“Hurricane” Peter McNeeley was Mike Tyson’s comeback opponent in 1995 when Tyson was released from prison. The fight brought in a lot of money but turned into a farce—and McNeeley’s life after that wasn’t exactly glorious either.
For a few months, the eyes of the world were on him. He was the star of a boxing match that was anticipated with more excitement than any before it, grossed $96 million, and made him a global talking point. Just not necessarily for honorable reasons.
“Hurricane” Peter McNeeley was the man who, on August 19, 1995—31 years ago today—faced off against the icon Mike Tyson when Tyson returned to the ring after four years. Tyson had served three years in prison following a conviction for the rape of Desiree Washington, who was 18 at the time.
The grim circumstances behind Tyson’s absence did nothing to change the fact that, as the industry’s biggest draw, he was quickly missed. The highly publicized comeback turned into a farce—one that would not be the lowest point of McNeeley’s life.
Peter McNeeley’s record sounded good—but was worth little
Tyson’s infamous promoter, Don King, chose McNeeley as the opponent for his cash cow’s return—and at first glance, the matchup sounded appealing: McNeeley, born in Medfield, Massachusetts, was a third-generation boxer; his father, Tom, had once challenged the great Floyd Patterson.
McNeeley’s own record also looked good: 37 fights, 36 wins. It was just that those 36 wins came against less-than-legitimate opponents. Suspicions that he was a “pushover” arose quickly—and were confirmed.
McNeeley, who was clearly less physically fit than Tyson, caused some unintentional laughter even before the fight in Las Vegas when he forgot to unbuckle his belt while taking off his entrance robe.
Counted out after six seconds—disqualified after 89
He didn’t fare any better in his bout with Tyson: Just six seconds in, he took two right hooks from “Iron Mike” and was counted out. It was all over before the end of the first round, as McNeeley continued to take a beating and his trainer, Vinnie Vecchione, finally stormed into the ring. Legendary referee Mills Lane—who two years later also officiated Tyson’s “ear-biting” fight against Evander Holyfield—disqualified McNeeley after 89 seconds.
“I wanted to protect my boy,” Vecchione explained: “This business has already seen too many boxing fatalities and people left permanently disabled.”
After that, McNeeley was no longer in demand as a main event for major boxing matches; his only other somewhat notable fight came in 1999 against super heavyweight “Butterbean” Eric Esch—who also dispatched McNeeley within a single round.
In 2006, McNeeley stole $200 from a man
McNeeley took his humiliation against Tyson in stride and made the best of it: He landed endorsement deals and playfully embraced his image as a punching bag. For “Pizza Hut,” he let himself be knocked over by a pizza crust just for fun, and for the internet provider “AOL,” he parodied the end of the Tyson fight: This time, Vecchione stepped in because McNeeley couldn’t figure out how to use a computer.
But even in the same year as the Tyson fight, McNeeley reappeared in the media for less amusing reasons: He was arrested on charges of aggravated assault.
Two more arrests followed in 2006: Once for punching a man and stealing his wallet, which contained $200. Another time for driving the getaway car after a pharmacy robbery.
McNeeley is now 57 years old and has been popping up on Instagram from time to time for fans who still remember him. He frequently shares memories of the Tyson fight.