Thread: What if Tyson and Douglas had a rematch?

I notice there is a lot of people that point to their first fight as the moment it was proven Mike Tyson was overrated and that it proved he wasn't a big deal, or that all you had to do was stand up to Tyson to beat him.


I think this is a huge misconception. Everyone likes to mention a fighters shortcomings before losing a fight but they treat Tyson's loss to Douglas as if he trained his butt off for that fight and was beaten.

There were a lot of factors, "shades of Tokyo" where Tyson wasn't training, was having sex with a lot of women, and wasn't taking the fight seriously even to the point of getting knocked down by sparring partners.

Douglas trained his heart out and had his mother's death inspire him to a victory and he was the better man that night, it was the perfect time for Douglas and the worse time for Tyson. That said..

Everyone that says that the Douglas fight proved Tyson was overrated, tell me this, if they had a rematch back then, would you have fancied Douglas to beat Mike again?

If you think about it, if they had a rematch, much like Lennox Lewis vs Rahman the first one, Lewis wasn't taking Rahman seriously, was filming a movie was doing all this stuff except focus on the fight and Rahman fought the fight of his life, in the rematch, it was a little different wasn't it?

So, had Douglas and Tyson rematched, you would obviously have Mike taking Douglas seriously, training his butt off for redemption and would Douglas be able to put in the same effort in training that he did the last time without his dead mother's inspiration.

So here's my question, what if Tyson and Douglas had their rematch, maybe 5 months after he beat Mike. A motivated, training hard Mike Tyson vs the new heavyweight Champion Buster Douglas.

How do you see that one going? And if Tyson wins, does history still look at him as overrated? do they point to that night as the night it all fell apart for Mike Tyson, or would it change your opinion completely?

Personally, I think if they had a rematch a Motivated Tyson knocks him out the way many felt he would initially. But I want to hear everyone else's opinion. What if they had a rematch? Would you pick Douglas to win it again? Or does a motivated Mike take him out? And if so what does it change? I've wondered this for a while, just wanted to get your opinions on it.

Originally Posted by Majesty

I notice there is a lot of people that point to their first fight as the moment it was proven Mike Tyson was overrated and that it proved he wasn't a big deal, or that all you had to do was stand up to Tyson to beat him.


I think this is a huge misconception. Everyone likes to mention a fighters shortcomings before losing a fight but they treat Tyson's loss to Douglas as if he trained his butt off for that fight and was beaten.

There were a lot of factors, "shades of Tokyo" where Tyson wasn't training, was having sex with a lot of women, and wasn't taking the fight seriously even to the point of getting knocked down by sparring partners.

Douglas trained his heart out and had his mother's death inspire him to a victory and he was the better man that night, it was the perfect time for Douglas and the worse time for Tyson. That said..

Everyone that says that the Douglas fight proved Tyson was overrated, tell me this, if they had a rematch back then, would you have fancied Douglas to beat Mike again?

If you think about it, if they had a rematch, much like Lennox Lewis vs Rahman the first one, Lewis wasn't taking Rahman seriously, was filming a movie was doing all this stuff except focus on the fight and Rahman fought the fight of his life, in the rematch, it was a little different wasn't it?

So, had Douglas and Tyson rematched, you would obviously have Mike taking Douglas seriously, training his butt off for redemption and would Douglas be able to put in the same effort in training that he did the last time without his dead mother's inspiration.

So here's my question, what if Tyson and Douglas had their rematch, maybe 5 months after he beat Mike. A motivated, training hard Mike Tyson vs the new heavyweight Champion Buster Douglas.

How do you see that one going? And if Tyson wins, does history still look at him as overrated? do they point to that night as the night it all fell apart for Mike Tyson, or would it change your opinion completely?

Personally, I think if they had a rematch a Motivated Tyson knocks him out the way many felt he would initially. But I want to hear everyone else's opinion. What if they had a rematch? Would you pick Douglas to win it again? Or does a motivated Mike take him out? And if so what does it change? I've wondered this for a while, just wanted to get your opinions on it.

i think Douglas would have gone back to his lazy ways and Tyson would have stopped him brutally within 3

I think Tyson's an all-time great but I go with Douglas. Tyson was mentally weak. Once he loses confidence its over. If he doesn't dominate early, he doesn't dominate at all. He showed virtually no ability in his career to comback during a fight.

HIs greatness was his ability to genrate fear, intimidate and then overwhelm his opponant. If that failed there was no plan B. Fortunately for him, he could do that 95% of the time.

I see no evidence that MIke had untertrained or was out of shape for the fight. He looked ripped and the scale didn't indicate any problem. If the probelm was overconfidnece or perhaps menatal distraction, it doesn't matter. Tyson's nature is once his confidence is breeched, he can't adjust and comeback. By defeatring him the first time, Douglas owned him for life.

I would of favored Tyson in a rematch.

A properly motivated and trained Tyson would end the fight within 5 rounds.

