RScarf1 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2022, 18:19
Tyson could not have an immediate rematch with Douglas because Holyfield was the No. 1 ranked contender of the WBC, WBA, and IBF. He waited long enough for a title shot. And then Douglas lost to Holyfield because he was overweight and out of shape. He probably would have lost anyway even if he was in shape.
Ok, but why Mike didn't try to avenge his first loss vs Douglas? It's more about Tyson's pride and honour. It wouldn't have been Mike's problem if Buster was in shape or not for the rematch.
After Tyson lost to Buster, then he had about 8 fights against lesser opposition, when he could've avenged his loss vs Douglas and then fight Holy?!
Ok, immediately was not possible, but instead of fighting someone like Donovan Ruddock for 2 times, Tyson could've rematched Buster!
apollo creed wrote: ↑22 Apr 2022, 03:48Ok, but why Mike didn't try to avenge his first loss vs Douglas? It's more about Tyson's pride and honour. It wouldn't have been Mike's problem if Buster was in shape or not for the rematch.
After Tyson lost to Buster, then he had about 8 fights against lesser opposition, when he could've avenged his loss vs Douglas and then fight Holy?!
Ok, immediately was not possible, but instead of fighting someone like Donovan Ruddock for 2 times, Tyson could've rematched Buster!
Ruddock was a very good contender in 1991. Ruddock had beaten former champ Michael Dokes in 1990. Douglas took a long hiatus from boxing after his loss to Holyfield in 1990. He did not fight again until 1996. I saw a documentary about Douglas. He was very overweight during his hiatus and almost died. His Wikipedia page states that he was about 400 pounds and was in a diabetic coma. He survived and decided to make a comeback to boxing. In 1998, Douglas lost to Lou Savarese by KO in the first round. In 2000, Savarese lost to Tyson by TKO in the first round. Douglas was not a contender anymore and since Tyson beat Savarese who beat Douglas, a rematch did not matter. Tyson was trying to become a world champion again after losing to Holyfield in 1996 and 1997. Tyson got his last title shot in 2002 and lost to Lennox Lewis.
Regarding Ruddock, I met him in 2000. He was training at a boxing gym in Hollywood, Florida. He wanted a third fight with Tyson. He never got that, but he did win the Canada heavyweight title in 2001. I was doing freelance writing for The Miami Herald newspaper and I could choose what to write about, so that was my first article which was about the boxing gym. Former lightweight contender Ricky Quiles was also training there and I interviewed him too. I started writing for boxing websites in 2006 and that ended in 2018.
apollo creed wrote: ↑22 Apr 2022, 03:48Ok, but why Mike didn't try to avenge his first loss vs Douglas? It's more about Tyson's pride and honour. It wouldn't have been Mike's problem if Buster was in shape or not for the rematch.
After Tyson lost to Buster, then he had about 8 fights against lesser opposition, when he could've avenged his loss vs Douglas and then fight Holy?!
Ok, immediately was not possible, but instead of fighting someone like Donovan Ruddock for 2 times, Tyson could've rematched Buster!
Ruddock was a very good contender in 1991. Ruddock had beaten former champ Michael Dokes in 1990. Douglas took a long hiatus from boxing after his loss to Holyfield in 1990. He did not fight again until 1996. I saw a documentary about Douglas. He was very overweight during his hiatus and almost died. His Wikipedia page states that he was about 400 pounds and was in a diabetic coma. He survived and decided to make a comeback to boxing. In 1998, Douglas lost to Lou Savarese by KO in the first round. In 2000, Savarese lost to Tyson by TKO in the first round. Douglas was not a contender anymore and since Tyson beat Savarese who beat Douglas, a rematch did not matter. Tyson was trying to become a world champion again after losing to Holyfield in 1996 and 1997. Tyson got his last title shot in 2002 and lost to Lennox Lewis.
Thank you for the reply. Well this explains very well why the rematch didn't happen. It makes sense.
