On this day exactly 30 years ago, the man who self-proclaimed himself ‘the baddest man on the planet’ Mike Tyson provided yet another demonstration of himself at the peak of his powers at the expense of Tyrell Biggs. Tyson had just become the youngest heavyweight champion of the world the year prior and in this fight, he became the first heavyweight champion to enter the ring defending all three of the major governing bodies’ titles in the form of the WBC, WBA and IBF World Heavyweight Championships.
Amassing an enormous global following in the mid-1980’s for his primal style of fighting, this fight was another chance for Tyson to solidify his position in the annals of heavyweight greatness. A spot that many at the time felt he was destined to achieve. Tyrell Biggs was a well-schooled practitioner in the sport, he had defeated future heavyweight legend Lennox Lewis en route to capturing the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and the former face of HBO Sports, Larry Merchant even went on to say Biggs was “the only man on this planet capable of beating Tyson.”
Given Biggs outstanding amateur pedigree which culminated with his capturing the Gold, he amassed an outstanding record of 108-6-4 and many had felt if he was able to revert to the amateur style he honed, he would be able to keep Tyson off balance and circle him while working behind his jab, he would come out triumphant. Noted trainer, Angelo Dundee even emphatically suggested: “we are going to have a 15-round fight, and Tyson will get outpointed”.
However on fight night, the stark realisation dawned on Biggs that he was stepping in the ring with one of the most ferocious fighters of all time and he was gradually and painfully broken down. Tyson’s most dangerous weapon besides the art of intimidation was that he possessed a left hook from hell and he landed it at will from all angles and for 6 rounds he was pummelled at will until at least the pain started proving too much. The fight reached its all too inevitable conclusion at 2:59 of the seventh round when yet another Tyson left hook sent Biggs spiralling towards his corner, where his body thudded towards the canvas as his feet were pointed skywards. Tyson’s body was hanging over the top strand of rope and he cut an imposing figure standing over a beaten Biggs in what has become an iconic image. This was the undefeated Tyson’s 32nd professional victory and furthermore the 28th kayo of his professional career, this was also the first professional defeat of Biggs’ career.
The fight reached its all too inevitable conclusion at 2:59 of the seventh round when yet another Tyson left hook sent Biggs spiralling towards his corner, where his body thudded towards the canvas as his feet were pointed skywards. Tyson’s body was hanging over the top strand of rope and he cut an imposing figure standing over a beaten Biggs in what has become an iconic image. This was the undefeated Tyson’s 32nd professional victory and furthermore the 28th kayo of his professional career, this was also the first professional defeat of Biggs’ career.
During the fight’s opening round, Biggs did what Larry Merchant and Angelo Dundee had suggested he’d do and he was keeping Tyson at bay, popping a sharp jab while taking what was coming back with seeming ease. But Tyson was relentless with his pressure and that told the tale as Biggs’ legs were taken from underneath him as Tyson exhibited a brutal showing of precise power punching, scoring at will to the body and head while displaying phenomenal punch selection as he found particular success with his left jab and quick short chopping right hands landing cleanly multiple time just like the aforementioned left hook.
Biggs absorbed all the blows as he bravely soldiered on despite a deep cut over his right eye which opened in the third round and had progressively worsened more and more. It just wasn’t to be for Biggs as he continued to fail to halt the onslaught but with the damage, he had incurred just couldn’t keep the pace against his 21-year-old opponent.
Tyson savagely delivered his post-fight comments about Biggs in a similar fashion to how he delivered the knockout. He was doing so much talking that I wanted to make him pay with his health. I don’t want to sound egotistical, but I could have knocked him out in the third round. I wanted to do it slowly. I wanted him to remember this for a long time;” Tyson concluded.
https://youtu.be/LpH7jVPT_Zc