![]() ![]() ![]() He ran into a Buster Douglas that wasn’t to be denied.”Įarly on, in the fight, you got an inkling that this wasn’t a regular Tyson defense. Fortunately it was against one against one of the baddest men to have ever held that belt but I still felt good about my chances and it all came together. I wasn’t gonna let this opportunity escape me. “I’d made all the corrections and I was ready for the second time. That was my second shot at the world title,” he said. “It really inspires me that he beat the best boxer in the world back then,” Matson said, “and I just think that’s awesome.“I’d been through so much. Students say he’s kind, tough, generous and “very genuine.” It’s all enhanced by what he accomplished in 1990. He staged a six-fight comeback before retiring from boxing in 1999, then launched into his work with the city of Columbus. It was either get back into life or cash it on in,” he said. Again, life presented him a mountain to overcome. In 1996, he woke up in a hospital on death’s door. He said he gave up on his life and health for a period after the fight. Inside a training ring at Columbus’ Thompson Community Center, Douglas towers over most of his students, chanting, “Left, right, left, right, left, left” as they punch away at the pads on he wears on his hands in place of gloves. He said working with kids is one of his favorite things to do. Douglas’ story gained new attention with the 2018 release of an ESPN documentary, titled “42 to 1” after the odds against Douglas.ĭouglas has given his charity effort the same name and formed an ongoing strategic partnership aimed at delivering several programs focused on workforce development, diversity and soft skills training to at-risk youth. The fight is still remembered as one of the most spectacular upsets in sports history. “It was a relief and then it was upsetting, too, because of how it all came to an end,” Douglas said.Ī short reign, with a long legacy. “Something I always looked forward to becoming one day and then you get it and it turns into a nightmare really quick.”ĭouglas said he was almost relieved when Evander Holyfield knocked him out in the third round of their match-up a little over eight months later, taking the title. “Believe it or not, I was where I really didn’t care about anything,” he recalled. The dispute over the fight’s outcome - combined with lingering grief over his mother’s death shortly before the fight - sent Douglas into a slump, he said. Tyson said the loss was a positive for him in the end, allowing him to learn how to “overcome adversity.” The two have barely crossed paths since the fight. He told late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel in 2015 that it was “Buster’s anniversary” to celebrate, not his. Tyson didn’t respond to an interview request. “It made it very uncomfortable and kind of took the ‘f’ out of fun.”Ī message was left at a phone number for King. “Don came at me with a vengeance and I was subpoenaed everywhere I went to,” Douglas said. Douglas’ victory was ultimately upheld, but not before months of drama and expensive litigation. Tyson and fight promoter Don King challenged Douglas’ victory, claiming Douglas had gone down first in the fight but been given more time than allowed to get up. ![]() In one of the more spectacular upsets in sports history, Douglas defeated Tyson, the reigning world heavyweight champion on Feb. Heavyweight boxer James “Buster” Douglas waves his gloved hand to the cheering crowd as he makes his way to the dressing room following a 10th round knockout victory over Mike Tyson in a scheduled 12-round championship bout at the Tokyo Dome. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |