Mike Tyson’s historic defeat in under two minutes has sent shockwaves through the gaming community. The record-setting match, captured in a 2024 video by speedrunner Summoning Salt, showcased a rare combination of skill and luck that culminated in a near-perfect bout against the formidable Tyson.
In the heat of the moment, Summoning Salt faced an improbable scenario where Tyson presented him with what he described as a “perfect pattern” during the first phase of relentless uppercuts. This stroke of luck, which only occurs once in approximately 1,600 bouts, set the stage for a monumental showdown. As the match progressed, the game’s random-number generator further favored Summoning Salt by introducing a mere 16 frames of delay, equivalent to roughly 0.8 in-game seconds. The convergence of these factors led Summoning Salt to estimate that Tyson’s lightning-fast punches would only align in such a manner once every 7,000 to 10,000 attempts.
When the dust settled and victory was secured, Summoning Salt’s reaction was a mix of disbelief and awe. Live on Twitch, he uttered, “It’s over,” in a subdued tone that belied the magnitude of his achievement. Wrestling with the reality of his triumph, Summoning Salt expressed a sense of shock and gratitude, acknowledging the surreal nature of the moment.
With this groundbreaking performance, Summoning Salt surpassed his own previous world record of precisely 2:00.00 on the in-game clock. This milestone, achieved just eight months prior, narrowly missed displaying 1:59 on the in-game timer, a goal that had eluded him for years. Reflecting on his journey, Summoning Salt highlighted the consistent effort and persistence required to push the boundaries of speedrunning.
Looking back on his earlier struggles to beat Matt Turk’s 2007 record of 2:13 on Tyson, Summoning Salt recognized the uphill battle faced by speedrunners in the quest for excellence. The arduous path to success, marked by incremental improvements and setbacks, ultimately led him to the pinnacle of his gaming career. Despite coming within striking distance of the tool-assisted speedrun record of 1:58.61, Summoning Salt expressed contentment with his current achievement and hinted at a possible retirement from competitive speedrunning.
As he contemplates the legacy of his groundbreaking feat, Summoning Salt remains humble yet proud of his contribution to gaming history. While acknowledging the potential for his record to be surpassed in the future, he basks in the satisfaction of being the first to break the elusive sub-2 barrier on Mike Tyson. His journey serves as a testament to the dedication, perseverance, and sheer determination required to achieve greatness in the world of speedrunning.
