OCR Text |
Show PageC6 THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Wednesday, October 24, 1990 Hot dog and beer' fighter cuts tihe mustard now JR. AP Boxing Writer Don King LAS VEGAS (AP) once called James "Buster" Douglas a hot fighter. When Douglas fought, often before the main event, people went for hot dogs and beer, the promoter Contended in recounting how it was he who built the fighter into a "When I found out that night that the fight was canceled, I went out and had a couple of drinks," Doug-- t las said. "I was flying down thejf highway and got into an accident.! It was my fault and I got into,? trouble for that. I just ran off the 1 1 I was being chased by the road police. "I had to do three days rehab and they suspended my license for .J three months, I believe." He also continued to believe int himself as a fighter and when the match fell through; J he suddenly got his chance at the J I championship. j Douglas certainly needed to take to a single-mindapproach his;J I fight against Tyson. j He and his wife, Bertha, sepa- rated shortly after he fought McCall. "We're back together again, and about to have a baby in January," Douglas said. The mother of his son, Lamar, was seriously ill. She since has had a kidney transplant, Douglas said, and is doing well. On Jan. 18, Douglas' mother, Lulu, died. "Through all of this I was able to stay focused," Douglas said. "I stayed strong." Before the fight, the general feeling of the boxing fraternity was, well at least Buster is going to get $1 million for his beating. That amount far outstripped his earnings for his first 34 fights. Douglas was dominant against, Tyson, despite a controversial knockdown in the eighth round. Referee Octavio Meyran failed to pick up the timekeeper's count, By ED SCHUYLER - er v f-- tc. ... star. While Douglas bristled at King's characterization, he did say, "I was always the one on all the major undercards. I wasn't the one they looked at. "They'd have Joe Blow or someI was the one nobody body considered. They knew of me, but they really didn't think I had what it took to be champion . . . they didn't know they were moving right past the man who was going to do it all, who was going to shock the world." Douglas often was criticized as being a reluctant warrior and sometimes for being downright " f. r V i ifirv Q ... is tf I 5, . Tyson-Ruddo- ) Q ed v 1 , I dull. On Feb. 11 at Tokyo, Douglas figuratively smeared mustard on King's shirt and dumped suds on his head, leaving the flamboyant promoter sputtering and dazed. Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson in the 10th round and won the undisputed heavyweight championship, then James Douglas went 1 home to Columbus, Ohio. "I definitely feel at home in Columbus,," Douglas said. "I feel I'm James, not Buster, the fighter. Being either one, I'm comfortable at. I'm more comfortable as James because that's the every day guy." He does, however, enjoy the celebrity of being Buster. "All I ever wanted to be was the best," said the Douglas, who has been fighting professionally since 1981 and who has a record, with 20 knockouts. "Now that I am the best, it's new, it's exciting, it's unreal. Every time I go to a hotel now I'm on the top floor. Before, it was, 'Let me try to find you a room."' The toast of Columbus could become the toast of Las Vegas Thursday night when he defends the title against unbeaten Evander Holy-fielthe No. 1 contender. And, typical of his career, Douglas goes into the fight as an underdog champion. Douglas was soggy toast of any town when he fought Tony Tucker for the vacated International Boxing Federation title May 30,. 1987, at Las Vegas. Even with a piece of the title at stake, Douglas found himself in a prelimary role. The star of that show was Tyson, who stopped Pinklon Thomas to retain the World Boxing Association and 30-4- -1 . d, Photo courtesy of Insight Cablevision Mike Tyson sees the heavyweight title match between James "Buster" Douglas and Evander Holyfield as nothing more than an elimination bout. "They've got to fight to see who fights me," said Tyson, who obviously believes he remains the world's premier fighter despite his shocking championship loss on a d knockout to Douglas Feb. 11 at Tokyo. Promoter Dan Duva said Holy-fiel- d already has signed to fight George Foreman. Promoter Don King, however, said he has letters from the International Boxir.g Federation, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association stating the Douglas-Holyfiel- d """'""""-''''"'""""'"'j- By Tha Aoclatd Press The tale of the tape for the James "Buster" Douglas' heavyweight title defense against Evander Holyfield Oct. 25: Douglas 30 230 Age Weight Height Reach Chest (normal) Chest (expanded) Biceps Forearm Waist Thigh Calf Neck Wrist Fist Ankle Official weigh-i- n today. HofyflaJd 27 210 Vk 4 83 45 47 17 14 35 26 17 77 Vi 43 45 18 19VS 16 12Vi 32 22 13 m 8 will be 13Vi 11 at 5 10 p.m. MDT Douglas began what has become a seven-figwinning streak after losing to Tucker and he maintained a high ranking by the IBF, WBA and WBC, but, he said, "the problems were building up." Then his life changed. "On July 20, 1989, I accepted the Lord into my life," he said. "My training wasn't going well," said Douglas, who on July 21 fought Oliver McCall in a prelimiknock- d nary to Tyson's ht first-roun- " " Sy - &:. Evander Holyfield World Boxing Council titles. Douglas also boxed on the undercards of three other Tyson title fights and as a prelim fighter on four other heavyweight championship shows. After after six rounds, Douglas was leading on all three official cards and the scheduled match was even after nine. Tucker won in the 10th when Douglas was stopped. It seemed to some observers that Douglas just quit fighting. Douglas admits to lacking mental toughness in that fight. "There were things with my dad and I," Douglas said of his relaBiltionship with his father-traine- r, ly "Dynamite" Douglas, a rugged middleweight- - light heavyweight of the 1970s. "I wanted to be my own man, I wasn't little Buster any more. Douglas also said his father "wasn't able to jell with other people in camp." The professional relationship between father and son ended with the Tucker fight. The personal relationship also became strained, but the father who was not in Tokyo for his son's finest hour is in Las Vegas for his first title defense. ..... Photo courtesy of Insight Cablevision James "Buster" Douglas yson sees titEe fiaht as 'elimination bout' just an LAS VEGAS (AP) ck cut of Carl "The Truth" Williams at Atlantic City, N.J. "My wife and I had been at odds. I really didn't want to fight. I told John (manager John Johnson), 'I'd like to pull out of this one.' John said it would jeopardize my chances for a title shot. "I was lying in bed in a hotel room in a pool of sorrow. I was feeling sorry for myself. I was ready to give up." Some friends from Columbus were in town for the fight, Douglas recalled, and "they came to the room and we talked. I found out everybody had problems. We joined hands and prayed and read scriptures. "It was a wonderful experience. When I lie back down, it was a pose. Douglas, however, can understand being asked how he reconciles his beliefs with boxing, which he took up at age 10. "The main reason I walked away from boxing when I was 15 was because I didn't like the way peoa ple perceived me as a fighter brute, They acted like 'Man, don't hit me.' Man, like I couldn't control myself. It took me years to look at it as a sport." "My life was at a crossroads," remembered Douglas, who attended two colleges on basketball scholarships, but who did not get a degree. "In my third year in college things weren't going well. I wasn't applying myself, so I went back to boxing as a pro at 21." Douglas says his religious experience enabled him to focus his life, but one night in early November at Columbus it got briefly, and dangerously, out of focus. He was supposed to fight underneath Tyson's defense against Donovan "Razor" Ruddock Nov. 18 at Edmonton, Alberta, and hoped to use his appearance to further his chances for a title shot. Tyson got sick, and the card was postponed. instead beginning his count at "one," and the Tyson camp contended he should have been awarded a knockout. Douglas and Johnson charged King with breaching his promotional contract by trying to get the result overturned. King contended he was just trying to create contro-- , versy in order to set up an immediate rematch. It was while claiming that he made Douglas into star that King made his remark about the new champion having been a hot fighter. non-carin- g. turnaround." Douglas won an easy decision over McCall in an uninteresting bout. "It (boxing) is a vehicle; it's a drive," Douglas said in reconciling his profession with his faith. Pat Day, a top jockey who is a born-agai- n Christian, has said he considered giving up race riding, but then decided he must have been blessed with his talent for a pur er Under the terms of the court settlemt, King is not involved