Revisiting Mike Tyson’s KO win over Steve Zouski at last Nassau Coliseum boxing match
Ref Arthur Mercante points the way to the neutral corner for Mike Tyson, right, after he knocked down Steve Zouski in the third round at Nassau Coliseum ion Monday, March 11, 1986. Credit: AP / Ray Stubblebine
Boxing returns to renovated Nassau Coliseum for the first time in 31 years with a Premier Boxing Champions card televised by Fox Sports headed by a battle between welterweight contenders Omar Figueroa and Robert Guerrero in the main event and featuring Long Island light heavyweight Sean Monaghan against Staten Island’s Marcus Browne on the undercard.
The last Coliseum fight card starred none other than 19-year-old heavyweight (Iron) Mike Tyson in the early stages of his career on the way to the heavyweight title. On March 10, 1986, Tyson (19-0, 19 KOs) scored a knockout at 2:39 of the third round over journeyman Steve Zouski (25-10, 14 KOs).
Although Zouski was 2-7 in his previous nine bouts, he held his own through the first two rounds. But Tyson landed a series of uppercuts about two minutes into the third round to send Zouski reeling into the ropes, where Tyson finished him with a right uppercut and a left hook that dropped him face-first on the canvas. Zouski only got to his feet after Hall of Fame referee Arthur Mercante, a Long Island resident, counted him out.
“He was a game opponent, and I have to give him a lot of credit for standing in and taking some good punches,” Tyson said, according to the report on the BoxingRec website. “I didn’t like my performance.”
That streak of 19 straight stoppages was the longest of Tyson’s career. It ended two months later in upstate Glens Falls, where Tyson won a unanimous decision over James Tillis.
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
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