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The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever
Meticulously researched, wonderfully written; the untold story of a legendary fight and the two warriors who would never be the same again
It is considered by many to be the biggest upset in the history of James "Buster" Douglas knocked out then-undefeated Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson in the 10th round in 1990 when the dominating and intimidating Tyson was considered invincible.
THE LAST GREAT FIGHT takes readers not only behind the scenes of this epic battle, but inside the lives of two men, their ambitions, their dreams, the downfall of one and the rise of another.
Using his exclusive interviews with both Tyson and Douglas, family members, the referee, the cutmen, trainers and managers to the commentators and HBO staff covering the fight in Tokyo, Layden has crafted a human drama played out on a large stage. This is a compelling tale of shattered dreams and, ultimately, redemption.
It is considered by many to be the biggest upset in the history of James "Buster" Douglas knocked out then-undefeated Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson in the 10th round in 1990 when the dominating and intimidating Tyson was considered invincible.
THE LAST GREAT FIGHT takes readers not only behind the scenes of this epic battle, but inside the lives of two men, their ambitions, their dreams, the downfall of one and the rise of another.
Using his exclusive interviews with both Tyson and Douglas, family members, the referee, the cutmen, trainers and managers to the commentators and HBO staff covering the fight in Tokyo, Layden has crafted a human drama played out on a large stage. This is a compelling tale of shattered dreams and, ultimately, redemption.
- GenresSportsNonfictionHistory
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2007
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March 10, 2020
It’s exceedingly difficult to feel bad for Mike Tyson. Here is a man who was convicted for rape, various and numerous assaults, and a litany of other offensives against just common human decency.
He was the personification of the id, and America for a period of time in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s loved him for it. It was almost as if he were living out all of the baser impulses that we know are inside of us but for whatever reason, are unwilling to show other.
All that being said, he was also one of the greatest and hardest hitting boxers the sport has ever known.
I remember as a child watching him obliterate men in the ring within minutes and being in complete awe. Here was a man as close to indestructible as man can get. A man at the height of his physical gifts whose dominance showed no sign of ending anytime soon.
Then there was Tokyo. February 11, 1990.
In what was seen as a routine tuneup fight against a hard hitting but underwhelming heavyweight named Buster Douglas, Tyson was widely expected to make short work of him.
So one sided was this fight expected to be that US journalists coming to Japan to cover the fight didn’t expect to stay long:
“A longtime Associated Press sportswriter named Ed Schuyler, who, when stopped at customs upon arriving in Japan, was asked about the nature of his visit.
‘I’m here to cover the Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas heavyweight championship fight,’ Schuyler reported. ‘How long do you expect to work?’ the customs agent inquired.
‘Oh, about ninety seconds’ “
Douglas however had other ideas.
With Douglas, talent was never the question. With a father who was a formidable fighter in his own day, Douglas on his day had a wonderful combination of athleticism, movement, and power. The question with Douglas was always about his heart. There were several fights in fact where most observes acknowledged he simply gave up in the ring.
For whatever reason however, Douglas trained for this particular fight like he had never trained before. In contrast, Tyson spent most of his days in Japan watching kung fu movies and ordering in Japanese prostitutes.
By the day of the fight, it was clear that Douglas was in the best shape of his life, Tyson perhaps the worst.
Would it matter?
This book follows the days leading up to the fight and its aftermath but more interesting is its character study of two men who couldn’t be any more different.
Tyson raised essentially by his mother but in truth by himself. He spent most of his youth in trouble with the law until discovering boxing and finding in it an outlet for his prodigious anger.
Douglas on the other hand was raised in a stable two parent home, with a father actively involved in his upbringing.
Where Tyson was brash, angry, and menacing, Douglas was gregarious, self effacing, and gentle.
Both men in the aftermath of their fight in Tokyo however would face demons that would take hold of them for years to come. That both men were later able to acknowledge them and were eventually able to overcome them to a certain degree is admirable, even if perhaps difficult, in the case of Tyson’s past transgressions.
This book is about one fight but also about two very fascinating and different men brought together by fate.
He was the personification of the id, and America for a period of time in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s loved him for it. It was almost as if he were living out all of the baser impulses that we know are inside of us but for whatever reason, are unwilling to show other.
All that being said, he was also one of the greatest and hardest hitting boxers the sport has ever known.
I remember as a child watching him obliterate men in the ring within minutes and being in complete awe. Here was a man as close to indestructible as man can get. A man at the height of his physical gifts whose dominance showed no sign of ending anytime soon.
