Tyson vs. Douglas
Encyclopedia
Tyson vs. Douglas was a historic boxing match that occurred at the Tokyo Dome
in Tokyo, Japan on February 11, 1990, in which then undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
lost via knockout to the 42–1 underdog
Buster Douglas. The fight is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
, WBA
, and IBF
titles. Despite the several controversies that marked Tyson's profile at the time, such as his notorious, abusive relationship with Robin Givens
; the contractual battles between longtime manager Bill Cayton
and promoter Don King
; and Tyson's departure from longtime trainer Kevin Rooney
; Mike Tyson was still lethal in the ring, scoring a 93-second knockout against Carl "The Truth" Williams in his previous fight. Most considered this fight to be a warm-up bout for Tyson before meeting up with then-undefeated number 1 heavyweight contender Evander Holyfield
(who was ringside for the fight).
Buster Douglas was a journeyman
who had had mixed success in his professional boxing career up to that point. His previous title fight was against Tony Tucker
in 1987, in which he was TKO'd in the 10th round. However, a string of six consecutive wins gave him the opportunity to fight Tyson. In the time leading up to the fight, Douglas faced a number of setbacks, including the death of his mother, Lula Pearl, 23 days before the fight. Additionally, his son's mother was facing a severe kidney ailment, and he had contracted the flu the day before the fight.
In the middle rounds Tyson managed to land a few of his signature uppercuts, but Douglas was still dominating the fight. Tyson's left eye began to swell from Douglas' right hands, and his corner was not equipped with an end-swell. Instead, they filled a rubber glove with ice water and held it on Tyson's eye between rounds.
Within the last 10 seconds of the 8th round, Tyson, who had been backed onto the ropes, landed a big right uppercut that sent Douglas to the canvas. Douglas got up after a 9-second count (of which Tyson promoter Don King
would later argue the validity, vainly).
In the dramatic 9th round Tyson came out aggressively to end the fight and save his title, hoping that Douglas was still hurt from the 8th-round knockdown but Douglas was able to fight off Tyson's attack. Both men traded punches before Douglas connected on a four-punch combination that staggered Tyson back to the ropes. With Tyson hurt along the ropes, Douglas closed in and unleashed a vicious attack to try to knock Tyson out. Tyson tried to fight Douglas off but it was in vain. Douglas continued to land hard punches on Tyson as the round came to a close. Tyson withstood the punishment and barely survived the 9th round.
In the tenth round Mike Tyson pushed forward to fight but he was still seriously hurting from the accumulation of punishment given throughout the match. As Tyson walked forward, Douglas measured him with a few jabs before landing a devastating uppercut that snapped Tyson's head upward, stopping Tyson in his tracks. As Tyson began to reel back from the uppercut, Douglas immediately followed with four punches to the head, knocking Tyson down for the first time in his career. In a famous scene, Tyson fumbled for his mouthpiece on the canvas before sticking one end in his mouth with the other end hanging out. The champion attempted to make it back to his feet to continue fighting but referee Octavio Meyran
counted him out. Buster Douglas thus became the new undisputed heavyweight champion and the fight became one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
. The WBA and WBC initially agreed and suspended recognition of Douglas as champion, although the IBF immediately accepted that the result was valid. After a public outcry and demands from boxing commissions around the world that they acknowledge Douglas as the champion, the protest was withdrawn and Douglas' win was recognised four days after the fight.
Plans for a rematch fell through, so Douglas' first title defence was against #1 contender Evander Holyfield
. An overweight Douglas, weighing 14 1/2 lbs more than the Tyson fight, was knocked out by Holyfield in the third round. He retired afterwards, although launched a comeback six years later after almost dying in a diabetic coma. Despite rumours of a rematch with Tyson throughout the 1990s, they never faced each other again. Douglas fought for the last time in 1999.
Tyson would fight four more times after the Douglas fight before being convicted of raping beauty pageant contestant Desiree Washington in 1991. Following his release from the Indiana Youth Center in 1995 he quickly regained the WBA and WBC world titles, before losing them to Holyfield
and was never again a world champion. He fought on sporadically for another decade and lost in another title challenge
against Lennox Lewis
in 2002. He retired from boxing in 2005 after consecutive losses to journeymen.