IMO Douglas could not have ever equalled that performance, it was a one-off super huma effort. Look how he looked in his next fight aganst Holyfield. Tyson inside 3.

And Tyson clearly should not have neen in the ring that night, he was a zombie! Having said that even a 100% Tyson would have find Douglas ery hard work on that night - Douglas was awesome!

Mike Tyson without a shadow of doubt. Mike Tyson after that loss looked like the old Mike Tyson again with good wins over. Alex Stewart, Henry Tillman, Razor Ruddock 1.

Where as Buster Douglas after his one off great performance, due to the tragedy that happened in his life. That made him fear nothing, although i thought he done well vs Tony Tucker aswell.

He went back to the old Buster Douglas, fat, lazy, with a suspect heart. He looked terrible vs Evander Holyfield, and Mike Tyson would have destroyed that version of Buster Douglas.

Tyson easily. It would take a few rounds maximum. Douglas was granted Tyson on a plate and fair play to the man on taking his opportunity, but it was a one off.

Buster would have KO'ed him again. Tyson is the most overrated fighter of all time, who was champion in the weakest era of HW boxing of all time. Fought 2 good fighters his entire career, and was KTFO by both. KTFO by a bunch of tomato cans as well. He is basically Sam Peter.

Originally Posted by eagleskins

Buster would have KO'ed him again. Tyson is the most overrated fighter of all time, who was champion in the weakest era of HW boxing of all time. Fought 2 good fighters his entire career, and was KTFO by both. KTFO by a bunch of tomato cans as well. He is basically Sam Peter.

Nonsene.

Originally Posted by BIG H

IMO Douglas could not have ever equalled that performance, it was a one-off super huma effort. Look how he looked in his next fight aganst Holyfield. Tyson inside 3.

And Tyson clearly should not have neen in the ring that night, he was a zombie! Having said that even a 100% Tyson would have find Douglas ery hard work on that night - Douglas was awesome!

Ah, come off it!

Even the untrained underprepared Tyson still had enough left in the tank to9 drop Douglas hard well in the 8th round, the bell sounding as soon as he got up saved him, he was gone!

If that had been a Tyson that was still with Rooney, it wouldnt have gone that far.

If Tyson had have had the rematch, yeah he wins, if the best Douglas turns up I still think Mike wins, he struggles but wins, if the Holyfield version turned up, he wouldnt make it out of the first.

Then Holyfield wouldnt have a soft touch defending champion, he would have had Mike and looking how Bert Cooper had him out on his feet I think even that version of Tyson beats him.

First of all i'm the first to say Tyson is overrated, but he was not himself that night. Now whether he had trained properly or whatever, I don't know, I wasn't in his camp to comment, but on the night of the fight he simply wasn't himself.

In a rematch I think he would have had a lot to prove and I really see a performance something like what Roy Jones did against Montell Griffin in their rematch. In fact if it was 1990 now and they were about 6 months on from the first fight I think Tyson wins by 1st round KO.

Douglas was never the same, he definitely could have got up against Holyfield in his next fight. Tyson would have finished that fat version within a round.

Originally Posted by ross

Originally Posted by BIG H

IMO Douglas could not have ever equalled that performance, it was a one-off super huma effort. Look how he looked in his next fight aganst Holyfield. Tyson inside 3.

And Tyson clearly should not have neen in the ring that night, he was a zombie! Having said that even a 100% Tyson would have find Douglas ery hard work on that night - Douglas was awesome!

Ah, come off it!

Even the untrained underprepared Tyson still had enough left in the tank to9 drop Douglas hard well in the 8th round, the bell sounding as soon as he got up saved him, he was gone!

If that had been a Tyson that was still with Rooney, it wouldnt have gone that far.

If Tyson had have had the rematch, yeah he wins, if the best Douglas turns up I still think Mike wins, he struggles but wins, if the Holyfield version turned up, he wouldnt make it out of the first.

Then Holyfield wouldnt have a soft touch defending champion, he would have had Mike and looking how Bert Cooper had him out on his feet I think even that version of Tyson beats him.

You don't think Douglas was awesome that night

That was the first time i ever saw Douglas fight that night - ok I saw it a week later on video.

No matter how bad Tyson was or flawed - Douglas was unbelievable. Mentally strong and phenomenal hand speed if I recall. How Tyson survived the 9th I will never know. Douglas just wasn't going to be denied.

What I didn't know was that Douglas was a lazy shite and I had him an easy winner against Holyfield, if he was near the form he was in in Tokyo. He was a joke and had badly prepared.

Think it was Gary Mason, I could be wrong, who was doing the co-commentary that night on Sky and within 30 seconds he had said something to the effect that Douglas would lose as he could tell he wasn't in shape.

The fat bastard would probabaly have been in same shape for a Tyson rematch so on those grounds I reckon Tyson would have rolled over himn inside of 2 rounds.

But what he did that night in Tokyo gurantees him legendary status alongside Braddock and such.