in Douglas' first title defense for which the champion will make about $20 million. Sitting in a Las Vegas hotel room one morning last month, Douglas talked to a few reporters about his rocky road to Tokyo, his surprising performance against a seemingly invincible opponent and how it feels to be the heavyweight champion of the world. fwvmmfj; ""S l (ton J emmmm lVM ikM winner must defend 1987. Tucker won the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds on one official scorecard and two of those three rounds on the other two cards. Tucker was leading by one point on two cards and the fight was even on the third after nine rounds. Douglas has said he lacked mental toughness and blamed his lack of concentration on marital problems and on problems with his father Billy, who trained him at AP Laserphoto 30-4- -1 Big bout on cable, It will be "The Moment of Truth" Thursday evening at The Mirage in Las Vegas, with undis- puted heavyweight champion James "Buster" Douglas defends his title against Evander Holyfield. The card will be televised live In prime time by Insight Cablevision on Special Event Channel 14 at 7 p.m. It will be offered on a w basis. The fight v.ill also be ave'lable JBm ifSS 111 M Former champ Mike Tyson awaits heavyweight title shot. the time. "It was a kick in the right direction," Douglas said Monday of the last loss in his record. "I didn't sit back and dwell on it. I was determined to keep going forward. Should the Douglas beat Holyfield, he must then defend against Tyson under a court settlement of breach of contract suits between the champion and King. "It will be an intense fight," Douglas said of a rematch with Tyson. "I expect even a tougher fight from Mike, but I think the verdict will be the same." Douglas then flicked a couple of verbal jabs at Tyson. "His talents are limited," Douglas said. "I exposed him as to how limited his talents are." As for Holyfield, Douglas said, on big-scre- "He's a good fighter. He's going to be a challenge to me. But you know me. I'm the kind of guy who goes up against all odds, who does the impossible." Holyfield was a slight favorite to make Douglas the 17th heavyweight champion to lose in his first defense. King said the three governing bodies were ordering the Douglas-Tyso- n winner to defend against Tyson because of the controversy surrounding his loss in Tokyo. The referee did not correctly pick up the timekeeper's count after Douglas was knocked down in the eighth round. Tyson won the undisputed chamunanimous pionship with a decision over Tucker Aug. 1, 1987, and defended it six times, before being upset by Douglas. at Salt Palace TV at the Assembly Hall In the Salt Palace. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $25. weights Andrew Maynard (12-and Keith McMurry (12-5- ). Other bouts scheduled on the undercard are Hugo Hernandez (60-3- ) vs. o welterChlnungo (37-3- ), vs. weight; Floyd Weaver (9-Michael Ward ), middleweight; Kenny Whack vs. Joe Variela middle weights; and David Samvs. Gerald McNeil ), ple (7-lightweight. 1) There will be the latest reports on college, the pros and high school basketball in this special Daily Herald section. Basketball is a very popular sport in Utah Valley and you won't want to miss all the latest news about your favorite team. DG 1989 W 'Vv I aI i 1 3 Basketball '90-9- 1 Mis-und- The Douglas-Holyfiel- d main event Is part of an entire night of boxing at the Mirage. The main undercard bout will be a heavyweight fight between Riddock Bowe (19-0- ) and Bert Cooper (22-5- ). The opening bout is an between light heavy- eight-round- er ; ! lOth-roun- against Tyson. "It should be a good fight whoever wins," Tyson said of the schedbout Thursday night uled outdoors at The Mirage. "I hope Douglas wins." Tyson, however, had some harsh words for Douglas, who got up from an eighth-roun- d knockdown to beat him. "I don't respect a guy who quits," Tyson said in a telephone interview from Atlantic City, N.J., where he is scheduled to fight Alex Stewart Dec. 8. "Once you quit, you'll quit again." This was in reference to Douglas being stopped in the 10th round when he quit fighting against Tony Tucker for the vacant International Boxing Federation title May 30, ; (6-1- (5-4- MESSAGE TO ADVERTISERS 80H of all rttdtn chtcK out tht iportt so ptgt big your mtiMgt will b wall rtctlvtd. Scort with an ad In this aactlon. Copy daadllna la Nov. 8th. Call a protaaalonal Dally Hara'd ad today at rapra-aantatl- 373-505- Coming In The Daily Herald November 14. i; |