How Iron Mike made the Jersey Shore his personal proving ground—and never lost
Atlantic City wasn’t just another stop on Mike Tyson’s tour of destruction. It was his second home.
Between June 1985 and December 1990, Tyson fought 13 times in Atlantic City—more than any other location outside of New York. His record there? A perfect 13-0, with all 13 victories coming by knockout. No other city witnessed more of Tyson’s devastating prime than the Jersey Shore.
From his earliest professional bouts at the Atlantis Hotel to the 91-second demolition of Michael Spinks at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City provided the stage for some of the most memorable moments in heavyweight history. This is the complete story of Mike Tyson’s Atlantic City legacy.
The Early Days: 1985 (6 Fights)
Before the world knew the name Mike Tyson, he was building his knockout streak in Atlantic City’s casino venues. In 1985 alone, Tyson fought six times there—all first or second-round knockouts.
Fight #1: Ricardo Spain – June 20, 1985
Venue: Resorts International | Result: TKO, Round 1 (0:39)
Tyson’s Atlantic City debut came just three months into his professional career. Spain lasted 39 seconds. The 18-year-old from Brownsville was already showing the explosive combination of speed and power that would terrorize the heavyweight division.
Fight #2: John Alderson – July 11, 1985
Venue: Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino | Result: TKO, Round 2
Tyson’s first fight at a Trump property. Alderson survived the first round but couldn’t escape the second. This was Tyson’s introduction to the venues that would host his biggest fights.
Fight #3: Lorenzo Canady – August 15, 1985
Venue: Resorts International | Result: TKO, Round 1
Another first-round destruction. Canady, like so many others, simply couldn’t handle the ferocity coming at him. Tyson was developing his signature peek-a-boo style, slipping punches and countering with devastating effect.
Fight #4: Michael Johnson – September 5, 1985
Venue: Atlantis Hotel & Casino | Result: KO, Round 1 (0:39)
One of Tyson’s quickest knockouts to date. Johnson went down from a left hook, got up, and was immediately finished with a right hand. The fight lasted exactly 39 seconds—matching his Atlantic City debut.
Fight #5: Donnie Long – October 9, 1985
Venue: Trump Casino Hotel | Result: KO, Round 1
The knockouts were becoming routine. Long became the fifth consecutive Atlantic City opponent to fall in the first round. Tyson was now 9-0, all by knockout, and the boxing world was starting to pay attention.
Fight #6: Robert Colay – October 25, 1985
Venue: Atlantis Hotel & Casino | Result: KO, Round 1
Tyson closed out 1985’s Atlantic City campaign with his sixth knockout in the city. In five months, he had fought six times in Atlantic City without seeing a third round. The young heavyweight was building toward something special.
Rising Star: 1986-1987 (3 Fights)
Fight #7: Mike Jameson – January 24, 1986
Venue: Trump Plaza Hotel | Result: TKO, Round 5
Jameson lasted longer than most—five rounds—but the result was never in doubt. Tyson was now being groomed for a title shot, and Atlantic City remained a key part of his development.
Fight #8: José Ribalta – August 17, 1986
Venue: Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino | Result: TKO, Round 10
This was different. Ribalta, a tough Cuban heavyweight, gave Tyson one of the most difficult fights of his early career. The bout went 10 rounds—the longest of Tyson’s career at that point.
Ribalta landed body shots that made Tyson uncomfortable for hours after the fight. Years later, Tyson admitted: “I hit Jose Ribalta with everything, and he took everything and kept coming back for more. I never felt that much general pain again.”
Tyson knocked Ribalta down three times—in rounds 2, 8, and 10—before the referee finally stopped it. The fight proved Iron Mike could take punishment and keep coming.
Fight #9: Tyrell Biggs – October 16, 1987
Venue: Boardwalk Hall (Convention Hall) | Result: TKO, Round 7
By October 1987, Tyson was the unified WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight champion. His opponent was Tyrell Biggs, the 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist.
