October 25, 1990: Evander Holyfield Becomes Heavyweight Champ!

[elmersalsa]

On this date, October 25, 1990, 35 years ago, Evander Holyfield, the former and Undisputed Cruiserweight World Champion, stops James "Buster" Douglas to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World in Las Vegas, NV.

Douglas, 31 at the time, became undisputed champion when he defeated the fearsome Iron Mike Tyson by a shocking 10th round knockout in Tokyo, Japan. It was the Upset of the Century. Douglas was a 42-1 underdog.

But, on this night, Douglas disappointed a lot of fans by coming to the ring in terrible shape, weighed in 246lbs! He got paid $25 million dollars for just three rounds of effort.

Holyfield, 28, came with a chiseled body of only 208lbs. A right hand shot to the jaw of Douglas and down he went in round 3. Douglas didn't even had the nerve to get up. He just stayed on the canvas for the ten-count.

Holyfield achieved finally his life long dream, to become Heavyweight Champion of the World.

What really happened to Buster Douglas on that night after he brilliantly knocked out the invincible Mike Tyson in Tokyo 8 months earlier?

Your comments please.

[DrDuke]

Douglas was burnt out with all stress he had had during preparation to Tyson and during that fight. Holyfield would have won any version of Douglas, but he faced the past prime one.

[gilgamesh]

Douglas was burnt out with all stress he had had during preparation to Tyson and during that fight. Holyfield would have won any version of Douglas, but he faced the past prime one.

Oh what a crock of sh*t. He didn't train because he got lazy, and he lost.

Don't give me that stress bullsh*t. He finally made Millions of dollars. Lost his motivation which he never had a lot of prior to the Tyson fight to begin with, and he lost.

I agree that any version of Douglas loses to Holyfield, but Douglas being past his prime against Holyfield is a crock of sh*t. He was ill prepared because he was lazy, but that's the story of his career in general. He could've been better, but he was lazy. He could've beaten Tony Tucker...but he was lazy.

[elmersalsa]

I couldn't believe that fight. One shot by Evander Holyfield and Buster Douglas went down. He could have gotten up, but he decided to stay down, grabbed the money and run. What an act.

[Expug]

He got hit on the button. Who knows whether he could get up.
The bigger issue is , a novice golden glover knows better than to throw a right uppercut from an orthodox stance that far away.
It’s begging to get hit by a straight right hand counter. Wide open for it.

[elmersalsa]

He got hit on the button. Who knows whether he could get up.
The bigger issue is , a novice golden glover knows better than to throw a right uppercut from an orthodox stance that far away.
It’s begging to get hit by a straight right hand counter. Wide open for it.

I don't know what Buster Douglas was doing with that uppercut.

[gilgamesh]

He got hit on the button. Who knows whether he could get up.
The bigger issue is , a novice golden glover knows better than to throw a right uppercut from an orthodox stance that far away.
It’s begging to get hit by a straight right hand counter. Wide open for it.

Whether he could've got up or not I don't think the result would've been any different. He was toast.

[Ambling Alp II]

Douglas didn't train much for the fight. That was one time when the weigh in was a tip off.
That was odd that he tried to hit Holyfield with that uppercut. He left himself wide open. He was way too experienced of a fighter to have done that. Just a brain dead move.
It did look like he could have got up. However, he was not going to last much longer anyway.
Credit should be given to Holyfield for fighting a great fight.

[elmersalsa]

Douglas didn't train much for the fight. That was one time when the weigh in was a tip off.
That was odd that he tried to hit Holyfield with that uppercut. He left himself wide open. He was way too experienced of a fighter to have done that. Just a brain dead move.
It did look like he could have got up. However, he was not going to last much longer anyway.
Credit should be given to Holyfield for fighting a great fight.

I agree. Good observation, Alp. That fight was over at the weigh in. When the weigh in announcer said that Buster Douglas was weighing 246lbs, the Evander Holyfield camp went bananas before winning the crown. They knew that Holyfield was going to win because of Douglas' lack of preparation and professionalism.

[gilgamesh]

To be clear the Douglas of Tokyo could've come into the ring, and Holyfield still would've won. It just would've helped Buster's credibility if he had bothered to prepare.

[Ambling Alp II]

I think Holyfield would have beaten that version of Douglas, but it would have been very competitive. there probably are not 10 guys who would have beaten Douglas that night.

[goose 5]

My dough was on Holyfield but I was expecting him to stop Buster around round 10.

