30-for-30
Pillsbury Doughboy vs. Iron Man
On February 11th, 1990 in the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, James “Buster” Douglas accomplished one of the “biggest upsets in history.”
James “Buster” Douglas was by no means meant to defeat Mike Tyson in Tokyo on the night of February 11th, 1990. The fight was purposely set in Tokyo because they knew no one would buy tickets if the fight was in the States. It was meant to be a “tune-up” fight for Tyson before he faced Evander Holyfield. However, Buster went against the odds, 42-to-1 to be exact, and knocked out Tyson in the tenth round in Tokyo and shocked the world. No one, besides Buster’s family and team, thought he would win the fight but he put his training to use and accomplished what some call the “biggest upset in history.” In a 30-for-30 called “42–1,” ESPN captured the entire upset through the eyes of a documentary.
Setting the Stage
Before the Douglas-Tyson fight, both Tyson and Douglas were on completely different paths. Tyson was seen as unbeatable and Douglas was seen as an undetermined “pillsbury doughboy.” In the early stage of the documentary, it breaks down Tyson’s mindset and fighting skills as well as Douglas’s mindset and his history in boxing. The odds for the fight are determined and we see how large of an underdog Douglas really was.
In the first minute of the documentary, we are introduced to a young Mike Tyson, at 0:45, he is asked if he always feels invincible, and he says “Yeah.” Tyson is asked if he has any concerns about his fight with Buster Douglas, and he responds by saying he has no concerns. Tyson also says he does not know and does not care if Buster himself has any concerns about the fight, remarking that he is a champion.
A Las Vegas betting area is shown, and it is explained that though people were betting on everything, none of the sports books were laying odds on Tyson v. Douglas, except for Jimmy Vaccaro, a Vegas bookmaker. He determined the odds for the fight to be 42-to-1.
The documentary described how Tyson was one of the biggest stars in sports, that he was a knockout machine, and that he had never been knocked out across his 37 bouts.
Vaccaro says that nobody thought that Buster Douglas would be any different than Tyson’s previous opponents where Tyson usually dominated the fight.
Douglas was nicknamed the “Pillsbury Doughboy” in a newspaper, referencing his eating habits and his seeming lack of drive. Douglas is asked if he is bothered by the fact that he is such an underdog and that the fight was seen as totally one-sided, he responds by saying it has been like that since day one.
Where It All Started
Back in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio, Buster and his brother, Bill, revisited their old home and told the story of how Buster became a boxer. Due to his dad’s boxing career, Buster was introduced to the sport of boxing at a very young age and started training at 10-years-old. His dad mentored and coached him from his childhood and intohis career by teaching him what he once used. Buster was seen as undetermined because of all the pressure around him and how heavily boxing was incorporated into his life at such a young age with his dad as his coach.
Buster Douglas and his brother are shown in front of their childhood home in Columbus, Ohio, “where it all started.” They were very close growing up in a boxing family with their dad, who was once a deadly boxer himself.
At 4:28, Buster tells a story about when he came home crying because he was threatened by another boy and his mother jumped on him and said if he didn’t stand up to the boy, the problems would be between Buster and herself. This represents how standing up for yourself and fighting was heavily incorporated into the Douglas family. Bill Douglas, Buster’s father, had a boxing career of his own, and the documentary explained how fit Bill was and how vicious he was in the ring. He was similar to Tyson in the sense that once he was in the ring, he was ready to kill.
At 5:45, Buster explains that he saw a career in boxing because of his father and started at 10 years old, with his father as his “trainer and taskmaster.” Even though some say Buster lacked drive, boxing had been in his blood his entire life.
At 6:55, pictures from Buster’s first career fight are shown; the fight took place at Mount Vernon Plaza and was the beginning of a winning streak in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
At 7:30, the film shows one of Buster’s knockouts, a clean right hook to the jaw of Henry Porter in the second round, as he is describing his skills (he explains that he had good “pop” with good power and decent speed).
After watching some of his knockouts, it is explained that Buster was very much like his mother, that he favored her between the two parents, and did not have the same drive to be a fighter that his father had.
At 8:49, after Buster says that everyone would compare him to his father saying he didn’t have the same intensity, his uncle J.D. explains that while Billy was always in shape, Buster was not. This is where the nickname, “Pillsbury Doughboy” comes from.
The Next Level
After his career began to take off, Buster wanted a change. His uncle, JD, said he could be that change and take his talents to the next level. Buster needed to become more physically inclined as well as more mentally focused if he really wanted to become a boxing threat. With this in mind, he took a leap of faith and not only brought JD onto the team, but also acquired a well-educated boxing manager from Ohio State to lead him to success.
