25 years ago yesterday

[Beanz]

Cannot believe it has been 25 years, I was 15 at the time waiting up 4am for this fight nervous for Mike. I was cutting the articles and putting them in my scrap book. Woke up my dad and sister as the fight was about to start only for them to go back to sleep in 6 minutes!

Berbick had the long black socks and wanted to wear black and was trying a lot of mind games on Tyson. His tactic of standing up to Tyson and trying to push him back went disastrously wrong. It was beautiful watching Tyson throwing those quick combinations to body and head. The final knockout was legendary, “Berbick is tumbling like a child in a play pen” by the legendary Reg Gutteridge.

I was 15 too but it does not seem like 25 years ago. Reg Gutteridge was a Legend with a unique turn of phrase. I have a brilliant book by Reg called "The Big Punchers" and his own pedigree is apparent throughout. Reg Gutteridge comes from a long line of boxers and coaches and his Grandfather Arthur, was the first professional in the ring at the opening of the national Sporting Club at Covent garden in 1891. Reg's grandfather, legend has it, was defeated by Henry Cooper's and maybe this is why there was always great banter between Reg and our 'Enry. Anyway I digress, Mighty Mike, Kid Dynamite whatever you want to call him was a great fighter to watch with so much attitude and genuine menace, the confident air he radiated destroyed many a man before stepping through the ropes. It was a terrible beauty to behold and i am glad i got to see it before like Mars says, it all "came crashing down".

[Master]

Crazy tactics by Berbick so people that say that Tyson just needed to be backed up and showed no heart when under pressure should take note, Tyson's boxing skill, speed and accuracy was unbelievable. What a fighter!!!