Buster Douglas Mike Tyson Fight 25 Years Ago Today

[ukalumni00]

Very hard to believe that fight was 25 years ago. Time flies. Took me several weeks to truly realize Tyson lost that fight. Remember watching it and in complete disbelief in how well Buster was fighting Mike. Went from disbelief to complete shock when Tyson went down in the 10th. Still has to be the biggest upset in boxing history. One of the biggest in sports history.

When looking back, its not surprising he lost because his life was in a tailspin and his training for that fight was terrible, but at the time it was unthinkable that he would lose to anyone let alone a journeyman like Douglas was.

 

[Kooky Kats]

U-Club $5 all you can chug beers.

Kenny Sky Walker won NBA slam dunk contest that night.

I hooked up with two different chicks as well.

An epic evening all around....perhaps too epic.

 

[thabigbluenation]

he basically said he didn't train at all but was touring around japan courting prostitutes. and he got his head thumped

 

[Cawood86]

Remember it well. I was in the USAF at the time. We were all in shock. He didn't just get beat, he got knocked out crawling on the mat looking for his mouthpiece.

 

[Wildcat Willy]

Originally posted by Kooky Kats:

Kenny Sky Walker won NBA slam dunk contest that night.

False.

Sky won his dunk title in 1989.

Dominique won the contest the same night Douglas upset Tyson. (Feb. 11, 1990)

In that same contest, Rex Chapman was given absurdly low scores for a behind the back and off the backboard slam.

 

[From-the-stands]

Tyson was in a serious car wreck in Catskill leading up to that fight that knocked him out cold. He hit a tree and his head slammed the steering wheel. When you get knocked out once, you are much more likely to be knocked out again.

 

[Kaizer Sosay]

You can't really blame Tyson for losing that fight. Brian Williams trained Buster Douglas for that particular fight. Alas, Tyson didn't stand a chance of winning.

 

[dezyDeco]

I remember that the unexpected KO of Tyson also KO'd the Kentucky cover story for Sports Illustrated. I think there was still a little simulated folded corner "also inside" teaser at the top for the UK feature.

 

[fballcats76]

I saw Mike Tyson in Vegas last year. He was signing autographs at a joint in caesars palace for $500 a pop. The line was long as my, well let's just say it was long!

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Still remember waking up the next morning shocked. At that point, it seemed like Noone could beat Tyson, let alone a nobody, and definitely not by KO.

If Tyson could have avoided self destruction, I truly think he could have been the greatest ever.

 

[domino79]

Ali would have picked Tyson apart 9 times out of ten.

 

[ukalumni00]

Originally posted by domino79:
Ali would have picked Tyson apart 9 times out of ten.

Agree. Even at Tyson's best Ali would have done to him like what he did to Foreman. Both were the most powerful punchers of their era (Frazier was no slouch either) and Ali took George's punches like the Champ that he was. His reach, incredible speed, and devastating jabs would have given Tyson's fits (especially considering the major reach advantage Ali would have had). Granted, if Tyson perfectly landed one of his powerful uppercuts or hooks it may have knocked Ali out, but it would have been very difficult for him to hit him perfect the way Ali moved around the ring.

Ali had some iconic guys he faced in his career. Liston, Foreman, Frazier, etc. He beat them all. Like Tyson, later in his career he lost several fights he would have never lost when younger.

Tyson really never fought anyone during the 80's that were in their primes and be considered some of the best ever. Spinks had a great record but not a historical fighter. Holmes was out of his prime. Tyson fought a ton of tomato cans in 1985-86 to pad his record and then faced a lot of average fighters during his title reign. IMO, the first truly elite fighter that he faced was Holyfield and we saw how that went. Lewis dismantled him, but at that point he was washed up. If he ever fought Riddick Bowe (when he cared) he would have beaten Tyson as well.

Overall, it was a treat watching Tyson back then. From 85-90 he was the show in boxing and can be debated was the biggest attraction in sports.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I definitely agree Ali was superior to the version of Tyson that actually fought. Im talking about the version of Tyson had he truly trained his whole career rather than the Tyson that wasted away a career on booze, coke, and prostitutes.

 

[ukfan03]

I was only 7 but remember watching it with my dad. My dad and I were in complete shock. I remember being mad because he was nothing like the guy I had to fight on the game.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[domino79]

Originally posted by bigblueinsanity:

I definitely agree Ali was superior to the version of Tyson that actually fought. Im talking about the version of Tyson had he truly trained his whole career rather than the Tyson that wasted away a career on booze, coke, and prostitutes.

Physically, Tyson was aggressive, intimidating, loose-climbed. Mentally he was a disaster. Just a bully who didn't have a lot of options after the initial bullrush, and I don't think you can separate the mind from the body.

 

[bballlutz]

i agree that tyson never fought the quality fighters that ali faced in his day. i do believe however that if tyson hadn't lost all of his original mentors d'amato, jacobs, and rooney he never would have lost a fight in his career. there is no way holyfield would have beat tyson in their prime. even ali has been quoted saying that tyson would have knocked him out if they both fought in their prime. in his best days tyson came out and killed people, and there really wasn't anyway to stop it.

 

[gamecockcat]

Tyson in his prime was a very underrated defensive fighter. He truly didn't get hit that much, kept his hands up and had superior head movement. He also fought a lot of fighters taller and bigger than Ali (of course, none as talented) and had no trouble slipping punches and getting inside. He also had much faster hands than most people gave him credit for. Many of his knockouts weren't one punch as most 'misremember' but a series of very fast, very heavy punches. I would envision a Sugar Ray Leonard v. Marvin Hagler type of fight where one guy backpedals and throws a bunch of jabs off his back foot while the other stalks and throws much heavier punches. In their primes, it would have been a very good fight with a huge contrast in styles. Ali was great and perhaps the greatest. Tyson, in his prime, would've given him a helluva fight and quite possibly won. Remember, Joe Frazier won the first fight with Ali and I think Tyson in his prime was better than Frazier (Ali was probably still rusty and starting to erode a bit but still very near his peak at that time).

 

[BlueKel]

Thanks for the spoilers a-holes. I had it taped and was going to watch it tonight.

 

[dezyDeco]

Originally posted by BlueKel:
Thanks for the spoilers a-holes. I had it taped and was going to watch it tonight.

You still have Betamax, or have you switched to VHS?