At 9:45, John Johnson is introduced as Buster’s manager, who was also a boxing coach at Ohio State, and explains how Buster was a newly pro boxer looking for someone to take him to the next level. He was a very intelligent boxing coach and was very involved in the sport. He helped Buster in numerous ways as he coached and mentored him with Buster’s uncle.
At 10:50, the film shows another of Buster’s knockouts, this time in Atlanta, where he knocked out his opponent in the first round, this was one of the first fights Buster with Johnson as his manager; the footage also shows a young Danny DeVito in attendance.
In the eleventh minute, Tyson is reintroduced in an interview, and explains that his personality is a “cold, business-like killer,” the film then cuts to a montage of his vicious knockouts. Tim May, a sportswriter, describes fighting Tyson as “scary” and that many fighters were afraid to step into the ring with him.
The fight between Tyson and Joe Frazier is shown, and the odds are said to be 6 to 1 or even 12 to 1; the film goes on to show the entirety of the fight until Tyson knocks Frazier out, the fight did not last 20 seconds. Tyson exclaims he will fight anybody his trainer puts him in the ring with because he believes he can beat any fighter in the world.
It is said that the fight that put Tyson “on the map” was the Berbick fight and the footage of Tyson knocking down Berbick is shown; Tyson’s second round knockout was described as “sensational” and that Berbick knew he was in the wrong place as soon as he stepped in the ring.
In the final 20 seconds of the fourteenth minute, Berbick is shown repeatedly falling to the ground as he tries to get up after being hit by Tyson until the referee stops the fight. The film goes back to Buster as he retells his friends asking him if he could beat Tyson, and he responds by asking if Tyson could beat him since he had just broken into the top 10.
The Douglas That Quit
Douglas was seen as an undetermined boxer prior to the Tyson fight. He was often compared to his father in everything he did and was never seen as a huge threat. All of this pressure and comparison was seen to play out in the Tucker fight. The ugly word, “quit,” is used to describe how Douglas performed. He let all the pressure take him over and had an embarrassing loss to Tony Tucker, a loss that he wouldn’t let define him.
It is explained that Buster had earned a world title match (IBF Heavyweight Championship) with Tony Tucker, and that the winner of the fight would go against the feared Mike Tyson. In the first half of the sixteenth minute, Buster’s brother explains the pressure Buster went through because of his father’s standing in boxing. Bill, Buster’s father, is shown to be wearing a shirt with his own name on it rather than his son’s at Buster’s own fight and it is questioned if Billy was living his own dream through Buster.
The tenth round starts and Tucker is landing hits on Buster, but Buster was not punching back, so the referee stepped in and stopped the fight.
The “ugly word” of boxing is used to describe Buster’s performance against Tucker, saying he quit; Buster then explains that everything with his dad had caught up to him.
The newspaper headline of Tucker’s TKO of Buster is shown, and it is explained that Buster’s reputation was cemented as a fighter with ability, but a lack of drive.
At 19:14, Buster makes the decision to remove his father from his training team, a hard but necessary decision.
Billy’s response to Buster’s decision is anger and telling him that he will be alone, and the family was divided by this choice, but Buster’s mother helped them stay together. At 20:40, Bruce Trampler, a boxing matchmaker, explains that the Tucker fight put Buster in a category that “his future was behind him” and that he “was going nowhere.”
Tyson
Although Tyson was seen as maybe the best fighter to ever walk the earth, he faced some challenges himself. The recent divorce and the cameras and publicity swarming him everywhere he went resulted in an extremely large ego. Tyson thought he could take anyone who stepped in the ring with him and thought that he was the greatest to ever do it. In the weeks leading up to the “tune-up” fight against Douglas in Tokyo, Tyson barely trained and stayed in his hotel where he drank, enjoyed the publicity, and moped about his recent divorce. He thought that he already had the victory over Douglas and didn't plan on focusing too heavily on the fight. This, however, turned out to hurt him in the end.
Mike Tyson said that the camera is like a narcotic, meaning that if not handled properly, the fame and exposure from boxing could drive one crazy. The cameras and fame were closely associated with Tyson and with so much fame at a young age, slowly messed with his personal life as well. There were many newspapers and media about how Tyson’s confidence and publicity ruined his personal life and how needed to focus on himself for the fight.
At 21:26, Tyson says the only way he could see himself losing was if he chopped off both his arms; this is amid a montage of the success Tyson was experiencing at the time, including a $1 million fighting deal.