Then there was Tokyo. February 11, 1990.
In what was seen as a routine tuneup fight against a hard hitting but underwhelming heavyweight named Buster Douglas, Tyson was widely expected to make short work of him.
So one sided was this fight expected to be that US journalists coming to Japan to cover the fight didn’t expect to stay long:
“A longtime Associated Press sportswriter named Ed Schuyler, who, when stopped at customs upon arriving in Japan, was asked about the nature of his visit.
‘I’m here to cover the Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas heavyweight championship fight,’ Schuyler reported. ‘How long do you expect to work?’ the customs agent inquired.
‘Oh, about ninety seconds’ “
Douglas however had other ideas.
With Douglas, talent was never the question. With a father who was a formidable fighter in his own day, Douglas on his day had a wonderful combination of athleticism, movement, and power. The question with Douglas was always about his heart. There were several fights in fact where most observes acknowledged he simply gave up in the ring.
For whatever reason however, Douglas trained for this particular fight like he had never trained before. In contrast, Tyson spent most of his days in Japan watching kung fu movies and ordering in Japanese prostitutes.
By the day of the fight, it was clear that Douglas was in the best shape of his life, Tyson perhaps the worst.
Would it matter?
This book follows the days leading up to the fight and its aftermath but more interesting is its character study of two men who couldn’t be any more different.
Tyson raised essentially by his mother but in truth by himself. He spent most of his youth in trouble with the law until discovering boxing and finding in it an outlet for his prodigious anger.
Douglas on the other hand was raised in a stable two parent home, with a father actively involved in his upbringing.
Where Tyson was brash, angry, and menacing, Douglas was gregarious, self effacing, and gentle.
Both men in the aftermath of their fight in Tokyo however would face demons that would take hold of them for years to come. That both men were later able to acknowledge them and were eventually able to overcome them to a certain degree is admirable, even if perhaps difficult, in the case of Tyson’s past transgressions.
This book is about one fight but also about two very fascinating and different men brought together by fate.
December 18, 2016
It was considered to be one of the greatest upsets in the history of boxing. On February 11, 1990, James “Buster” Douglas, a 42-1 longshot against heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, knocked out the champion in the tenth round to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This book by Joe Layden not only captures the events and magnitude of the fight itself, but also portrays both of the fighters and the paths they took both before and after that fight.
Nearly every aspect of the actual fight is detailed well – from the opening bell when Douglas showed that Tyson would not intimidate him to the eighth round knockdown of Douglas that was later protested by Tyson’s manager Don King as a “long count”, to the devastating punch in the tenth round that made Douglas the champion, everything about the fight is covered.
However, the true beauty of the book is the writing about both fighters and important people in their lives. Layden treats controversial subjects well, such as some of Tyson’s worst moments like his 1992 rape conviction or his stormy marriage to actress Robin Givens. Oh, yes, Tyson’s boxing career and training are also well-researched and detailed.
Douglas’s story gets equal billing, but instead of the headlines, Layden covers the personal relationships that made Douglas the man he became. The first chapter is a brief history of his father’s boxing career and the toughness he displayed – though not all of it was passed down to his son. The relationship Douglas had with his managers, his wife and his parents are captured well here, enough to make the reader feel that he or she has known Douglas personally.
Because of the way he writes about each fighter, the differences between them are stark and the reader will be able to note these right away. Differences such as the even keel that Douglas tried to live his life as opposed to the extremes of Tyson. The differences in the way each man handled his money, his fame and his championships are also evident in the manner in which Layden portrayed the two men.
Not only because of the historical nature of the bout, this is a book that all boxing fans should include in their libraries because of the amount of information on the two fighters and how well each one is portrayed. This was an excellent book that was well worth the time it took to read.
Nearly every aspect of the actual fight is detailed well – from the opening bell when Douglas showed that Tyson would not intimidate him to the eighth round knockdown of Douglas that was later protested by Tyson’s manager Don King as a “long count”, to the devastating punch in the tenth round that made Douglas the champion, everything about the fight is covered.
However, the true beauty of the book is the writing about both fighters and important people in their lives. Layden treats controversial subjects well, such as some of Tyson’s worst moments like his 1992 rape conviction or his stormy marriage to actress Robin Givens. Oh, yes, Tyson’s boxing career and training are also well-researched and detailed.
Douglas’s story gets equal billing, but instead of the headlines, Layden covers the personal relationships that made Douglas the man he became. The first chapter is a brief history of his father’s boxing career and the toughness he displayed – though not all of it was passed down to his son. The relationship Douglas had with his managers, his wife and his parents are captured well here, enough to make the reader feel that he or she has known Douglas personally.
