Mike Tyson is widely considered to be one of the most destructive punchers of all time.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion finished 44 of his 50 wins inside the distance including his first 19 pro fights.

Tyson claims nobody hit him harder than Evander HolyfieldAFP – Getty

James Tillis and Mitch Green were the only boxers who managed to survive to see the final bell against Tyson en route to becoming the youngest world heavyweight champion of all time (20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old).

He blasted out Trevor Berbick inside two rounds in November 1986 to complete the incredible feat and less than a year later he unified all three major sanctioning body belts by battering James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith and Tony Tucker.

After defending his belts six times, Tyson would eventually come unstuck against Buster Douglas in 1990 and was then handed a three-year stretch in prison for rape.

When he returned to the ring, he became heavyweight champion for a second time by snatching the WBC strap from Frank Bruno in 1996 and then the WBA belt from Bruce Seldon in the same year.

But he didn’t hold onto his heavyweight gold for long after running into Evander Holyfield.

‘The Real Deal’ stopped Tyson against the ropes in their inaugural encounter and won their rematch via disqualification after ‘Iron Mike’ bit a chunk of his ear off.

Tyson and Holyfield didn’t see eye to eye for a considerable stretch after their heated grudge matches, but in the years that followed, ‘Iron Mike’ gave considerable props to his rival.

During his ‘Best I faced’ feature with Ring Magazine in 2014, Tyson named Holyfield as the biggest puncher he had shared the ring with.

“Holyfield. He threw terrific shots with both hands and with bad intentions,” he said.

He also admitted that Holyfield was his best overall foe, as he stated: “Great champion; chin, heart, determination, work ethic, demeanour.”

Tyson was usually the one dishing out the knockouts but he tasted the canvas a fair few times during his careerGETTY

Holyfield is one of five men who managed to stop Tyson during his illustrious career, and the second to do it behind Douglas.

The next man to knock out Tyson was Lennox Lewis in 2002 in what proved to be Tyson’s final world title fight.

Two years later, Danny Williams switched Tyson’s lights off with a big right hand before Kevin McBride retired him on his stool in 2005.

‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ hung up his gloves in the immediate aftermath of his crushing defeat to McBride, humbly admitting he no longer had ‘the fighting guts’.

Yet 19 years later, Tyson is set to return to the ring against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

Tyson recently celebrated his 58th birthday while Paul is in his physical prime at 27.

Given the staggering 31-year age gap the expectation was that their November 15 showdown would be an exhibition bout.

However, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has sanctioned it as a professional contest under their auspices.