Later in the 21st minute, a news reporter explains that Tyson already has two of the world heavyweight belts and has the chance to unify the championships, which he does when he defeats Tucker and becomes the undisputed champion of the world.
The fight between Tyson and Spinks is introduced, and the price for a ringside seat is $1,500 dollars, an exorbitant sum at the time; the film then shows some of the celebrities in attendance, including Michael Jordan and Donald Trump.
Tyson knocked out Spinks, and it was one of the fastest knockouts in heavyweight history and he was later described as the “greatest fighter to walk the earth.” This showed how powerful Tyson truly was leading up to the Douglas fight.
The fight between Buster and Mike Williams is shown above, which happened the same night as Tyson’s fight; Buster KO-d Williams in seven rounds and dominated the fight. At 23:34, Buster says he went on a six fight winning spree after the Williams fight. Both Tyson and Douglas were slowly preparing to face each other, however, neither of them knew yet.
John Johnson explains that Don King called him and asked if Buster would fight Tyson in Tokyo. The beginning of the 24th minute shows Don King explaining why he chose Buster as Tyson’s next opponent, saying he’s known as a quitter but is a “dog.” Don King was against Douglas and claimed his victory over Tyson was unfair.
Tyson exclaims that he wants to fight Evander Holyfield, and it is said the fight with Buster is the interim. This is very important because it shows that Tyson was never focused on the Douglas fight because he was always looking to the future.
The fight between Tyson and Douglas was described as a “tune-up” fight, because they needed to have Tyson fight someone that they knew he could beat so he would be ready for Holyfield.
At minute 25, we find ourselves in Las Vegas, Nevada listening to Jimmy Vaccaro (Las Vegas Bookmaker) and how he surveyed the odds on the Tyson vs. Douglas fight which ended up being 42-to-1.
At 26:08, we are in Columbus, Ohio in January 1990 listening to Tim May (Columbus Sports Writer) talk about how everyone is in shock that Douglas is actually planning to fight Mike Tyson. At 26:23, we find Bill Douglas (Buster Douglas’s brother), in a bar sharing the story of how his mother didn’t want Buster to fight because Tyson’s style was similar to his dad’s.
At 27:48 we find John Johnson (Buster’s manager) talking to the interviewer about how Buster’s mom was telling people at work Buster was going to win. She was one of his biggest supporters, even when everyone else doubted his boxing abilities.
The Devastating Loss of Buster’s Mother
Buster was incredibly close to his mother and all the love she provided the Douglas family. It was devastating that three weeks prior to the big fight she passed and many questioned if he was going to be able to still compete. However, Douglas decided to train harder than ever before and use the death of his mother to fuel him. He was determined for once, and wanted to prove everyone wrong while dedicating it to his beloved mother. At minute 30, we find ourselves listening to Buster’s uncle, Buster, and Bill explain the tragic stroke Buster’s mom suffered three weeks before the fight and how her death affected Buster.
We watch Douglas have a moment next to his mother’s grave remembering her presence. At 32:42, we listen to Bruce Trampler (Top Ranking Boxing Matchmaker) and how he tried to get Douglas to pull out of the fight due to the tragic circumstances.
We then hear Douglas’s manager talk about how Douglas came to his house and said he wanted to keep training for the fight after the death of his mother.
At minute 34, we see Douglas arriving in Tokyo after training extremely hard prior to his arrival with a new mindset.
Entering the Tokyo Dome
The time of the fight arrived and Douglas was ready. He had trained incredibly hard in the weeks leading up to it, had good standings with his father, and was ready to beat Tyson. He entered the Tokyo Dome ready to fight and prove the world wrong while Tyson entered the Dome thinking he had already won. This was very evident in the early rounds of the fight where Douglas was not backing down and was actually competing with Tyson, something the world had never quite seen before.
We then see Douglas arriving in Tokyo again, this time in 2018, to see where he once beat Tyson in the Tokyo Dome for the first time since the fight. This meant a lot to Douglas seeing it again because of how strong of an impact the fight had on his life. He became an underdog to a champion in just one night in the Tokyo Dome.
At minute 36, we listen to Bill Douglas explain how the relationship between Buster and his dad was as good as its been in years before the fight. They were finally agreeing with each other and his dad was very supportive of Douglas and his big fight against Tyson.
We watch Douglas enter the Tokyo Dome to fight on February 11th, 1990, and then we watch Tyson enter the Tokyo Dome with a very electric entrance. The electric entrance was an example of how Tyson was very into publicity and the fame factor of boxing.