[gilgamesh]

I think Holyfield would have beaten that version of Douglas, but it would have been very competitive. there probably are not 10 guys who would have beaten Douglas that night.

Throughout Heavyweight history there probably are, but it was a spectacular performance for sure. Tyson ultimately wasn't in condition enough to be able to push Douglas to the point that his usual weaknesses showed. Others could've.

Although the stamina which was one of Buster's primary weaknesses did appear to be on point that night for Buster.

[p4p1]

I think Holyfield would have beaten that version of Douglas, but it would have been very competitive. there probably are not 10 guys who would have beaten Douglas that night.

Throughout Heavyweight history there probably are, but it was a spectacular performance for sure. Tyson ultimately wasn't in condition enough to be able to push Douglas to the point that his usual weaknesses showed. Others could've.

Although the stamina which was one of Buster's primary weaknesses did appear to be on point that night for Buster.

Obviously Tyson not at his best that night and probably hadn't been for a few fights at least. Through his own doing of course.
By the eye test he was on point that night, he looked quick and powerful, moved relatively well and was as you said fitter than he had ever been.
Whether that version beats Holyfield or not, I don't know. I think Buster could have pushed him. I actually like watching that fight Buster is electric.

[p4p1]

Douglas was burnt out with all stress he had had during preparation to Tyson and during that fight. Holyfield would have won any version of Douglas, but he faced the past prime one.

Oh what a crock of sh*t. He didn't train because he got lazy, and he lost.

Don't give me that stress bullsh*t. He finally made Millions of dollars. Lost his motivation which he never had a lot of prior to the Tyson fight to begin with, and he lost.

I agree that any version of Douglas loses to Holyfield, but Douglas being past his prime against Holyfield is a crock of sh*t. He was ill prepared because he was lazy, but that's the story of his career in general. He could've been better, but he was lazy. He could've beaten Tony Tucker...but he was lazy.

I don't think Buster ever really wanted to be a fighter. From what I have read he was bullied by his dad to be a fighter. All the physical tools in the world despite doing more or less the bare minimum to get by. Some of the stuff I have read about his relationship with his dad makes me think that even as a kid he did just enough to stop his dad beating the shit out of him for not working hard enough or not being tough enough.

So I wouldn't necessarily say he got lazy, he just never wanted it. He made life changing to fight Tyson, he was probably paid fairly well for being the ref in the WWE plus whatever other appearances he was doing. You can argue past prime or in prime all you want but it is hard to say he was still in his prime for the Holyfield fight when he clearly didn't bother to train as he should have. It was self inflicted, much like Tyson's but prime Douglas really only existed for one night. It's a shame for boxing because I do think someone with his size, skill and physical gifts could have been an ATG if they actually wanted it. It's an obvious thing to say because he achieved more than 99% of boxers ever will while not fully committing.*

I don't think it was stress related, that just sounds insane to me, it is just a guy living the good life. I don't think he really cared about fighting other than it being something he could do to make good living, I assume he still made 6 figures in some of his fights before the Tyson fight. He obviously still had a good work ethic, even when not committed he was still fit enough to 10 plus rounds, so he was still doing some work. Just not as much as we see with truly elite and ATGs. By the time of the Holyfield fight, clearly he was checked out mentally. He did just enough to show up to the weigh in to not look like butterbean but very little more. If he cared about fighting, he doesn't retire after the Holyfield loss and wants some sort of redemption. That isn't me disrespecting him either, I admire him in a way for realising that now he had the money he didn't need to keep doing something he didn't love.


*Yes I know he was fully committed for the Tyson fight but if he had been committed like that his entire life he would have been better even on the night he fought Tyson.

[gilgamesh]

Douglas was burnt out with all stress he had had during preparation to Tyson and during that fight. Holyfield would have won any version of Douglas, but he faced the past prime one.

Oh what a crock of sh*t. He didn't train because he got lazy, and he lost.

Don't give me that stress bullsh*t. He finally made Millions of dollars. Lost his motivation which he never had a lot of prior to the Tyson fight to begin with, and he lost.

I agree that any version of Douglas loses to Holyfield, but Douglas being past his prime against Holyfield is a crock of sh*t. He was ill prepared because he was lazy, but that's the story of his career in general. He could've been better, but he was lazy. He could've beaten Tony Tucker...but he was lazy.

I don't think Buster ever really wanted to be a fighter. From what I have read he was bullied by his dad to be a fighter. All the physical tools in the world despite doing more or less the bare minimum to get by. Some of the stuff I have read about his relationship with his dad makes me think that even as a kid he did just enough to stop his dad beating the shit out of him for not working hard enough or not being tough enough.

