Mike Tyson’s punching power was so mythical that his final opponent employed the services of a hypnotist in order to get into the ring.
Kevin McBride, a little-known Irish Olympian who had struggled to get going in his professional career was offered the chance of a lifetime in 2005 when he earned a shot at boxing icon Tyson. The massive heavyweight towered over his rival and weighed almost 40lb more than him.
But he was still terrified of his power, and rightfully so. The legendary puncher hit him with all he had for six rounds, and the Monaghan native claims he still feels the effects of the damage he received that night almost two decades later.
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Kevin McBride used a hypnotist in order to get in the ring with Mike Tyson
Back in June of 2005, it appeared that McBride had sent Tyson into a retirement from which he wouldn’t return. But 19 years later he has signed up to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on Friday night in a massive crossover bout that will see boxing come to Netflix for the first time.
And while Paul is a big favourite for the bout given the fact he is 31 years younger and an active fighter, there is still an understanding that he has never faced such a ferocious puncher. It’s a feeling McBride remembers all too well.
“A lot of people said that I have no chance to beat Mike Tyson,” he explained in an exclusive chat with Bloody Elbow. “With his career and what he’s achieved, they didn’t think it was possible. But I had a different plan in mind.”
McBride was training alongside Irish standout Paschal Collins at the time, who ended up in his corner. The Dubliner’s brother Steve Collins famously used hypnotism to numb the pain from Chris Eubank’s punches in their bout, and the heavyweight opted to do the same.
“I trained very hard for eight weeks and even worked with a hypnotist so that every time Tyson would hit me I’d be smiling,” he added. “So I was smiling a lot that night! People don’t realize that when they ask me ‘what was going through your head before the fight?’ I say ‘honestly, what the hell did I get myself in for?
“The hypnotist did no harm, I just didn’t want to leave any stones unturned. So you could have brought ten hypnotists in and it wouldn’t have done much good with how hard Mike punches, I just wanted to go in there with the belief of winning.
“My team like Goody Petronelli, not many people thought I was going to win, but they did. Sure enough I won and as far as Jake Paul, maybe a lot of people think he’s going to win because of his youth
Kevin McBride warns Jake Paul he still feels Mike Tyson’s biggest punches 19 years later
In the sixth round, McBride managed to floor Tyson with a shot that wasn’t ruled a knockdown, and shortly after ‘Iron Mike’ quit on his stool. It proved to be the final night of his professional career, with the legend only returning for two exhibitions since.
Despite brutal cheating tactics like an effort to break his arm or bite his nipple off, McBride perservered. However, he is still feeling the effects to this day, claiming that the punches were harder than the likes of Riddick Bowe and had him seeing ‘dancing leprechauns’ in his head.
“Jake Paul is a young kid,” he said, noting the 27-year-old’s inexperience relative to his 58-year-old opponent. “He has youth with him but Mike Tyson’s power is unbelievable. I still feel it to this day, more than 19 years later.
“He hits so hard and power is the last thing to go. George Foreman proved that against Michael Moorer. Sure he was a bit younger than Mike is now but power-wise it is one of the biggest punches in history and he can probably knock Jake out.”
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