Opponent knocked out by Mike Tyson's powerful punch, only for disqualification to follow in an unusual victory scenario.

In a nail-biting encounter on February 16, 1986, Jesse Ferguson, a gritty southpaw, nearly outlasted Mike Tyson. This notable fight marked a significant chapter in Tyson's meteoric rise to stardom, but for Ferguson, it signified a turning point in his career.

Fresh from an extraordinary debut year, Tyson, then 18, faced Ferguson in his 18th professional bout. Prior to this clash, every one of Tyson's 17 bouts had ended inside the distance, making Ferguson the sole contender to stretch him to five rounds.

Ferguson utilized his strength to smother Tyson's attacks on the inside, but a booming right uppercut landed by Tyson in the fifth round sent Ferguson spiraling. The blow broke Ferguson's nose and left him flat on his back. Yet, he showed incredible resilience, miraculously rising back to his feet.

Sensing Ferguson was still feeling the impact of the knockdown, Tyson lunged at him like a crazed beast, unleashing a punishing barrage of shots. In the sixth round, Ferguson, despite his enormous heart, decided he had had enough and refused to engage with the fierce teenager. Ignoring the referee's pleas to break up the clinch, Ferguson was disqualified.

However, the local commission later overturned the decision, awarding Tyson a technical knockout victory, keeping his formidable stoppage streak intact.

SO WHAT WAS LEFT OF JESSE FERGUSON'S CAREER AFTER THAT FIGHT?

While the available sources do not provide a comprehensive account of Ferguson's career after this pivotal loss, it is clear that this defeat significantly impacted his trajectory. Despite his impressive showing against Tyson, Ferguson failed to scale the same heights as the young heavyweight sensation.

Following this fight, Ferguson continued to fight, but details about his subsequent career milestones are not widely documented. He did, however, manage a notable upset victory over Ray Mercer in 1993, earning a shot at the WBA heavyweight title against Riddick Bowe, but was swiftly defeated.

The later part of his 44-fight career (26-18) saw him lose bouts to heavyweights like Larry Holmes, Hasim Rahman, and Frank Bruno. He even took Andrew Golota the distance in his final fight in 1999.

In the grand scheme of boxing history, Jesse Ferguson may not rank among the legends, but his brief brush with greatness against Mike Tyson remains an intriguing footnote in the annals of boxing lore.

Despite the notable fight against Mike Tyson marking a turning point in Jesse Ferguson's career, his subsequent battles failed to replicate the same success. His career continued with various fights, including challenging Larry Holmes, Hasim Rahman, Frank Bruno, and even taking Andrew Golota the distance in his final fight in 1999. Interestingly, Ferguson also tried his hand at Formula One racing, participating in a few races during the early 2000s.

Opponent knocked out by Mike Tyson's powerful punch, only for disqualification to follow in an unusual victory scenario.