TBT - Upset of the Century: Mike Tyson vs Buster Douglas (1990)
By 1990 Mike Tyson was the undisputed, undefeated heavyweight champion and arguably the most intimidating athlete on the planet. He entered the Tokyo Dome on February 11 to face James “Buster” Douglas, a talented but inconsistent contender whose own father had publicly dismissed his chances. Oddsmakers installed Douglas as a 42‑to‑1 underdog, and many viewed the fight as a tune‑up for Tyson’s expected megabout with Evander Holyfield. Douglas, however, was motivated by the recent death of his mother and trained with newfound discipline.
From the outset Douglas implemented a smart game plan. He used his long jab and lateral movement to keep the shorter champion at range, mixing in quick right hands and uppercuts while tying Tyson up when he tried to attack. Tyson, who had recently split with trainer Kevin Rooney and was rumoured to be partying rather than preparing, struggled to close the distance and took more clean punches in the first few rounds than in many of his previous fights combined. In the eighth round he finally landed a trademark right uppercut that sent Douglas to the canvas. The challenger rose just before the referee’s count reached ten and survived the round, while Tyson’s left eye swelled badly due to a lack of proper cutman equipment in his corner.
Douglas regained control in the ninth and by the tenth round he sensed history. A perfectly timed uppercut launched Tyson’s head back, and Douglas followed with a barrage of hooks and crosses. Tyson fell to the floor for the first time in his career, dazed and searching for his mouthpiece as he listened to the count. He rose but too late; the referee waved off the fight, awarding Douglas a knockout victory and the heavyweight title. The result shocked the sporting world and ended Tyson’s aura of invincibility. Douglas would lose the championship to Evander Holyfield in his next bout, but for one extraordinary morning he authored the greatest upset in boxing history and reminded fans that in the ring, underdogs sometimes have their day.
