Christ, has it been that long. I feel old...
Wrote this at work today, and can't recommend Joe Leyden's book The Last Great Fight enough - it's a smashing read!
http://bit.ly/1KC9Sq2
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Christ, has it been that long. I feel old...
Wrote this at work today, and can't recommend Joe Leyden's book The Last Great Fight enough - it's a smashing read!
http://bit.ly/1KC9Sq2
Tyson vs Douglas?Quote:
Originally Posted by Greig
Yep - Tyson v Douglas. Seriously mate, Joe Layden's book is a terrific read. Thoroughly researched, interviews with both guys, and some really good writing.
Obviously it wasn't the last great fight, but I can kind of see his point. Once Tyson was no longer invincible it was the end of an era, even though he won titles again.
I'd say he never carried a similar air of menace, but that's just not true. In fact, after the Douglas fight I'd say his menace actually increased, weird as that sounds. After Tillman, Stewart and Ruddock (twice) he went to prison and was actually more intimidating to a lot of people. After prison he had Seldon and Bruno 2, both of whom were genuinely terrified, before Holyfield finally stripped away his menace.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greig
The more I think about the more I realize I do not really miss Mike Tyson as a person,
I miss the unqiue menacing boxer equipped with unseen before technique, super crisp punches
and the bad intentions to break the opponent's ribs. The guy who fought Douglas in that fight did not really match the description anymore. In fact, the description was more suitable to Douglas.
Agreed NVSemin.
I rewatched the fight a couple of years back and was astounded by how aggressive Douglas was - pushing Tyson back, whacking him on the break heaps of times. He really did a number on him.
The big debate has always been whether it was a great performance by Douglas or just Mike Tyson not training and not being in shape. I think it was a perfect storm of both: one guy not giving a shit and not taking it seriously, and another guy taking it more seriously than he ever did and elevating himself to a level he hadn't been to previously or even after, for that matter.
Not only to beat Tyson at that point, but to bully him and knock him out is unbelievable.
It was a shocker!
You also kind of have to hand it to Tyson - he took his first two losses like a trooper. He was beat to hell and still wanted to go on with it in both the Douglas and first Holyfield fights. He went up in my estimation there.
Then, of course, came ear-gate and the rest is a pretty dismal history...
My uncle told me how Liston had that same aura of invincibility. Same with Forman. Once Liston was beat by Clay & Forman by Ali- he said he was told by his elders: watch them fall to the bottom.
Post- prison- McNeely, why? To my surprise Peter was throwing his ass off, not afraid at all... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oww5zb0XvHg Looking back @ this Peter was NOT afraid. 2:10 in watch Peter push Tyson back like a rag doll- Tyson's timing off-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs3xOD99Kzo Buster Mathis? WHY? This blob of a fighter pushed Tyson back to the ropes & look how HORRIBLE Tyson's timing was off. Only one to fear Tyson was Frank Bruno. Everyone else who had a pulse, thought otherwise.
Absolutely, Tyson went from superhuman wrecking machine to looking very very average in a matter of rounds. It was just amazing....Tyson still looked like himself, but the things he was used to doing in the ring just didn't work that night. It was like when RJJ got beat by Glen Johnson, sure everyone remembers the big KO loss to Tarver but to see an all time GREAT be reduced to ordinary round after round after round.....it was tough to watch for Tyson fans but also so intriguing at the same time, like a car wreck with everyone rubberneckingQuote:
Originally Posted by beenKOed
25 years ago !!!:rolleyes:
my god I'm old
Mandela got out about six hours after Tyson got kayoed
The Sun ran a split headline the day after covering the two stories - Down and Out
Was looking for the front page photo online but can't find
SlimTrae,
Bruce Seldon was scared too.
McNeeley threw plenty, but judging by his staredown, he may have been feeling a bit apprehensive.
Mathis though, you are right, was very composed.
Can't argue with this,
It would be hard-pressed to find a bigger upset, with a more shocking result.
Ali beating Foreman or Liston were big too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
cheers for that - none of us knew
No problem Humberto Gonzalez losing to Rolando Pascua around the same time was big as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark TKOQuote:
Originally Posted by Master
cheers for that - none of us knew
I know I don't come across as one who dug Tyson. I did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greig
But I guess my uncles wouldn't let me live the Douglass loss down. They kept sayin' 'watch nephew...everybody is gonna' beat his ass now. Watch him fight clowns you aint never heard of. They gonna whoop his ass. Nephew when Ali beat Forman, Lyle came in confident, hell Jimmy Young sent Forman to the lord & retirement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark TKOQuote:
Originally Posted by Master
cheers for that - none of us knew
Hahaha!
Look at Master going all obscure on us :p
Sounds like they paid attention. The destroyers are always overrated. Boxers adjust, that's why they are actually better. The people that walk through everyone don't spend years developing alternatives.Quote:
Originally Posted by SlimTraeI know I don't come across as one who dug Tyson. I did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greig
But I guess my uncles wouldn't let me live the Douglass loss down. They kept sayin' 'watch nephew...everybody is gonna' beat his ass now. Watch him fight clowns you aint never heard of. They gonna whoop his ass. Nephew when Ali beat Forman, Lyle came in confident, hell Jimmy Young sent Forman to the lord & retirement.
Tyson did not do too badly even though he was finished and certainly did better than George Foreman or Liston after he lost. Sure he had better marketing, prison and avoiding the young fighters like Lewis/Bowe but he did get the title back and defend it before he imploded again.Quote:
Originally Posted by BeanflickerQuote:
Originally Posted by Mark TKOQuote:
Originally Posted by Master
cheers for that - none of us knew
Hahaha!
Look at Master going all obscure on us :p
You nailed it. Cruel lesson to learn as a Tyson fan.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron SwansonSounds like they paid attention. The destroyers are always overrated. Boxers adjust, that's why they are actually better. The people that walk through everyone don't spend years developing alternatives.Quote:
Originally Posted by SlimTraeI know I don't come across as one who dug Tyson. I did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greig
But I guess my uncles wouldn't let me live the Douglass loss down. They kept sayin' 'watch nephew...everybody is gonna' beat his ass now. Watch him fight clowns you aint never heard of. They gonna whoop his ass. Nephew when Ali beat Forman, Lyle came in confident, hell Jimmy Young sent Forman to the lord & retirement.
James 'Buster' Douglas
"It was like taking Candy from a baby. The guy had no toughness."
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Rm34N5fITLutw6
Tyson took a fearful beating for 10 rounds that was toughness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Paxtom
Tyson in reality won the fight with a VERY long count given to Douglas, people tend to forget the fact that Douglas should have been counted out and never in a position to KO Tyson.
The count got to nine, Douglas got up, it's that simple. Douglas's count was no different to the one Tyson got, there's a side by side video that shows it.
Regardless of Mike Tyson's state Douglas still had to knock him out and he did it.
The poxy WBC and WBA bought King's long count nonsense and took the belts back from Douglas. Unreal.
I never see anyone mention what I find most curious about the initial knockdown. The punch landed with 5 seconds to go in the round. The count was a tick slow as every time I replay it I'm at 3 when the ref says 2. But that's beside the point Buster could have gotten up a count earlier if he desperately needed to. But moving past that. Remember.....
The punch landed with 5 seconds to go in the round. He gets a full count and almost begins boxing before the bell finally sounds. This happens all the time. How f'n hard is it to keep time?!
Tyson had courage, he took a whipping, got destroyed and was still trying to get up and fight on.
That was the biggest robbery and upset that they were actually trying to hand back the titles from Buster to Tyson after he got KTFO.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fenster