In February 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison for the rape of Miss Black Rhode Island, Desiree Washington.Tyson began to come back into it in the middle rounds, but Douglas continued to connect with his jabs, resulting in a swollen eye for the world champion.ĭouglas was on the canvas in the eighth round as Tyson looked for the knockout, pinning the challenger against the ropes before being knocked to the ground by an uppercut, but he managed to get back to his feet to continue the fight. ![]() ![]() Predictably, Holyfield demolished the portly Douglas by a third round knockout and became the rightful champion. In the years following their improbable battle, Tyson and Douglas both saw their private and professional lives go into tailspins.ĭouglas relaxed after his legendary showing versus Tyson and was entirely unprepared to make his first title defense against Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 KOs) in October 1990. Because, as you saw, anyone can be beaten." Two, never believe that you are invincible as a fighter. ![]() "There are two things that were proven that night," said Cappiello, the owner of Cappiello Brothers Boxing gym in Brockton, Mass. "Buster" dominated Tyson from the outset of the fateful 10th round and he ultimately finished the tilt off with a vicious combination that knocked the champion onto Queer Street with 1:22 remaining. Staggered, Douglas got off the canvas and regained his footing before the referee counted him out.ĭouglas composed himself and remarkably again seized control of the fight. Promoter Rich Cappiello from Brockton,Mass., who worked with Kevin McBride (34-6-1, 29 KOs) when the Irishman embarrassed Tyson in 2005, can recall that Douglas appeared like he simply "refused to lose."įrom the instant the contest got underway, Douglas masterfully employed his 12 inch reach advantage over Tyson to perfection and he landed one powerful jab after another on "The Baddest Man on the Planet."Īfter only five rounds of action, Tyson's eye began to badly swell and his vision became obviously impaired.ĭespite his hindered eyesight, Tyson managed to knock Douglas to the canvas with a thunderous blow in the eighth round. When Douglas walked to the ring to face Tyson that momentous evening in Japan, it was evident that he was in peak condition and the look on his face gave the impression that he was also mentally ready for war. However, Douglas' weight problems and seeming lack of desire had consistently stunted his progress as a prizefighter. Instead of understandably sulking, Douglas utilized his mother's tragic death as a source of motivation. On the contrary, Douglas, who prior to the Tyson fight owned a respectable record of 29-4-1, prepared for his battle versus the champion with a combination of terrible heartache and new found determination.Ī mere three weeks prior to the matchup of his career, Douglas' mother, Lula Pearl, passed away. It has long been reported that Tyson's workouts leading up to his bout with Douglas were pathetically lackadaisical. Tyson's career hit it's apex in June 1988 when he brutalized the previously unbeaten Michael Spinks in 91 seconds in Atlantic City, New Jersey.įollowing his emphatic knockout victory over Spinks, Tyson's chaotic personal life and inner demons began to negatively erode both his training efforts and vast ring skills. Beyond his incredible abilities in the ring, Tyson was a menacing man whose mere presence often paralyzed opponents before the opening bell was even rung.
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