If Buster Douglas had been counted OUT in the 8th.....?

[brocktonblockbust]

OP=original post, duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[tysonesque]

I don't think much would have changed.

The reason Tyson lost to Douglas in the first place was down to his attitude towards the sport and his very obvious lack of conditioning. By the time he fought Douglas he was already guaranteed all time great status, was the youngest champ of all time and had millions of dollars in the bank. In short, he couldn't be bothered anymore and enjoyed the celebrity status and money more than being a champion. He had done all he needed to do and fulfilled every ambition.

I remember him giving a typically bizarre interview after he became an ex champion and all he seemed interested in was telling the world that he earned more as an ex champ than he did at his undefeated peak. After the Douglas fight his entire career became a highly paid sideshow that was almost irrelevant to the rest of the heavyweight division. He kind of went in to exhibition mode. I certainly never sensed much desire on his part to win the belts back and he never again produced anything like the form he did in his prime.

Having said all that a 1990 Mike Tyson would still have had too much for Holyfield at that time. A close shave in the Douglas fight would probably have given him the kick in the arse he needed to see him get past Holyfield... just!

Once Tyson won all the titles, became a household name throughout the world and a multi millionaire it was obvious that his priorities had changed. The only occasion I really remember Tyson looking like he really meant business after losing to Douglas was when he fought Bruno for a second time to get the title back. I think he needed that following the rape conviction and time in jail just to prove something to himself and get his life back on track.

Tyson is and always will be emotionally damaged and mentally unbalanced. During his early career when he practically lived in the gym it kept him disciplined, but when he severed all ties with those who had been with him from the pre-title days it all began to fall apart. Once Mike began calling the shots, his notorious bad judgement and attitude problems were his own undoing.

It was always going to end that way.