Buster Douglas
went down in sports lore as a prize fighter that defied the odds to accomplish one of the biggest upsets in sports history. For Tyson, though he retained a menacing aura for years afterwards, "the mystique of the untouchable, invincible "Baddest Man on the Planet" had been shattered." The fight is often ranked among the biggest upsets in sporting history.
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
in Tokyo, Japan on February 11, 1990, in which then undefeated, undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
lost via knockout to the 42–1 underdog
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
Buster Douglas. The fight is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
Background
Going into the fight, Mike Tyson was the undefeated & undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He held the WBCWorld Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
, and IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
titles. Despite the several controversies that marked Tyson's profile at the time, such as his notorious, abusive relationship with Robin Givens
Robin Givens
Robin Simone Givens is an American model and film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the television series Head of the Class.-Early life:...
; the contractual battles between longtime manager Bill Cayton
Bill Cayton
William D. Cayton , best known for helping to manage and promote Mike Tyson early in his career, was also famous for preserving much of boxing's legacy through his efforts as a film historian and producer...
and promoter Don King
Don King
Donald "Don" King is an American boxing promoter particularly known for his hairstyle and flamboyant personality. His career highlights include promoting "The Rumble in the Jungle" and the "Thrilla in Manila". He also had a long association with Mike Tyson...
; and Tyson's departure from longtime trainer Kevin Rooney
Kevin Rooney
Kevin Rooney , is a former boxer and a current boxing trainer.-Amateur Boxing Career:Rooney won the 1975 147 lb Sub-Novice New York Golden Gloves Championship. Rooney defeated Kevin Higgins of West Point in the finals...
; Mike Tyson was still lethal in the ring, scoring a 93-second knockout against Carl "The Truth" Williams in his previous fight. Most considered this fight to be a warm-up bout for Tyson before meeting up with then-undefeated number 1 heavyweight contender Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
(who was ringside for the fight).
Buster Douglas was a journeyman
Journeyman (boxing)
A journeyman boxer is defined as a fighter who has adequate boxing skill, but does not have the caliber of a contender or gatekeeper. Outside of boxing, a "journeyman" is a trader or crafter who has completed an apprenticeship, but is not at the level of a master craftsman...
who had had mixed success in his professional boxing career up to that point. His previous title fight was against Tony Tucker
Tony Tucker
Tony Craig Tucker is a retired professional heavyweight boxer. Tucker fought professionally from 1980 to 1998. Nicknamed "TNT," he won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, and was briefly a world heavyweight champion as a professional.-Amateur career:Tucker had a notable amateur career,...
in 1987, in which he was TKO'd in the 10th round. However, a string of six consecutive wins gave him the opportunity to fight Tyson. In the time leading up to the fight, Douglas faced a number of setbacks, including the death of his mother, Lula Pearl, 23 days before the fight. Additionally, his son's mother was facing a severe kidney ailment, and he had contracted the flu the day before the fight.
Fight
From the beginning of the fight it was apparent that Douglas was not afraid. He displayed a lot of spring and life in his body movement and he wasn't cautious in letting his punches fly whenever he saw the opportunity to attack Tyson. He used his quick and accurate jab to prevent Tyson from getting inside, where Tyson was most dangerous. When Tyson tried to get inside, Douglas tied him up, moved away, or would immediately hit Tyson with multiple punches as Tyson came within Douglas' range. Early on Douglas was more agile than Tyson and outlanded Tyson in exchanges.In the middle rounds Tyson managed to land a few of his signature uppercuts, but Douglas was still dominating the fight. Tyson's left eye began to swell from Douglas' right hands, and his corner was not equipped with an end-swell. Instead, they filled a rubber glove with ice water and held it on Tyson's eye between rounds.
Within the last 10 seconds of the 8th round, Tyson, who had been backed onto the ropes, landed a big right uppercut that sent Douglas to the canvas. Douglas got up after a 9-second count (of which Tyson promoter Don King
Don King
Donald "Don" King is an American boxing promoter particularly known for his hairstyle and flamboyant personality. His career highlights include promoting "The Rumble in the Jungle" and the "Thrilla in Manila". He also had a long association with Mike Tyson...
would later argue the validity, vainly).