At 37:51, we are surprised by how Douglas is not backing down and came to fight.
At 38:18, we hear Douglas’s Uncle (his trainer), and John Russel (Buster’s assistant trainer) explain the strategy of keeping Tyson off balance with a lot of jabs.
At 39:01, we see Tyson struggling and surprised.
The fifth round then starts and we see the Tyson corner in a panic because Tyson was getting beat up, especially on his eye.
At 40:00, we see Tyson’s trainer use a latex glove filled with ice to try and stop the swelling around his eye. This showed how unprepared Tyson and his trainer were prior to the fight. They didn't have the right equipment to help Tyson because they didn't expect him to be struggling since they have never seen him struggle before.
At 40:23, we have hopes that Buster can actually win the fight if he doesn’t make a mistake.
At 40:48, we see Tyson throw two major uppercuts on Douglas at the beginning of the eight round that knocks Douglas to the ground.
At 41:10, we see Douglas barely beat the count by one second, and listen to how there has been much controversy over whether he really beat the count or not.
At 42:23, we see Douglas starting the ninth round strong and prepared for Tyson to attack.
At 42:36, we see Douglas punching Tyson powerfully while Tyson is pinned on the ropes. At 42:59, we hear how the ninth round was one of the best boxing rounds people have ever seen.
At 43:19, we hear Buster’s Uncle say what Douglas said to him after the ninth round in the corner, “I got him.”
The Round That Shocked the World
This was the round that changed everything. Victory was in sight for Douglas, he just had to focus on himself and not make any mistakes.
People began to really realize Tyson was probably going to lose. After watching Douglas beat the count, people saw that Tyson may not have it in him to finish the fight. He was struggling and Douglas was performing the best anyones ever seen from him. His emotions and hard work poured into the 10th round of this fight.
Tyson and Douglas lockup early in Round 10.
Douglas pushes Tyson away as he approaches him.
Douglas jabs with his left.
Then uppercuts with his right and swings through with a right hook.
Tyson is knocked off balance.
Buster comes back with strong left cross and we watch Douglas pour his emotions into his punches as he knocks down Tyson.
Tyson is knocked off his feet and to the ground for the first time in his career.
Tyson is flustered as he struggles to gain his bearings and the count starts.
Tyson gets to his hands and knees and the count continues.
The referee is at 5 in the count.
Tyson grabs his mouthguard and the referee reaches 8 in the count.
Tyson begins to rise and uses the referee to get up.
The referee finishes the count, waves his hands and calls off the fight.
Tyson nearly collapses into the referees arms as he is officially declared knocked out. At 44:31, Tyson is unable to beat the count and Douglas wins the fight. Tyson, Douglas, and the entire world were unbelievably shocked at what they had just witnessed.
We watch Douglas celebrating with his team because he is the new Heavyweight Champion of the World.
We hear Tyson’s trainer tell us that Tyson didn’t believe he got knocked out after the fight and how he had to hold Tyson up. Tyson was unfamiliar with losing and was embarrassed he had lost the “tune-up” fight.
On the other side, we see Douglas in tears tell the interviewer why he won was because of his mother, and then we see Douglas in tears again in his gym remembering that moment. We hear Douglas tell the microphone that the victory was for his dad and that he loves him.
The camera in the documentary slowly zooms out from the ring as we watch the celebration. Then the sports announcer on TV says this might have been the biggest upset in sports.
Life After the Fight
Buster Douglas was an entirely new man after the Tyson fight. He went from being an underdog that was rarely known too one of the most memorable fighters in boxing history. He had accomplished what no-one thought he could and left that ring on the night of February 11th an entirely changed man. From then on, people began recognizing him in the streets and his new life had incorporated a new fame. He became an icon in just one night.
During minute 47, we listen to how Douglas battled from being an underdog to someone who will be remembered. Barely anyone knew his name before the fight, but now he will be remembered forever because he accomplished the “impossible.”
At 48:19, we see Douglas in present-day looking at his father’s house remembering where it all started, his father’s basement.
At 48:40, we watch present-day Buster Douglas slowly walk in front of the Tokyo Dome, where he once defeated Tyson.
We see Douglas on The Tonight Show ten days after the fight joking about his new fame. Then we see a boxing picture of Douglas losing the title to Evander Holyfield, eight months after the Tyson fight.
We see Buster training young boxers in the same gym his father taught him in where he retired. He decided to become a boxing coach with his share of the purse just like his dad once did for him.
