Buster Douglas: ‘Belief’ led him to stunning upset of Tyson

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — It’s been 25 years and every second remains seared in the memory of James “Buster” Douglas.

A promising if enigmatic fighter, Douglas was given almost no chance of hanging around long with undefeated heavyweight champion Mike Tyson when the two squared off in Tokyo. The bout was considered little more than a tuneup for the fearsome titleholder.

But Douglas, a terrific athlete who had been less than committed to boxing, found motivation in the death of his beloved mother three weeks before the bout.

He more than held his own before being knocked down late in the eighth round. Then he dominated before knocking out the seemingly invincible Tyson in the 10th.

A quarter-century later, it’s still considered one of the biggest upsets in sports.