Boxing · 1990 · Tokyo, Japan
The Upset of the Century
A 42-to-1 underdog knocks out an undefeated, seemingly unbeatable Mike Tyson, in what is still considered the biggest upset in heavyweight boxing history.
Douglas def. Tyson, KO round 10
Result
42-1 against Douglas
Betting odds
37-0
Tyson record entering
Mike Tyson arrived in Tokyo unbeaten in 37 fights and widely regarded as the most feared heavyweight of his generation. James 'Buster' Douglas was a 42-to-1 underdog fighting weeks after his mother's death, given little chance by bookmakers, some of whom stopped taking bets on the fight entirely.
Douglas used his reach and a disciplined jab to control range for round after round, dropping Tyson in the eighth, only to be dropped himself right at the bell. Referee Octavio Meyran's count on that knockdown, and whether Douglas had actually beaten it, remained a point of dispute for years afterward.
In round ten Douglas landed a four-punch combination that put Tyson on the canvas for the first time in his professional career; Tyson, dazed, could not beat the count. It remains one of the largest betting upsets in the sport's history and the moment the idea of Tyson's invincibility first cracked.
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