Several Tyson opponents had the physical tools but lacked the wherewithal to sustain whatever successes they managed, mostly because Tyson inflicted enough damage to quell the threats. The conventional wisdom of the time said that the fighter who would beat Tyson would be tall and long-armed, fire snappy jabs and powerful crosses, own a solid chin and possess enough mental fortitude to bounce back from Tyson’s firepower and burn him with plenty of his own. Heck, by the time Tyson would reach that mark, he’d be only 32. Should he beat Douglas, then turn back Evander Holyfield in their already-scheduled June 18 showdown, Tyson would be in position to perhaps surpass Louis’ divisional (and all-time) record of 25 consecutive defenses and 11 years, 255 days as champion. His level of dominance also prompted thoughts of what Tyson could achieve. Sullivan, Jim Jeffries, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Sonny Liston and George Foreman. To many, Tyson indeed was the “baddest man on the planet” and to historians, his physical and psychological supremacy linked him to the likes of John L. His menacing disposition in press conferences and inside the ring intimidated even the largest and most imposing of opponents and the fact that Tyson himself stood under six feet made that aspect of his ring profile even more impressive. Jaws were broken ribs were smashed and psyches were ruined. His knockouts were the very definition of the term “highlight-reel material.” Fighters didn’t just fall down they were splayed, splattered and steamrolled. “Iron Mike’s” magnificently muscled physique not only produced massive two-fisted power but also generated mind-blowing hand speed. 1987 and earned lineal status four fights later by blitzing Michael Spinks in 91 seconds. He added the WBA strap less than four months later by beating James “Bonecrusher” Smith, won IBF recognition by decisioning Tony Tucker in Aug. The electrifying 23-year-old champion was 37-0 with 33 knockouts and was making the 10th defense of the WBC belt he won from Trevor Berbick in Nov. One Sports Illustrated writer captured the mood when he wrote that Tyson would go through Douglas “faster than a plate of tuna in a sushi bar.”īased on past performances, that line of thinking was sensible. The announcement of the Tyson-Douglas fight was met with a collective yawn and, in most quarters, the challengers’ chances of success were summarily dismissed. Just as was the case when Leon Spinks upset Muhammad Ali nearly 12 years earlier, I struggled to wrap my mind around the concept that this most unlikely of fighters now held the most celebrated prize in sport. The rush was such that it took quite a while to fall asleep. I watched with a mixture of astonishment and exhilaration as I saw the drama unfold, then conclude. Even though I knew the final result, I didn’t know when it occurred or how it was executed. “I want to see this for myself.”Īs always, I had set the timer on the VCR in my bedroom just before I left for work and I trusted that it had worked properly. Upon seeing this, I dropped to my knees, turned to my right and exclaimed, “No!” “I wonder what Tyson has to say.”Įxcept when HBO’s cameraman pulled back and panned up, I realized that the belt was around Douglas’ waist, not Iron Mike’s. “Oh, the fight must be over and they’re interviewing the winner,” I thought. The first image I saw was a close-up of the WBC championship belt. As I walked into the living room, my older sister was sitting to my right and the TV was on. I had just returned home from my job on the copy desk of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel in Parkersburg, WV, which I had begun exactly one month earlier. The combination of the final result, the way it was achieved and the fighter who pulled it off produced global shock waves and the very idea that it happened at all literally drove this scribe to his knees. James “Buster” Douglas, who was such a prohibitive underdog that only one Las Vegas bookmaker (the Mirage) was willing to post odds of any sort, became the new undisputed heavyweight champion of the world by scoring a dominant, devastating, off-the-floor 10th round knockout over the previously undefeated Mike Tyson. Twenty-five years ago today, the sports world – and a sizable chunk of the general public – experienced a powerful “Where were you?” moment.
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