There was bad blood. The two had clashed as amateurs, and Tyson felt disrespected. He later admitted he wanted to punish Biggs rather than end it quickly: “I could have knocked him out in the third round, but I wanted to hurt him.”
Tyson battered Biggs for seven rounds before the referee stopped it. It was a systematic destruction that sent a message to the heavyweight division.
The Championship Showcase: 1988-1989 (3 Fights)
Fight #10: Larry Holmes – January 22, 1988
Venue: Boardwalk Hall | Result: TKO, Round 4 | Stakes: WBA, WBC, IBF Heavyweight Titles
This was the night Tyson destroyed a legend.
Larry Holmes wasn’t just any former champion. He had held the heavyweight title for over seven years, defending it 20 times. He had beaten Muhammad Ali. His jab was considered one of the best in boxing history. At 38, Holmes came out of retirement for a $3 million payday and a shot at reclaiming his throne.
Muhammad Ali himself sat ringside—a detail that wasn’t lost on Tyson. Years earlier, a young Tyson had watched Ali get battered by Holmes at Caesars Palace. Many believed Tyson wanted revenge for his idol.
From the opening bell, Holmes tried to use his legendary jab to keep Tyson at distance. It didn’t work. By round four, Tyson had Holmes figured out.
A vicious combination sent Holmes to the canvas for the first time in his 75-fight career. Holmes got up, but Tyson wasn’t finished. Another flurry put him down again. And then again.
Three knockdowns in one round. The referee had seen enough.
“Tyson is a lot better than I thought,” Holmes admitted afterward. “A lot better. Tyson is the true champion.”
Fight #11: Michael Spinks – June 27, 1988
Venue: Boardwalk Hall | Result: KO, Round 1 (91 seconds) | Stakes: Undisputed Heavyweight Championship
No fight in Atlantic City’s history—perhaps no fight in boxing history—carried more anticipation.
The Stakes: Both fighters were undefeated. Tyson was 34-0. Spinks was 31-0. Tyson held the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles. Spinks held the lineal championship and Ring Magazine title. The question was simple: Who was the real heavyweight champion of the world?
The Money: The fight was billed as “Once and For All.” It was the richest fight in boxing history, generating approximately $70 million. Tyson’s purse was a record-breaking $22 million. Spinks earned $13.5 million. Donald Trump paid $11 million in site fees to bring the fight to Atlantic City.
The Crowd: The official attendance was 21,785—a record for Atlantic City boxing that still stands. Scalpers were getting up to $5,000 for ringside seats. Jack Nicholson, Kirk Douglas, Jesse Jackson, and Norman Mailer were among the celebrities packed into Boardwalk Hall.
The Fight: At 11:32 PM, the bell rang.
Tyson came out in his trademark style—no robe, no socks, just black trunks and bad intentions. He landed a massive body shot that sent Spinks to the canvas—the first knockdown of his professional career. Spinks got up, but he was already beaten. A final right hand sent Spinks down for good.
91 seconds. It remains one of the fastest heavyweight championship fights in history.
Spinks never fought again. For Atlantic City, the fight cemented its status as boxing’s premier destination.
Fight #12: Carl Williams – July 21, 1989
Venue: Boardwalk Hall (Convention Center) | Result: TKO, Round 1 (93 seconds) | Stakes: WBA, WBC, IBF Heavyweight Titles
A year after the Spinks demolition, Tyson returned to Atlantic City to defend his titles against Carl “The Truth” Williams.
Williams was no pushover. Four years earlier, he had taken Larry Holmes the full 15 rounds in a close decision loss. He was 22-2, with fast hands and a solid jab. Some believed his height advantage (6’4″) could give Tyson problems.
Williams came out aggressively, trading punches with Tyson in the opening minute. Then Tyson slipped a Williams jab and countered with a left hook that landed flush on Williams’ chin. The challenger crashed to the canvas.
