This seemingly farcical match ushered in a new era for boxing, where audiences were willing to pay to witness a spectacle rather than a competitive contest.

In Las Vegas in 1995, former inmate number 922335, Mike Tyson, returned to the ring after three years in an Indiana prison. His opponent, Peter McNeeley, was a virtual unknown. Yet, the fight broke pay-per-view records, becoming one of the most lopsided matches in boxing history and shaping the way modern mega-fights are organized.

Mike Tyson lands a left hook to Peter McNeeley’s head during their fight at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, USA on 19/8/1995. Photo: AFP

Despite his rape conviction, Tyson, the one-time undisputed heavyweight champion, still held immense appeal. The fight was succinctly promoted with the slogan "He’s Back".

The MGM Grand was packed with A-list celebrities, including Madonna, Nicolas Cage, Jerry Seinfeld, Denzel Washington, Jim Carrey, Pamela Anderson, Eddie Murphy, and even Donald Trump. "It felt more like a ritual sacrifice than a boxing match," one journalist observed.

Veteran commentator Jim Gray recalled, "Tyson’s audience was unprecedented – from billionaires and CEOs to pimps and drug lords, everyone was there. We’ve never seen anything like it since."

To ease Tyson back into competition, organizers chose Peter McNeeley, a boxer touted with a 36-1 record, mostly knockouts. McNeeley hyped the fight with brash pronouncements: "I'm going to wrap Tyson in a cocoon of horror," he boasted, even resorting to poetry, bold predictions, and weak jokes.

However, McNeeley’s record was padded with no-name opponents. "Just looking at McNeeley’s list of opponents, anyone would shake their head," commentator Steve Albert remarked. "They said he was an up-and-comer, but the reality was far different."

Even for Tyson, then 29 and having been out of the ring for three years due to his imprisonment, the disparity in skill was evident. "This wasn't a Rocky movie; this was a professional fight," Albert emphasized. "It felt like an exhibition, a disrespect to the fans in the arena, the television audience, and the media, including us, the commentators at ringside."

As the bell rang, McNeeley charged at Tyson as promised, throwing wild punches. Within seconds, he was on the canvas, but sprang back up and even ran around the ring. "He went down, then popped back up like a jack-in-the-box," Tyson recounted. "The guy was bouncing around the ring and rushing at me. I couldn't believe it."

After a few clumsy exchanges, McNeeley went down again, felled by two left hands and a trademark Tyson right uppercut. Commentator Albert exclaimed, "That was vintage Tyson, brutal and direct."

Unexpectedly, McNeeley’s trainer jumped into the ring, prompting the referee to call a disqualification (DQ). The crowd erupted in boos. The Nevada Athletic Commission even withheld McNeeley’s manager Vinnie Vecchione’s payment for investigation.

"That was the easiest 25 million USD of Tyson's career," Albert commented. Rumors circulated that McNeeley’s team had bet on the fight ending before 90 seconds – and it concluded at 89. The fight instantly became a unique boxing anecdote.

Promoter Don King maintained a straight face as he declared, "Tonight was an event we can all be proud of." Financially, he wasn't wrong. The fight generated 96 million USD in pay-per-view revenue, breaking the then-record with 1.52 million buys in the USA.

"Global phenomena have a pull regardless of what they're doing. Tyson still has that, just look at the Jake Paul fight," Jim Gray said. "Tyson is an A-lister, but with the appeal of an everyman; going through trials, tribulations, and seeking redemption, coming out of prison. Everyone loves a train wreck. They don’t know what’s going to happen."

McNeeley capitalized on his newfound fame with commercials for AOL and Pizza Hut – where he was knocked out by a stuffed-crust pizza.

Nearly 30 years after the McNeeley fight, Mike Tyson returned to the ring at 58 to face YouTuber Jake Paul. Photo: USA Today Sports

Tyson continued to be a money-making machine. He won two more world title versions, but never regained the "invincible" aura lost after his defeat to Buster Douglas in 1990. Tyson’s career subsequently spiraled into forgettable losses.

The McNeeley victory didn't usher in a "great second chapter" for Tyson, but it left a different legacy: audiences are willing to pay for a spectacle over a genuine contest.

Since then, boxing has paved the way for matches like Floyd Mayweather versus Conor McGregor, Tyson himself against Jake Paul, YouTube boxers, and the current trend of social media stars profiting from stepping into the ring. For Tyson, it proved that despite defeats, crimes, or personal crises, his public appeal remains as strong as when he first emerged in the 1980s.

"Tyson is the most honest athlete I've ever met," Gray stated. "He doesn't hide his flaws or shift blame. He always wants tomorrow to be better than yesterday. And that's why the public has followed him for decades."

30 years later, the Tyson-McNeeley fight might have been "a big event with no substance." But it proved one thing: Tyson might fall in the ring, but the allure of "Iron Mike" remains undefeated.

Hong Duy (via The Guardian)