Media Is the Buster Douglas KO win of the undefeated Mike Tyson the biggest upset in boxing history?

Is the Buster Douglas KO win of the undefeated Mike Tyson the biggest upset in boxing history?

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Takes Two To Tango

Takes Two To Tango

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I mean they even had a video game for Mike Tyson. The guy seemed extraordinarily invincible at the time. Not great in math but according to betting odds from what I read, Douglas had only a 2% chance of winning.

So what do you think? Biggest upset ever in boxing?

 
Doctor Grudge said:
It's a nitpick, but athletes having their own video game around that era wasn't that rare. Riddick Bowe, Evander Holyfield, and George Foreman all had games, among a couple of others.
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Oh ok, but it wasn't as massive as Mike Tyson game I'm pretty sure.
 
Its easy to look back now and say we saw the signs but I remember when it happened and it was shocking. I remember hearing about it the next day at school, everyone was talking about it, even people who knew nothing about boxing. Tyson had an aura about him that no one else really ever had before. To lose to a guy who lost to guys Tyson destroyed made no sense.
 
Seano said:
Its easy to look back now and say we saw the signs but I remember when it happened and it was shocking. I remember hearing about it the next day at school, everyone was talking about it, even people who knew nothing about boxing. Tyson had an aura about him that no one else really ever had before. To lose to a guy who lost to guys Tyson destroyed made no sense.
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I agree totally, it was indeed shocking. Mike Tyson looked impervious and unstoppable. So I don't blame you or anyone else to be bewildered by it all.

It was one of the most memorable moments in sports history, not just in boxing.
 
yes, some call it the biggest upsets in sports history. Tyson was seen as his sports version of Michael Jordan, imagine some street baller or college player beating Jordan 1 on 1.

Buster was talented though, big, fast, mobile and completely mentally focussed. Tyson hadn't really been tested seriously in his pro career up to that point and whatever tests he did have, he almost always passed with flying colors. He was assumed to be a future all time great heavyweight champ and still not even in his prime. Buster ended all of that, Tyson was really never the same, then we have the rape sentence, then the Holyfield fights and Tyson never came close to the expectations everyone had.
 
also, vegas was not taking money on the fight if I'm remembering correctly, that's how seriously a mismatch it was seen to be.
 
MRudi said:
It was one of the biggest upset in sports and the single biggest biggest in the boxing. Period.
Over 30 years passed and we still talk about it, do you need another proof?
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Very well said, thanks.
 
Statistically it was to my knowledge. The sport has had plenty of big upsets though. Ali losing to Leon Spinks also comes to mind though statistically it was nowhere near the level of Tyson-Douglas. Ali was at the tail end of his career but Spinks as a professional was a totally green 7 fight novice that fought as low as cruiserweight later on. He looked so small in there compared to Ali. We're talking 27 lbs lighter. It looked like a natural heavyweight in there with a light heavyweight.
 
It was, mostly because Buster until that point in his career had been precisely the type of boxer that Tyson feasted upon. A talented guy, who lacked discipline and willpower in the ring. Like a lot of 80's heavyweights.

There was nothing to indicate that he could be as physical and as aggressive as he was against Tyson. He didn't give Tyson any room to breathe at all, and his conditioning was excellent. When he did get hit, he stayed composed and took full advantage of the generous count that the referee gave him.

The guy we saw against Holyfield is what people expected to see against Tyson.
 
Another high profile upset at heavyweight was Baer vs Braddock. They made a movie about it called Cinderella Man. Braddock was just a journeyman but he had just recorded a few impressive wins before being gifted a title shot against Baer. Baer had blatantly cherrypicked him and it blew up in his face. I believe the odds were similar to Ali-Spinks 1.
 
Last edited:
Tyson was drinking smoking and partying and almost no training prior to the fight.
Even if you are number one, if you slack off for a few weeks you become number 25 quickly.
 
Ara tech said:
Tyson was drinking smoking and partying and almost no training prior to the fight.
Even if you are number one, if you slack off for a few weeks you become number 25 quickly.
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Right but guys tend to overlook opponents all the time and some of them also party hard. Regardless, Tyson made him look much better than he actually was. In Douglas' very next fight Holyfield quickly brought him back down to earth. That harsh reality check only took 3 rounds.
 
Ara tech said:
Tyson was drinking smoking and partying and almost no training prior to the fight.
Even if you are number one, if you slack off for a few weeks you become number 25 quickly.
Click to expand...

I heard this and read this online, but Buster Douglas mom died shortly before that fight. And I heard that he was so inspired and motivated to do well in that fight for his mom. Basically he was going to get best Buster Douglas that ever stepped in the ring prior or even arguably after the fight with Tyson.
 
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