Mike Tyson crushed rival’s ribs in devastating two-minute KO on professional debut while earning just $450

Mike Tyson earned just a measly $450 for his professional debut where he made his mark with a frightening KO.

The heavyweight legend is considered one of the greatest boxers of all-time in his prime, conquering the sport by becoming undisputed world champion, as well as later headlining huge events against the likes of Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield.

During his heyday, Tyson earned around $430million (£337.5m) from the sport, but lost the large majority of his fortune.

That money certainly didn't come from his opening professional appearance against Hector Mercedes in 1985, where he revealed he was left with just $100 [£80] after banking the remainder of his total $450 [£280] purse.

Tyson said in his autobiography Undisputed Truth: "I hardly made any money from those early fights.

"My first fight lost money for the promoter, but Jimmy [Jacobs] gave me $500.

"Then he took $50 from that to give to Kevin and he put $350 in the bank for me, so I walked away with $100."

Tyson at the time was managed by Jacobs, with his pro debut failing to sell out the Plaza Convention Center in Albany, New York which left everyone involved suffering a financial loss.

Although he went on to lay down a serious statement to spark fear into those who would go on to touch gloves with him.

He started extremely quickly building on his fearsome reputation as an amateur as he went all guns blazing against the unaware Mercedes.

The teenage sensation saw opportunity to batter his rival to the body and Mercedes knew he was in trouble.

Tyson unloaded crunching left hook after crunching left hook to Mercedes, battering his ribs.

And Mercedes saw no way out and was taking some huge damage so dropped to a knee.

It was a sign of things to come as Mercedes was just one of many rivals to succumb to the eventual legend's concussive power punching.

The victory sparked a career of devastating hitting supremacy.

He quickly went on to become the youngest ever heavyweight world champion aged 20, beating Trevor Berbick in November 1986 after picking up 27 consecutive wins.

Tyson made $1.5 million [£1.2 million] for that famous night, a sign of quite how far he had progressed as a boxing superstar.

But his earnings sky rocketed, with 'Iron Mike' raking in $30 million [£24 million] for his rematch with Frank Bruno, and two epic clashes with Holyfield.

His career-high purse came for his defeat to Lennox Lewis in 2002, where he pocketed a mammoth $35 million [£28 million] for the famous clash under the lights in Las Vegas.

Tyson unfortunately did go on to file for bankruptcy in 2003, but he has since regained his wealth with business investments.

The American legend has since fought Jake Paul in a historic modern-era event in November 2024, making a full professional comeback 19 years on from his retirement bow in 2005.

Justifiable health concerns were voiced during the build-up given he was 58-years-old and far from his years at the peak of his frightening powers.

And he was a shadow of himself as he was comfortably outpointed by a YouTuber-turned-boxer, a sad ending to his stellar career.

But he earned a mammoth $20 million payday for the pleasure.

Despite being a veteran, Tyson showed he still remains one of the biggest names to have ever graced the boxing ring.