Tyson charged at Tillman once the opening bell sounded, causing Tillman to quickly retreat. Tillman offered very little offense during the fight, instead spending the first minute of the fight circling the ring in an effort to avoid Tyson's powerful punches. Tyson eventually caught up to Tillman and began throwing powerful combinations at Tillman, causing Tillman to clinch several times whenever Tyson would mount a substantial amount of offense. With around 25 seconds left in the round, Tyson trapped Tillman in the corner. Tillman attempted to throw a jab, but Tyson countered with a strong right hand that dropped Tillman to the mat. Tillman remained on his back as the referee counted him out and Tyson was named the winner by way of knockout at 2:47 of the first round.