Because of the way he writes about each fighter, the differences between them are stark and the reader will be able to note these right away. Differences such as the even keel that Douglas tried to live his life as opposed to the extremes of Tyson. The differences in the way each man handled his money, his fame and his championships are also evident in the manner in which Layden portrayed the two men.
Not only because of the historical nature of the bout, this is a book that all boxing fans should include in their libraries because of the amount of information on the two fighters and how well each one is portrayed. This was an excellent book that was well worth the time it took to read.
February 22, 2019
Behind the Scenes of One of the Last True Boxing Matches
“The Last Great Fight” takes the reader behind the public eye, and into the lives of Mike Tyson and James Douglass. The pinnacle of the behind the scenes was the ultimate fight between the two in Tokyo Japan, where Tyson had entered as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This fight became famous, and changed both fighters lives forever. The author continues after the fight, and follows both men and their individual struggles that followed. For Tyson, time “in captivity” (p.2) and for Douglass that was a struggle with his lifestyle and self care. But without the famous fight in Tokyo, none of these details about James Douglass would ever be worthwhile.
What I liked about the book
Author Joe Layden did a fantastic job in relating these two seemingly different human being to the rest of society. Not many will ever have the fame, fortune, or athletic prowess of either fighter, but when learning about the struggles of both men, to me they became much more human and like the rest of us. And as a reader with not incredibly deep knowledge of boxing in the past, I found the book very easy to understand and follow the details necessary. And the accounts of those closest to both fighters really gives the reader a feel for both men, both in and out of the ring.
What I did not like
There is not much I didn’t really like about the book. I think these two fighters could have whole books written about themselves, so I understand that the fight was the pinnacle of the book, and therefore the author wasn’t going to make it a double biography, but now I feel left with some holes I may want to go back and research about both men. For example all the runs ins Tyson had with the law; I’d like to know more about the cases and what went on. But I’m sure I could find that online or in a more Tyson centered book. Therefore I really don’t have much to complain about the book.
Rating
For a rating, I would give “The Last Great Fight” a four out of five stars. The book was extremely informative, and the sources the author had provided great details to enhance the personas of both men. I can’t quite put a finger on what element of the book just did not make it perfect for me. I think part of this could be my lack of knowledge on this sport, and more so the lack of knowledge of the history of it. But this book did teach me many things, and the story was good, and kept me reading throughout. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Joe Layden’s “The Last Great Fight.” Boxing fan or not, this book can be enjoyed by anyone with any background. If you are a true fan of this lost sport, this is a must read.
“The Last Great Fight” takes the reader behind the public eye, and into the lives of Mike Tyson and James Douglass. The pinnacle of the behind the scenes was the ultimate fight between the two in Tokyo Japan, where Tyson had entered as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This fight became famous, and changed both fighters lives forever. The author continues after the fight, and follows both men and their individual struggles that followed. For Tyson, time “in captivity” (p.2) and for Douglass that was a struggle with his lifestyle and self care. But without the famous fight in Tokyo, none of these details about James Douglass would ever be worthwhile.
What I liked about the book
Author Joe Layden did a fantastic job in relating these two seemingly different human being to the rest of society. Not many will ever have the fame, fortune, or athletic prowess of either fighter, but when learning about the struggles of both men, to me they became much more human and like the rest of us. And as a reader with not incredibly deep knowledge of boxing in the past, I found the book very easy to understand and follow the details necessary. And the accounts of those closest to both fighters really gives the reader a feel for both men, both in and out of the ring.
What I did not like
There is not much I didn’t really like about the book. I think these two fighters could have whole books written about themselves, so I understand that the fight was the pinnacle of the book, and therefore the author wasn’t going to make it a double biography, but now I feel left with some holes I may want to go back and research about both men. For example all the runs ins Tyson had with the law; I’d like to know more about the cases and what went on. But I’m sure I could find that online or in a more Tyson centered book. Therefore I really don’t have much to complain about the book.
Rating
For a rating, I would give “The Last Great Fight” a four out of five stars. The book was extremely informative, and the sources the author had provided great details to enhance the personas of both men. I can’t quite put a finger on what element of the book just did not make it perfect for me. I think part of this could be my lack of knowledge on this sport, and more so the lack of knowledge of the history of it. But this book did teach me many things, and the story was good, and kept me reading throughout. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Joe Layden’s “The Last Great Fight.” Boxing fan or not, this book can be enjoyed by anyone with any background. If you are a true fan of this lost sport, this is a must read.