ESPN’s introspective look at the history of the one of the greatest boxing matches of all time is a fantastic watch and great showcase what transpired 30 years ago. From the title, to the interviews and first hand accounts, to the selection of historic photos and videos, the filmmakers did both Douglas and Tyson justice. “42 to 1” captures the mania of heavyweight boxing at its peak in the 80s and 90s and allows new generations to experience a detailed account of the greatest upset in history. The fight between Douglas and Tyson was a striking moment in sports and should never be forgotten. It showed that no matter how insurmountable the odds seem to be, in the case having literal odds of 42–1, the unthinkable can always happen. This film will stand the test of time and continue to inspire people of all ages with Douglas’ underdog story.
Annotations:
“25 Years After the Fall: Mike Tyson, Buster Douglas and Boxing’s Biggest Upset”
This article by Bleacher Report focuses on the entire Douglas-Tyson fight, and the circumstances around it. It evaluated and interviewed Mike Tyson at the start and called him “The Baddest Man on The Planet.” The article focused on his personal life, like his divorce with Robin Givens, and how not only that shaped his presence in the fight with Douglas, but how the fame in Tokyo and all over the world impacted him. Everyone knew Mike Tyson due to HBO, and the montages that Cayton and Jacobs created of Tyson knockouts for sports networks. The article also evaluated Buster Douglas and his mentality for the fight along with his preparation. His “passion” was considered a problem for him leading up to the fight, due to his dad’s career with boxing and how that shaped Buster’s childhood. Then, it talked about his mother’s tragic death and even interviewed Buster’s grandmother, Sarah Jones, about his boxing mentality. Then, the article broke down the statistics leading up to the fight and the scenario around the “tussle in Tokyo.” It talked about how Douglas was a major underdog and had no chance of beating Tyson. After breaking down the facts about both Tyson and Douglas and the fight scene, it goes into detail about what happened at the scene of the upset. It also mentioned how WBC president Jose Sulaiman told referee Octavio Meyran to ref the fight, but Meyran said he was an honest man when refereeing. The article talked about the shock that followed when the people realized Douglas was there to claim his throne. After the upset, it talks about how emotionally surprised Douglas was when he actually won. Then, the article explained the aftermath of the “biggest upset in history.” There was a lot of debate, especially instigated by Don King, over whether Douglas beat the count or not when Tyson knocked him down. Don King apparently “stopped James Douglas from getting his just glory.” Then, the article shows a chart of the Tyson-Douglas fight by numbers and statistics and how the fight changed Tyson not only as a fighter, but a person in a spiral downhill.
The article by Bleacher Report was broken into six different categories, including the introduction. It started by setting the stage of the fight and what Douglas accomplished that shocked the entire world. Then it went into “The Baddest Man on The Planet” where it broke down Tyson’s fighting skills, mental health, and overall situation surrounding the fight. From there it went into “Buster Douglas” (notice the lack of a compelling name like Tyson’s category), where it also broke down Douglas’s situation and fighting skills. After the two different profile breakdowns, the article went into the category “Tussle in Tokyo,” where it set the stage for the actual fight. It evaluated the different bets and odds, the public’s vision of the fight, and both Douglas’s and Tyson’s preparations for the fight. It analyzed how unprepared Tyson was compared to the extremely prepared Buster Douglas. Then, the article went into “The Upset.” It evaluated the entire fight along with the referee and Tyson’s eye injury. Douglas had seemingly done the impossible and shocked not only himself and Tyson, but the entire world. Then, the category “The Aftermath” began where it evaluated the debated topic over Douglas’s count and had a chart called “Tyson vs. Douglas: By The Numbers” to prove Douglas’s fair win. It then concluded by explaining how incredible Douglas’s victory really was. He shocked the globe with his upset and entered into fame as soon as he defeated Tyson.
This article written by Jonathan Snowden in 2015 from Bleacher Report is relevant to my 30-for-30 essay due to its efficient breakdown of the fight. It is very beneficial to my writing because it gives me more insight into Tyson’s side of the fight. The documentary by ESPN had very depth into Tyson’s mind and his side of the fight unlike this article. It went into detail about his history leading up to the fight, his mental health regarding his divorce and how it impacted his preparation for the fight, and how fame and the cameras in Tokyo and the world changed him. There are even a few quotes directly from Mike Tyson which is strong evidence when referring to him in my writing. Besides going into detail about Mike Tyson’s life, it also gives two very strong charts about the two fighters. The first chart gives the record, height, weight, and nickname before the fight. The second chart gives the statistics of the punches landed, punches thrown, and percentage of the historic fight. These two are very relevant to my writing because they serve as evidence to Douglas’s win over the debated topic of him beating the count in time. The insight into Tyson’s mind, the two charts, and the efficient breakdown of the entire fight, and its effects, serve extremely well to my writing about the 30-for-30 documentary about the historic upset.