Williams protested the stoppage, but referee Randy Neumann had seen enough: “I had a 10-second judgment to make, and he could not answer a very simple question. His eyes were blank, his expression was blank.”
93 seconds. Almost identical to the Spinks fight.
This would be Tyson’s final successful title defense as undisputed champion. Seven months later, Buster Douglas would shock the world in Tokyo.
The Comeback: 1990 (1 Fight)
Fight #13: Alex Stewart – December 8, 1990
Venue: Boardwalk Hall (Convention Center) | Result: TKO, Round 1 (2:27)
After the shocking loss to Douglas in February 1990, Tyson needed to prove the Tokyo disaster was a fluke. He returned to Atlantic City—his proving ground—to face Alex “The Destroyer” Stewart.
Stewart was dangerous. He was 26-1 with 26 knockouts, his only loss coming to Evander Holyfield. But against Tyson, he looked like everyone else.
Tyson dropped Stewart three times in the first round. The fight lasted 2:27, with the three-knockdown rule ending it. Tyson was back, and Atlantic City had witnessed it.
This was Tyson’s final fight in Atlantic City—and his last on HBO. He would go on to face Donovan Ruddock twice before legal troubles derailed his career.
Complete Mike Tyson Atlantic City Fight Record
#1 | June 20, 1985 | Ricardo Spain | Resorts International | TKO | R1 (0:39)
#2 | July 11, 1985 | John Alderson | Trump Plaza | TKO | R2
#3 | Aug 15, 1985 | Lorenzo Canady | Resorts International | TKO | R1
#4 | Sept 5, 1985 | Michael Johnson | Atlantis Hotel | KO | R1 (0:39)
#5 | Oct 9, 1985 | Donnie Long | Trump Casino Hotel | KO | R1
#6 | Oct 25, 1985 | Robert Colay | Atlantis Hotel | KO | R1
#7 | Jan 24, 1986 | Mike Jameson | Trump Plaza | TKO | R5
#8 | Aug 17, 1986 | José Ribalta | Trump Plaza | TKO | R10
#9 | Oct 16, 1987 | Tyrell Biggs | Boardwalk Hall | TKO | R7
#10 | Jan 22, 1988 | Larry Holmes | Boardwalk Hall | TKO | R4
#11 | June 27, 1988 | Michael Spinks | Boardwalk Hall | KO | R1 (0:91)
#12 | July 21, 1989 | Carl Williams | Boardwalk Hall | TKO | R1 (0:93)
#13 | Dec 8, 1990 | Alex Stewart | Boardwalk Hall | TKO | R1 (2:27)
Atlantic City Record: 13-0, 13 KOs (100% knockout rate)
Tyson’s Atlantic City Legacy
Mike Tyson fought more times in Atlantic City than any other location outside of his native New York. His 13 fights there produced:
• 13 wins (perfect record)
• 13 knockouts (100% KO rate)
• 3 heavyweight title defenses (Holmes, Spinks, Williams)
• Combined time in championship fights: Under 8 minutes
• Largest live gate in AC history: $12.3 million (Spinks fight)
• Record attendance: 21,785 (Spinks fight)
The combination of casino money, East Coast accessibility, and Boardwalk Hall’s electric atmosphere created the perfect stage for Tyson’s particular brand of violence. Fans from New York, Philadelphia, and beyond could drive to Atlantic City for a fight and stay to gamble. The casinos made money. The fighters made money. Everyone won—except Tyson’s opponents.
Today, Tyson is enshrined in the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural 2017 class. His dominance during the late 1980s helped cement Atlantic City’s reputation as the “Boxing Capital of the World”—a legacy that fighters like Jaron Ennis are working to revive today.
For anyone who wants to understand Mike Tyson at his peak, start with his Atlantic City fights. All 13 of them. This is where Iron Mike became a legend.
Mike Tyson was inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017 as part of the organization’s inaugural class.
