Great feats are often accomplished by heroes—extraordinary individuals who harness the gifts bestowed upon them by nature to scale seemingly insurmountable mountains. However, though far more rarely, it sometimes happens that a “normal” man enters the realm of legend, propelled beyond his limits by unique circumstances, a stroke of luck, and an immense force of character. On February 11, 1990—exactly 35 years ago—James “Buster” Douglas did just that, knocking out the great Mike Tyson, who at the time was considered invincible by many, and crowning himself the new heavyweight champion of the world. On the anniversary of that stunning battle, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, let’s retrace the steps that made one of the greatest upsets in sports history possible.
The Perfect Machine Breaks Down: How Tyson Became Human
Reaching the top of the world is difficult; for some, staying there is even harder. Mike Tyson had built a reputation as the perfect warrior, crushing one opponent after another in brutal and spectacular fashion. The few who managed to avoid being steamrolled were forced into fights of pure survival, and the most formidable opponent on paper in his career—the reigning lineal heavyweight champion, Michael Spinks—had lasted just a minute and a half against him.
However, Tyson’s aura of invincibility turned against him. Convinced of his own invulnerability, he began living recklessly and out of control, surrounding himself with fake friends, distancing those who had truly been by his side—like trainer Kevin Rooney, who had guided him since his teenage years—and spiraling into a world of drugs, alcohol, and delusions of grandeur.
His extraordinary physical gifts, which had been instrumental in his dominance, inevitably suffered. Just two weeks before his title defense against James Douglas, Tyson was floored in training by sparring partner Greg Page—an ominous sign of what was to come.
Douglas’ Promise: The Lazy Kid Turns into a Beast
James Douglas didn’t love boxing. It was his father, a former professional fighter who had fought a respectable but unremarkable career in the 1970s, who relentlessly pushed him into this world of sacrifice and hardship. Billy dreamed of the glory he had never achieved, but James was all over the place—his weight fluctuated dramatically from one fight to the next, and so did his performances in the ring.
So, it was no surprise that when the fight against Tyson was announced, the entire world assumed it would be a public execution. Even James’ own mother thought so, pleading with her son to abandon the madness. But Douglas reassured her, promising he would come home victorious.
However, Lula Pearl never lived to see her son fulfill that promise—just 23 days before the fight, she tragically lost her life in a car accident. Douglas’ team tried to convince him to postpone the bout, but he was adamant. His trainer, J.D. McCauley, later said he had never seen Douglas train with such blind determination as he did in those crucial weeks…
From Sarcasm to Amazement: The World Discovers “Buster” Douglas
The expectations leading up to the fight were best summed up by a memorable quote from Larry Merchant, the legendary HBO commentator, who, referencing the ongoing collapse of the Communist bloc, said: “Douglas insists that he’s going to shock the world in this fight. If he should upset Tyson, it would make the shocks in Eastern Europe seem like local ward politics.” His colleague Jim Lampley immediately echoed him: “He would shock most of the world if he could make it into the middle rounds.”
But completely unfazed, Buster began weaving his masterpiece from the opening bell: his legs moved swiftly, his jab sliced through the air like a knife, and his clinches smothered Tyson’s attacks before they could develop. Meanwhile, a sluggish Iron Mike relied on isolated power shots—his trademark combinations and head movement were nowhere to be found, and soon, his face started showing the effects of the punishment he was taking.
Making matters worse were Tyson’s two new trainers, Aaron Snowell and Jay Bright, who were so unprepared for the unfolding disaster that they tried to reduce the swelling on Tyson’s eye by pressing a latex glove filled with ice against it, lacking the proper end-swell tool. Teddy Atlas later remarked about them: “Those two couldn’t train a fish to swim.”
The Dream Becomes Reality: From the “Long Count” to the KO
Little by little, the champion’s resistance waned, while the challenger’s confidence grew visibly. However, Douglas’ growing enthusiasm nearly cost him dearly—after backing Tyson against the ropes late in the eighth round, he attacked recklessly and walked straight into a vicious uppercut to the chin, sending him crashing to the canvas.
Much has been said about the famous “long count” that followed. My personal take is that Douglas would have gotten up regardless and that he deliberately and wisely waited for the referee’s count of nine before rising.
Be that as it may, the battle continued and came to an explosive conclusion two rounds later: jab, jab, right uppercut! Any boxing fan has seen that devastating sequence, followed by a relentless barrage, dozens and dozens of times. For the first time in his career, the invincible Iron Mike was down—and he would stay down for too long.
“This makes Cinderella look like a sad story what Buster Douglas has done here tonight,” were Larry Merchant’s legendary final words as the new champion was carried aloft in triumph.
Once the fire that had fueled him during the preparation for the fight of his life burned out, Douglas returned to being his old, undisciplined self. Entering his first title defense overweight and out of shape, he was easily knocked out by Evander Holyfield and never returned to the highest levels of the sport. However, the images of that unforgettable triumph—his sublime performance, the stunning knockout, his tears of emotion, and the hero’s welcome in his hometown of Columbus—will forever remain in our hearts.