Snowden, Jonathan. “25 Years After the Fall: Mike Tyson, Buster Douglas and Boxing’s Biggest Upset.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, 3 Oct. 2017, bleacherreport.com/articles/2358930–25-years-after-the-fall-mike-tyson-buster-douglas-and-boxings-biggest-upset.
“30 years later, Buster Douglas still revels in moment that made him rich and famous, beating Mike Tyson”
It has now been 30 years since the famous Buster Douglas-Mike Tyson fight on February 11th, 1990. To celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the fight, Andrew L. John from USA Today wrote an article remembering the night that shocked the sports world. Buster Douglas sat down in an interview 30 years later to talk about the fight and the circumstances surrounding it. Douglas talked about his preparations for the fight by acknowledging his trainer, John Russell and how they were ready for Tyson. Besides talking directly to Douglas about what he remembers, other people were also interviewed about what they were doing and what they thought of the fight.One of these people was Bernard Hopkins, a former undisputed middleweight champion and lineal light heavyweight titleholder. Hopkins shared that he knew the fight was over when Douglas got back up after a hard blow that knocked him onto the ground. Hopkins said “I know how it is to feed off and be motivated with energy. Buster was motivated. Tyson wasn’t.” Another person who shared their experience with the fight was retired former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer. He was shopping in downtown Pittsburgh when he was able to watch some of the fight on television. After watching the fight, he said “That is the biggest upset in history.” Then, the article goes into the heavily debated topic over whether Douglas was down or not. Don King argued that he was down and didn’t get up in time, but both Hopkins and Douglas stated that he won fair-and-square. The next part of the article focuses on the different factors that contributed to the fight. It replayed the steps leading up to the fight as well as the scouting Douglas did on Tyson. It then states that determination was a tremendous factor in Douglas’s upset. He was more motivated to win than Tyson because of the doubt on his name as well as the death of his mother weeks prior to the fight. Then, to conclude the article Douglas talks about the emotion that came over him and his team when they had won and returned back to their hotel room. All the hard work and countless hours had finally paid off. Douglas then lost the title to Evander Holyfield eight months later and retired shortly after. The article ends with Douglas’s opinion on everyone praising him and his incredible accomplishment, to which he says he appreciates it very much.
This article was structured in a unique way that covered almost all aspects of the “biggest upset in history.” It covered the night of the fight from several different people and locations all over the world. It also analyzed the many different factors in the fight between Douglas and Tyson as well as the odds on it. It brokedown the fight and the debated topic over whether Douglas was down and the fight should have been called earlier than it was. However, many people, along with Douglas disagree with this claim and say he won fair-and-square. It also analyzed the different levels of dedication between Douglas and Tyson. Tyson was expecting an easy win and thought little of the fight while Douglas was set on winning for not only his mother, but all the people doubting him. The article explained Douglas’s emotions after the fight and his response to the sudden fame. It also talked about Douglas’s interactions with fans and his life after the fight. It talks about what fans say and do, like where they were or what they were doing when he upsetted not only Tyson, but the world. The article covered many different angles of the historic fight 30 years later, as a dedication to one of the largest upsets in sports history.
The 30-year anniversary article is relevant to my paper because of its approach. Although the 30-for-30 and this article by USA Today both cover the fight and its impact, the article also focuses on different peoples reactions to the fight and the circumstances they watched it in. In the documentary, it primarily focuses on the Douglas family and the team’s side and their vision of the fight, instead of other people who were just as shocked. The article not only interviews Buster Douglas, it also interviewed Bernard Hopkins and Michael Moorer. These two are both former boxing champions and have very credited opinions when it comes to boxing. These two are very beneficial to strengthening my paper because they are both credible outside sources. The more evidence and opinions for my paper the better. Another reason this article is relevant to my writing is because it reevaluates the fight 30 years later and compresses all the information in a short length. This makes it useful with new facts and information given at hand instead of in the long documentary. The use of many statistics and facts about the fight as well as two outside opinions and experiences with the fight make this article extremely relevant and beneficial to my writing.
