This 1986 ten round heavyweight bout between Iron Mike Tyson vs. Mitch Blood Green was Tysons’ 21st professional heavyweight bout…..against a really tough street savvy fighter called Blood….as this bout went the distance and provided really good entertainment….for both these guys had reputations of being known as “bad ass, angry tough”.
Mitch Green is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005…..who is best known for facing a then-undefeated Mike Tyson in 1986 as seen in this video herewith….but even more famous for his later street brawl with Tyson in 1988….who as an amateur he won the New York Golden Gloves four times in 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1980….and compiled a record of 64 wins and 7 losses, with 51 wins by knock-out. Blood also won the 1976 Sub-Novice Heavyweight Championship and the 1977, 1979 and 1980 Heavyweight Open Championships….as.Green defeated Anthony Zampelli to win the 1976 title….then defeated Guy Casale for the title in 1977…followed by a 1979 defeat of Ralph Fucc…..and capped off with a 1980 defeat of Merlin Castellanos….and would have won 5 years in a row had he not suffered a decisive cut which caused him to lose in the 1978 tournament…..so, this cat named “Blood” was a very accomplished boxer by the time he left the amatuer ranks.
As a professional, Green was one of NBC’s “Tomorrow’s Champions” and was ranked as high as #7 by the World Boxing Council, and also in the top ten by the World Boxing Association. Mitch was undefeated in his first sixteen bouts, which included a 1983 points win over the rugged Floyd “Jumbo” Cummings, and a draw with trialhorse Robert Evans. His first loss was a twelve-round decision to future WBC champ Trevor Berbick in a bid for the United States Boxing Association title on August 10, 1985.
After a comeback win over Percell Davis he lost a ten-round decision to Mike Tyson in 1986 on HBO and seen herewith in this video….for in this his most famous fight during the buildup to the fight Green had complained bitterly of the disparity in purses between him and Tyson when a day before the fight he learned he was being paid $30,000 to Tyson’s $200,000….so, he threatened to pull out of the contest….and finally settled for being released from his managerial contract with Don King’s stepson Carl in return for his short purse. Green put up a stubborn showing during the fight where Tyson was unable to hurt him or put him on the canvus…..as the fact is that Green did get one of his gold teeth knocked out by a Tyson left hook to the jaw….for the tooth actually landed in front of writer Phil Berger.
Iron Mike Tyson, on the other hand…..was just one-third through his legendary heavyweight boxing career as he intered the ring to meet Blood Green….cuz for the next four years, Iron Mike Tyson would dominate and destroy the heavyweight division of boxing….defeating the likes of Marvis Frazier, Alonzo Ratliff, Trevor Berbick, James “Bonecrusher” Smith, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, Tony Tubbs, Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno and Carl “The Truth” Williams….most of which had held world heavyweight titles.
So, any time you get a chance to watch Iron Mike Tyson….especially when he is fighting someone for the innercity streets of New York City named “Blood”…..for any boxing fan….it becomes MUST SEE TV !!!