In the dramatic 9th round Tyson came out aggressively to end the fight and save his title, hoping that Douglas was still hurt from the 8th-round knockdown but Douglas was able to fight off Tyson's attack. Both men traded punches before Douglas connected on a four-punch combination that staggered Tyson back to the ropes. With Tyson hurt along the ropes, Douglas closed in and unleashed a vicious attack to try to knock Tyson out. Tyson tried to fight Douglas off but it was in vain. Douglas continued to land hard punches on Tyson as the round came to a close. Tyson withstood the punishment and barely survived the 9th round.
In the tenth round Mike Tyson pushed forward to fight but he was still seriously hurting from the accumulation of punishment given throughout the match. As Tyson walked forward, Douglas measured him with a few jabs before landing a devastating uppercut that snapped Tyson's head upward, stopping Tyson in his tracks. As Tyson began to reel back from the uppercut, Douglas immediately followed with four punches to the head, knocking Tyson down for the first time in his career. In a famous scene, Tyson fumbled for his mouthpiece on the canvas before sticking one end in his mouth with the other end hanging out. The champion attempted to make it back to his feet to continue fighting but referee Octavio Meyran
Octavio Meyran
Octavio Meyran Sanchez is a former Mexican boxing referee.During his career Meyran took charge of over twenty world title fights. Among the bouts he refereed were the infamous No Más fight between Roberto Durán and Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, Wilfredo Gómez's WBC Featherweight title-winning effort...
counted him out. Buster Douglas thus became the new undisputed heavyweight champion and the fight became one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath of the fight Tyson's camp, led by Don King, protested the result, claiming that Douglas had been given a long count by referee Octavio MeyranOctavio Meyran
Octavio Meyran Sanchez is a former Mexican boxing referee.During his career Meyran took charge of over twenty world title fights. Among the bouts he refereed were the infamous No Más fight between Roberto Durán and Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, Wilfredo Gómez's WBC Featherweight title-winning effort...
. The WBA and WBC initially agreed and suspended recognition of Douglas as champion, although the IBF immediately accepted that the result was valid. After a public outcry and demands from boxing commissions around the world that they acknowledge Douglas as the champion, the protest was withdrawn and Douglas' win was recognised four days after the fight.
Plans for a rematch fell through, so Douglas' first title defence was against #1 contender Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
. An overweight Douglas, weighing 14 1/2 lbs more than the Tyson fight, was knocked out by Holyfield in the third round. He retired afterwards, although launched a comeback six years later after almost dying in a diabetic coma. Despite rumours of a rematch with Tyson throughout the 1990s, they never faced each other again. Douglas fought for the last time in 1999.
Tyson would fight four more times after the Douglas fight before being convicted of raping beauty pageant contestant Desiree Washington in 1991. Following his release from the Indiana Youth Center in 1995 he quickly regained the WBA and WBC world titles, before losing them to Holyfield
Tyson-Holyfield I
Tyson-Holyfield I or Tyson vs Holyfield I, also billed as Finally, was a professional boxing match fought between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson on November 9, 1996 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The referee officiating the fight was Mitch Halpern...
and was never again a world champion. He fought on sporadically for another decade and lost in another title challenge
Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson
Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson was a boxing match that took place on June 8, 2002, at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, between IBF, IBO and WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former IBF, WBA and WBC heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. The fight was for Lewis' Heavyweight...
against Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
in 2002. He retired from boxing in 2005 after consecutive losses to journeymen.
Buster Douglas
James Douglas
-Lords of Angus:* James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus , Scottish nobleman* James Douglas, Earl of Angus , son of the 2nd Marquess of Douglas-Lords of Douglas:...
went down in sports lore as a prize fighter that defied the odds to accomplish one of the biggest upsets in sports history. For Tyson, though he retained a menacing aura for years afterwards, "the mystique of the untouchable, invincible "Baddest Man on the Planet" had been shattered." The fight is often ranked among the biggest upsets in sporting history.