John, Andrew L. “30 Years Later, Buster Douglas Still Revels in Moment That Made Him Rich and Famous, Beating Mike Tyson.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 9 Feb. 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/sports/boxing/2020/02/09/buster-douglas-revels-glory-beating-mike-tyson-30-years-later/4706799002/.
“The Legacy of Douglas vs. Tyson”
On February 10, 2020, Elliot McCormick delved into what the legacy of the historic fight between Buster Douglas and Mike Tyson has become. McCormick initially describes the answer to the question of the legacy as impossible to truly determine, even though the world has had around 30 years to see the effects. A legacy is commonly known as something that is tangible, but with Douglas vs. Tyson, McCormick decides that the true legacy is more abstract. Though on the surface it may seem like the mania around Tyson lessened after his loss, and yes, his image of invincibility was gone, his fans continued to believe in the idea of “Iron Mike.” The loss, in retrospect, drew even more focus to his life and added nuance to his mythical persona. McCormick then switches gears to the more tangible events that came after the fight. Though it is commonly known how Tyson’s career and life took a downturn after his incredible loss, Douglas also was sent on an immediate trajectory downward, though it was more gradual. The fight, for Douglas, was the peak of his career, while for Tyson it was the final time his career was unblemished. McCormick chooses to focus on Tyson’s life for the majority of the article, but includes how Douglas retired to Florida, struggled with extreme weight gain to the point of a diabetic coma, and later overcame these health problems and now lives in Columbus, Ohio.
As McCormick gets into the details of Tyson’s life post-Douglas, he explains the real-life lows he reached, but maintains the idea that the Tyson myth continued to shine strong. When saying how Tyson spent 40 months in prison after being convicted of rape, he highlights the fact that he was still paid $25 million for his first fight back and that it was arguably the biggest television event in history. He even describes Tyson’s opponent for this fight, Peter McNeely, as a “sacrificial lamb.” McCormick shows that even in the midst of being a convicted rapist and fighting another lower-tier competitor, Tyson was still a polarizing figure. McCormick continually reinforces the idea that though Douglas destabilized the myth of Tyson’s indomitability, there is a significant part of it that still lives today. He explains that oftentimes Tyson is regarded as the benchmark for all heavyweight boxers and that the top fighters of the present are compared to him. Mike Tyson, in McCormick’s words, created his own “archetype,” in fight-style, aesthetic and demeanor. Tyson’s fight-style was menacing and unmerciful, his aesthetic was physically superior to all his opponents and his demeanor was that of an uncaged animal in the ring. Because of the narrative that had already been set about Tyson as he demolished the entire heavyweight division through the 80s, McCormick argues that when he reached his bout with Douglas, it did not matter whether he won or lost, since a victory would be just another tally on his sterling record, and a loss could be explained away by a lack of focus or poor condition. McCormick continues to say how many of the striking events of the rest of his career also did not matter in the sense that they only reinforced the public view of him as an animal. For example, biting off Holyfield’s ear could be explained as an animal being “innately powerless to control its emotions.” McCormick chooses to focus not only on the tangible effects of Tyson’s descent from the top, but the public perception of him, his effect on popular culture and the media, the deterioration of his talent and drive, and increasingly unstable mental state.
This article is relevant because it dives deep into the mental, emotional and physical decay of Tyson. In addition, it serves to analyze the myth surrounding his life and why that continued despite all of the conflict and controversy and continues today. McCormick goes as far as to include a prediction of how impactful Tyson would be if he fought today, measured in pay-per-view sales, and compares him to arguably the greatest boxer of this generation, Floyd Mayweather. Those reading the article who never got to see Tyson fight can compare him to Floyd, and McCormick’s declaration that Tyson would obliterate his PPV records can understand just how polarizing he was. The persistence of the “Iron Mike” myth, rather than it’s supposed end after the Douglas fight is not often talked about and does a great deal in explaining the public’s view of him. The article adds nuance to Tyson’s bestial perception and philosophically traces the aftermath of his first career loss to the present day and captures the intangible elements of his legacy.
McCormick, Elliot. “The Legacy of Douglas vs Tyson: The Baddest Myth On The Planet.” The Fight City, 12 Feb. 2020, www.thefightcity.com/baddest-myth-planet-legacy-douglas-vs-tyson/.
