Tyson-Douglas: The biggest upset in Boxing

By Boxing News - 02/09/2016 - Comments

tyson644621By Mark Havey: Every Boxing fan can remember seeing a fight with a result that left them shell shocked. Boxing is such an unpredictable sport and every expert is left red faced from time to time. One punch can change a fight around and leave the favorite out cold on the canvas.

this week it will be 26 years since the biggest upset in Boxing, in my opinion. 11th Feb 1990 saw the unbeatable Mike Tyson face off against the man most felt didn’t have a chance, Buster Douglas. Some bookmakers had the odds at 50/1 in Iron Mike Tyson’s favor.

It seemed like fair odds. Tyson had destroyed the best fighters in the division, men far above the ability of Douglas. Less than a month before the fight, Douglas lost his Mother to a stroke. His frame of mind was questioned. None expected it to serve as inspiration in the most daunting of challenges. However, Reports were rife that Tyson hadn’t trained very much and was busy partying.

Throughout the fight, it was painfully clear that Tyson wasn’t himself. His weight was fine and he was only 2lbs heavier than expected. It is undeniable that Tyson had been partying and didn’t take the fight seriously. Buster Douglas took the fight very seriously and put on the performance of his life. In round 10, Douglas delivered a devastating 5 punch combination that sent Mike Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. Dazed and confused, Tyson searched the ground for his gum shield, unaware that he was being counted out. Buster Douglas had done the unthinkable and Mike Tyson had lost more than just his belts.

The menacing stare remained, but the air of invincibility had gone. Tyson eventually regained Champion status and racked up many more wins, but his life spiraled out of control. A prison sentence and bankruptcy were ahead for him. Once the most feared man in Boxing and dubbed ‘The baddest man on the planet’, Tyson is now a family man. He toured his one man show, talking about his life, shows up in films and TV and looks after his pigeons.

Buster Douglas seemed to have the world at his feet. But never successfully defended his title. He was knocked out in his next fight in round 3. A few more wins against mediocre opposition followed. A diabetic coma nearly cost him his life. Thankfully, Buster Douglas conquered his demons. The Father of four now coaches boxers from his home.



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