nipple. Thank God he had his mouthpiece in. Otherwise I’d be the Irishman with one nipple.”
McBride’s name resurfaced because of Tyson is back in the news over his intentions to return to ring for exhibitions. Otherwise, his career was uneventful. McBride (35-10-1, 29 KOs) went 2-6 after the Tyson fight and never fought for a major title. He last fought in 2011.
However, he’ll always have his meeting with Tyson and everything surrounding it. One cherished memory: An encounter with Muhammad Ali after the fight.
“Next thing I know,” he said, “I have Ali throwing pretend punches at me, saying ‘I’m the greatest, you’re the latest’. A dream.”