“Buster Douglas KO’d Mike Tyson 30 years ago today, shocked sports world”
To commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the iconic fight between Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas, the Las-Vegas Review Journal released an article focusing on Jimmy Vaccaro, who worked as the bookmaker at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in 1990. The journalist, Jim Barnes, makes Vaccaro the focal point and mouthpiece of the narrative and includes direct quotes from him to give his perspective on the story. He explains that Vaccaro has been telling this story for forty years, and gives some background to the fight. He also tells of Vaccaro’s current occupation, working as an oddsmaker at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas. Vaccaro is now 74 and explains that his “hair was black then,” and he “did things a little quicker then.” Barnes writes that Vaccaro gained notoriety and a media spotlight from being the only bookmaker in Vegas to post odds on the fight. The final odds of 42–1 were set by Vaccaro and Barnes explains that one had to pay $4,200 to win $100 on Tyson. Barnes continues with his background of the fight, detailing Tyson’s record of 37 victories to no losses, 33 of which were knockouts, and Douglas, who was 28–4–1, and the obvious underdog. Though the odds of 42–1 are famous even today, Vaccaro revealed he opened the odds at 27–1, which was still an extremely heavy lean towards Tyson. As big bets came in, Vaccaro continued to raise the odds, so that bettors would have to put down more and more money to make a profit. The highest valued bet that was placed on Tyson was $168,000, compared to only $1,500 for Douglas. Barnes then provides a quick summary of the fight, which resulted in knockout following a five-punch combo in the tenth round. Following this upset, the sportsbook netted over $300,000 dollars from the Tyson bets, and Vaccaro was inundated with calls from the media to talk about the enormous odds Douglas had overcome. The media wanted to know the details of the betting and if anyone even bet on Douglas at all. As such, Vaccaro appeared in various interviews, including one on a network morning show. Barnes concludes the article with Vaccaro’s words that despite spending more than 40 years in the sports-betting industry, the Douglas v. Tyson fight is the most asked about event of his career and that “everything else is a distant second… and it’s only because the kid lost.”
Though there are many facets to the iconic bout between Douglas and Tyson, Barnes chooses to focus on Vegas, betting and odds. He does this through the lens of Jimmy Vaccaro, who has an excellent first-hand account of what transpired through this time. Vaccaro’s memories and experiences provide a great background on one of the most unprecedented events in sports history. Barnes’ use of direct quotes from Vaccaro, combined with his own retelling of history, present a concise, accurate piece of storytelling. He even begins the article by saying that Vaccaro has been “telling the story for 30 years,” meaning he has experience in delivering the key points of information that people want to know. Barnes also makes sure to demonstrate the difference in time from the fight to now by including Vaccaro’s age and a quote about his hair being darker and his mind being quicker back then. Barnes goes into detail at appropriate points, including the exact numbers for the bets that were placed and how the records and reputations of the two fighters impacted these bets. The way Barnes presents these numbers is easy to follow and allows the reader to understand how the betting actually works. This adds significance to the odds of 42–1 for those who did not truly grasp how uncommon that is. Barnes also highlights the immediate effects of the fight, not in the ring, but in the casino, which is a perspective that was probably not as heavily analyzed at the time. Including the fact that Vaccaro became a sought-after interviewee as a bookie only adds to the legend of the fight. Finally, the inclusion of Alan Feldman, the then head of public relations at the Mirage, and his comments about the media asking if anyone bet on Douglas and that Vaccaro was able to respond fabulously to the heightened attention solidify Vaccaro as a great choice to write about.
For this article, the relevance lies in the focus on the odds for the fight. Thirty years ago, 42–1 was unprecedented and today 42–1 is the same way. The sheer disparity in favor for the fighters is remarkable and is one of the strongest arguments for the fight as the greatest in sports history. 42–1 is so significant that it is what the filmmakers at ESPN chose for the title of the 30-for-30 documentary. The 30-for-30 places the fight into the digital culture of today and allows it to be presented in a suspenseful and cinematic format to anyone for generations to come. Barnes also includes Tyson’s cameo in “The Hangover,” since has become an American cultural icon, and branched out into the film industry since his fighting career ended. This shows that Tyson’s persona has changed since his fighting days, and his story is now one of redemption, since he returns to relevance after sinking to very low points in his life. The focus on the money is also relevant, since it shows how much the Tyson-bettors lost and how much the Douglas-bettors gained (the most being $55,000 from a $1,500 bet). Vaccaro himself is extremely relevant to the story, as he was the man who set the odds of 42–1, and was a great choice to retell one of the most striking shocks in sports history.
Barnes, Jim. “Buster Douglas KO’d Mike Tyson 30 Years Ago Today, Shocked Sports World.” Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 11 Feb. 2020, www.reviewjournal.com/sports/betting/buster-douglas-kod-mike-tyson-30-years-ago-today-shocked-sports-world-1954914/.
