Watching Mike Tyson during the late 1980s and early 1990s felt less like watching a boxer and more like watching a superhero brought to life.
On one channel there were cartoons of Superman and Spider-Man. On the other — when parents allowed — there was Tyson, a heavyweight wrecking machine who resembled the Incredible Hulk and fought like something created in a laboratory before entering the ring.
Tyson ripped through the heavyweight division destroying seasoned contenders with frightening ease. Trevor Berbick, Michael Spinks, Larry Holmes and Tony Tucker all eventually became part of the same growing myth.
He was “Iron Mike,” and yes, he was “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”
After years of living inside that aura, Tyson eventually started believing it himself.
Mike Tyson undefeated
During Tyson’s destruction of Michael Spinks, even Teddy Atlas later compared Tyson’s level that night to Michael Jordan at his absolute peak.
“That night, he was as good as any heavyweight in the sport’s history,” Atlas explained.
For a period of time, Tyson barely looked human to most boxing fans. However, that eventually became part of the problem.
The aura Tyson created inside the ring spilled far outside of it. Fame exploded, pressure intensified and the expectation of remaining unbeatable became part of his everyday existence.
Behind the invincible image, Tyson later admitted the reality was completely different.
“Fighting Buster was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” Tyson admitted years later.
“I got so stressed out being the champ. My hair was falling out and everything. I was playing it up like I was still a hard guy, but I was scared to death.”
The Illusion Altered
One night in Tokyo, everything finally came crashing down and was never fully put back together again.
James “Buster” Douglas did far more than pull off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history when he stopped Tyson in 1990.
He shattered the illusion surrounding the most feared fighter in exsitence. Tyson eventually came to see the defeat as something strangely necessary.
“It was a release. It happened. It’s over. Now we have to deal with this adversity,” Tyson said.
“I was an even better fighter because I wasn’t afraid to lose. I did things I’d never done before; I was undefeated.”
The fighter terrifying heavyweights before the opening bell had lost control of the one thing Cus D’Amato always tried to protect — his humility.
“It made me human,” Tyson concluded. “I wasn’t an animal or a savage.”
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years of experience. He has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside since 2010. Read full bio.
