1990
Down goes Tyson
The most ferocious of all heavyweight boxing champions was Mike Tyson, who was also the youngest man to win the world title. He was fast and a tremendously hard hitter. It also helped that he was insane, a wife abuser, convicted rapist, an ear biter and capable of threatening to eat an opponent’s children. The sight of him charging across the ring in the first round was enough to cause faint hearts and trembling knees in those he faced.
In February 1990 he was at the peak of his form, with a 37-0 record, almost all by knockouts early in the fight. He had defeated creditable foes such as Larry Holmes, Trevor Berbick, James “Bonecrusher” Smith, and Michael Spinks. His opponent in Tokyo was the little-regarded Buster Douglas, 29-4-1, who deemed to be a mere warm-up for a match later in the year with Evander Holyfield. Only one Las Vegas casino would even take a bet on the fight and the single one to do so offered odds of 42-1.
But from the beginning it was clear that Douglas had no fear of Tyson and refused to be bullied. His jab, with a 12-inch reach advantage, kept the shorter Tyson at bay and by the fifth round had created a dangerous lump above the champion’s left eye. Tyson seemed to believe he could end the fight with a single blow and was willing to trade punches, a tactic that seemed to work in the 8th round when he felled Douglas with an uppercut. Taking advantage of what seemed to be a long count, Douglas was able to regain his feet. Tyson’s aggression was reawoken, but to no avail. In the ninth and tenth rounds Douglas battered him into submission, finally knocking Tyson off his feet for the first time in his career. The dazed champion could not beat the count and Buster Douglas was declared the winner of what was called the most amazing upset in boxing history.
Alas for Douglas. He declined a rematch with Tyson and elected to fight up-and-coming Evander Holyfield. During his nine-month reign he had let himself get fat and lazy and was knocked out in the third round. His career was over but his fight with Tyson is part of boxing history.