So I wouldn't necessarily say he got lazy, he just never wanted it. He made life changing to fight Tyson, he was probably paid fairly well for being the ref in the WWE plus whatever other appearances he was doing. You can argue past prime or in prime all you want but it is hard to say he was still in his prime for the Holyfield fight when he clearly didn't bother to train as he should have. It was self inflicted, much like Tyson's but prime Douglas really only existed for one night. It's a shame for boxing because I do think someone with his size, skill and physical gifts could have been an ATG if they actually wanted it. It's an obvious thing to say because he achieved more than 99% of boxers ever will while not fully committing.*

I don't think it was stress related, that just sounds insane to me, it is just a guy living the good life. I don't think he really cared about fighting other than it being something he could do to make good living, I assume he still made 6 figures in some of his fights before the Tyson fight. He obviously still had a good work ethic, even when not committed he was still fit enough to 10 plus rounds, so he was still doing some work. Just not as much as we see with truly elite and ATGs. By the time of the Holyfield fight, clearly he was checked out mentally. He did just enough to show up to the weigh in to not look like butterbean but very little more. If he cared about fighting, he doesn't retire after the Holyfield loss and wants some sort of redemption. That isn't me disrespecting him either, I admire him in a way for realising that now he had the money he didn't need to keep doing something he didn't love.


*Yes I know he was fully committed for the Tyson fight but if he had been committed like that his entire life he would have been better even on the night he fought Tyson.

One interesting point to consider about to add to this well taken point of yours. Is because of how Buster "never really wanted it" as you pointed out or at least it certainly seemed that way. As morbid as it is to say it may have taken something as drastic as his Mother dying to cause him to focus on his training enough to pull off the victory here.

Many people when they're dealing with that kind of grief will just throw themselves headlong into a Project or a Job or a Mission of some sort. Well Buster had his mission, and he now could either sit and wallow in self pity or he could make his Mother proud, and train like he'd never trained before, and really be all that he could be.

We know what happened.

But yes ultimately the mixture of everything it takes to be a Champion was only there for Buster that one night in Tokyo. It'll always be one a unique tale in Boxing, and in many ways it's a unique tale into the Human Psyche as well. Where both men were at in their lives, and why.

[p4p1]

One interesting point to consider about to add to this well taken point of yours. Is because of how Buster "never really wanted it" as you pointed out or at least it certainly seemed that way. As morbid as it is to say it may have taken something as drastic as his Mother dying to cause him to focus on his training enough to pull off the victory here.

Many people when they're dealing with that kind of grief will just throw themselves headlong into a Project or a Job or a Mission of some sort. Well Buster had his mission, and he now could either sit and wallow in self pity or he could make his Mother proud, and train like he'd never trained before, and really be all that he could be.

We know what happened.

But yes ultimately the mixture of everything it takes to be a Champion was only there for Buster that one night in Tokyo. It'll always be one a unique tale in Boxing, and in many ways it's a unique tale into the Human Psyche as well. Where both men were at in their lives, and why.

It is a really interesting this to ponder. Although his mum gets the 'credit' for being the reason why he trained so hard and was fully committed, it is worth mentioning that she died 'only' 23 days before the fight. That definitely changed his attitude in the fight but 3 weeks of training seriously, is not enough to be totally on point. So I think there is a possibility that Tyson had him motivated prior to that to take his training seriously. That motivation could have originally been fear. 'If I don't train hard enough this man might seriously hurt me.' which then changes 23 days out from the fight to 'doing it for mum.' and as you said just throwing himself into it as a way of grieving. I do wonder what Busters motivation/s was for getting in that shape, being down 11 pounds from his last fight, which was probably still under what he blew up to between the two fights. As I said, you don't drop that weight and get that fight in 23 days, especially when you consider that in the last week of prep the training load drastically reduces.

Douglas was also close to the perfect prototype to beat Tyson as well. He was 6'3 1/2 but still fairly mobile for a heavyweight at his best. He had a good jab to go along with his 7 foot reach. An ape index of +8/9 is like the fourth biggest in HW history, if not boxing history. Tyson had to be further away to stay out of reach than most of his previous opponents before he could start closing in to get into his preferred mid range. As you know, even if it takes just a split second longer for the punch to come, that enough to be the difference between seeing it or not. Douglas wasn't not slow and could punch, so Tyson couldn't just walk through the punches.