Remembering the Night Boxing Changed Forever: Douglas vs. Tyson, 20 Years Later 9
Few gave Buster Douglas a chance against Mike Tyson.
It was one of the most stunning and shocking upsets in boxing history. The unbeatable fighter beaten by a classic underdog.
Before February 11, 1990, there was a growing belief that Mike Tyson (known as the baddest man on the planet) could not be defeated.
Few believed that James “Buster” Douglas, who had lost the IBF title to Tony Tucker in 1987, would be more than another early casualty when he faced the dominant Tyson in Tokyo. He was considered a 42 to 1 longshot by Las Vegas.
Though the fight was close from the beginning, when Tyson knocked down Douglas in the ninth round most experts believed it was over.
However, rather than fading away, Douglas regained his strength and in the 10th round threw the punch that would forever change boxing.
Instead of a decade of Tyson dominance, the 1990s saw a plethora of boxing champions and began its slow fade from relevancy.
The loss also proved the beginning of the end for Tyson. His dominance now broken, Tyson was never again the Baddest Man on the Planet and eventually landed in prison and then obscurity.
Below are highlights from the fight, including the deciding blow by Douglas.
