Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! is a classic NES game that fans love even today. The game pits players against a series of, let’s say, quirky and rather challenging boxers over the three circuits: Minor, Major, and World circuit. Players assume the role of the underdog, Little Mac, as he fights his way through these to the ultimate showdown with none other than Iron Mike Tyson.
With the incoming fight between Jake Paul and Iron Mike, there’s no better time to rank the memorable opponents from Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
# 1 – Don Flamenco
Once Little Mac secures the Minor Circuit title his first opponent in the Major Circuit is Don Flamenco, a 23-year-old Spanish boxer from Madrid. Infamous for his taunts, Flamenco dares Little Mac to attack first.
His signature move, the Rose Flurry, is easily avoidable if a bit dramatic. He will initially step back, clapping as if playing castanets, and counting “¡Uno, dos, tres!” before delivering three right hooks. These can be dodged or ducked, leaving him vulnerable to a counterattack. It is one of the easiest opponents and doesn’t deserve a higher spot than 10 in the Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!! fighters list. However, his uppercut strike – the Flamenco Punch – is fearsome!
# 2 – Great Tiger
2nd place on the list goes to Great Tiger, a 29-year-old Indian boxer from Mumbai. He is the third opponent and is a great threat to Little Mac. His signature move, the Tiger Magic Punch, sees him teleporting and spinning to deliver five rapid jabs.
To counter this, Mac must block all five punches, which leaves Great Tiger vulnerable to a single-face punch that can instantly knock him down.
Though one of the challenging fighters in the game, the blinking ruby on his turban gives away the timing of his punches, making it easy to counter with just a bit of focus.
# 3 – Von Kaiser
The next challenger on our Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! list is Von Kaiser. This 42-year-old German fighter from Berlin is the second opponent and does minimal damage. But he got this spot not for his skills but for one of the most memorable ring entries. Backed by Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries, he comes in with flair.
Without a proper special attack, his moves are a simple left jab and a right uppercut, neither of which does major damage to Little Mac. Players can easily defeat him by landing alternating left and right punches whenever he misses an uppercut.
# 4 – Soda Popinski
A huge threat to Little Mac is the wonderfully named Soda Popinski, a 32-year-old Russian fighter previously known as Vodka Drunkenski. He is the ninth fighter overall and last fighter in the Major Circuit, making it a fight for the championship.
Soda Popinski launches his special move, the Rage Uppercut, when he’s hit with a star punch or knocked down. The move includes three or four rapid uppercuts, depending on the number of punches Mac has thrown, leaving himself vulnerable after the last swing. These heavy hitters can be dodged and when countered, Soda Popinski is an easy target.
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# 5 – King Hippo
The middle of the list belongs to King Hippo, the fan-favorite hippo from Hippo Island in the South Pacific. His age and other details are unknown but the fandom puts him in late 20s. Anyways, he is the fifth fighter overall in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
With his over-the-top looks, charms, and comics, King Hippo’s battles are as entertaining as they are unique. His key weakness lies in his shorts, which fall when punched, exposing him to a barrage of hits. His signature move, the Ear Clap, can be countered with precise timing to stun him or even knock his crown off. Not the best-skilled fighter, but his charm makes him a standout character.
# 6 – Bald Bull
Bald Bull is a 36-year-old Turkish boxer. He comes as the seventh fighter overall. One of the toughest opponents Little Mac faces, his infamous Bull Charge is a devastating move that can knock Mac out in a single hit if not countered.
Alongside the Bull Charge, his arsenal includes big right hooks, uppercuts, and spinning jabs, making him a tough challenge. Moreover, Bald Bull can recover rather quickly from stuns, leaving little to no time to knock him out.
# 7 – Glass Joe
Glass Joe is a 38-year-old boxer from Paris, France and the first opponent Little Mac encounters in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!. He is more of a training dummy than a fighter as he is known for his fragile jaw and minimal offense.
Players can practice dodge and counter-attacks on this guy. His special move, Vive la France, involves a dramatic taunt where he shouts his patriotic phrase before delivering a slow right uppercut. Just that.
Despite his theatrical moves, Glass Joe is the easiest opponent in the game, making him an ideal starting point.
# 8 – Mr. Sandman
Mr. Sandman is a 31 year old boxer from Philadelphia. He is the fifth fighter on the World Circuit, just before the Macho Man fight.
He comes with diverse assets, including powerful and quick uppercuts that aren’t exactly easy to avoid. What makes him even tougher is that he is also one of the few characters in the game that can break out of a stun too fast for an uppercut to land into it. His special move is Razor Uppercut, which includes three quick and powerful uppercuts that can be dodged if timed right. He will flash briefly just before the attack so the player will have time to respond it. Nevertheless, the inability to stun him and throw punches at him in most situations makes him a tough opponent.
# 9 – Macho Man
From the first fighter, we move to the penultimate challenger for Little Mac in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! Macho Man is a 27-year-old boxer from Hollywood. He shares a lot of similarities with Soda Popinski, both in looks and fighting style but upped with immense speed and power.
His signature move, the Macho Punch, makes him spin and when connected it can knock Little Mac down instantly if not dodged. Macho Man is an unpredictable fighter with uppercuts and spin punches and as the final obstacle before the Tyson fight, it is a great way to test skills.
# 10 – Mike Tyson
If you ever fought Mike Tyson and won in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, then you have skills, patience, and audacity. Well done. Tyson, a 21-year-old boxer from Catskill, NY, is the final opponent in the game, boasting an undefeated record of 31-0 with 27 KOs. His uppercuts are notorious for knocking Little Mac down in one hit, much like real life.
Tyson will blink rapidly, which denotes a series of hooks that require perfect timing to counter with jabs. The key to defeating him lies in quickly responding during his blink phase for a long stun. We won’t blame you if you lose many times over. One-hit knockouts from Mike Tyson are nothing to be ashamed of.