February 21, 2019
In my book club, we decided to read the book “The Last Great Fight.” This book was ok, it definitely could’ve been better. When I first heard about the book it really intrigued me because I thought it would be very detailed about the fight and upcoming days of the fight and maybe even a couple of days after the fight. However, it did not just talk about the fight. The book, “The Last Great Fight,” was like a biography of James “Buster” Douglas and Mike Tyson. The book started out with some history of boxer, mostly talking about Buster’s dad and his professional boxing days. After the book finished introducing Buster Douglas, it introduced Tyson. In my opinion, all of the talking of the introducing the two boxers bored me. When I picked this book I already knew who each of these two men were. I just wanted to know about the fight in detail and the hardships the two had to solve when entering the ring.
In the book, it starts out by giving some facts about famous, historical boxers. After the introduction, it talks about Buster Douglas’s father and his legacy. In the book, Buster’s father was known as someone who did not give up or go down on the canvas. When Buster goes into the boxing business, people believe he is going to be like his dad. Those people were right, Buster was just as tough as his father. He did not back down from a fight. He was always ready to fight whenever he was challenged. A couple weeks before his fight with Tyson, his mother died. However, he did not cancel the match. He just kept working out and training the same. When the fight date arrived, he was even more ready than before. After the fight, both boxers fell down a dark path in life. Tyson was arrested and put in jail, and Douglas became overweight and suffered from type 2 diabetes. However, both boxers made a comeback to the ring. “This was my moment, it was a perfect moment.” This is a quote from Buster Douglas, he was talking about the big fight. He was saying how this fight was his moment to be known by the world. He defeated the best boxer in his time and became the world champion of the heavyweight division. Everyone has their perfect moment, some are yet to come, maybe some already happened. Let that perfect moment come later in life.
In the book, it starts out by giving some facts about famous, historical boxers. After the introduction, it talks about Buster Douglas’s father and his legacy. In the book, Buster’s father was known as someone who did not give up or go down on the canvas. When Buster goes into the boxing business, people believe he is going to be like his dad. Those people were right, Buster was just as tough as his father. He did not back down from a fight. He was always ready to fight whenever he was challenged. A couple weeks before his fight with Tyson, his mother died. However, he did not cancel the match. He just kept working out and training the same. When the fight date arrived, he was even more ready than before. After the fight, both boxers fell down a dark path in life. Tyson was arrested and put in jail, and Douglas became overweight and suffered from type 2 diabetes. However, both boxers made a comeback to the ring. “This was my moment, it was a perfect moment.” This is a quote from Buster Douglas, he was talking about the big fight. He was saying how this fight was his moment to be known by the world. He defeated the best boxer in his time and became the world champion of the heavyweight division. Everyone has their perfect moment, some are yet to come, maybe some already happened. Let that perfect moment come later in life.
March 4, 2009
I am not much of a boxing fan, but I remember every detail of this fight. It is probably my favorite single sporting event I have witnessed. You cannot overstate how much of an underdog Douglas was at the time. And while Mike Tyson has spent the last 15 years as more of a sideshow attraction than a fighter, back in 1990 he was commonly regarded as one of the most dominating heavyweights of all-time. So when I happened upon this book in the bookstore, I was compelled to relive that fight.
But the book was much more than just the fight itself. Layden does an excellent job of tracing how both men got to that night and how it forever changed both their lives. Tyson and Douglas are about as different from one another as two men could be within the same profession. Their roads angle at totally different trajectories. But their roads intersected this once in a big way. Layden gives a great account of the personalities that were around both fighters before and after. He also makes a compelling argument for why boxing will never be what it was before this night.
But the book was much more than just the fight itself. Layden does an excellent job of tracing how both men got to that night and how it forever changed both their lives. Tyson and Douglas are about as different from one another as two men could be within the same profession. Their roads angle at totally different trajectories. But their roads intersected this once in a big way. Layden gives a great account of the personalities that were around both fighters before and after. He also makes a compelling argument for why boxing will never be what it was before this night.
July 15, 2018
Very well researched; professionally written if lacking in the sort of turn of phrase that makes one want to save a handful of lines for later recall. A triumph of style guide over style, perhaps.
The real weakness is the subject matter. Tyson-Douglas, while an upset for the record books, wasn't a great fight. The plot isn't even original (it's the Rocky story; likable challenger beats champ who couldn't be bothered to train for the fight).
Douglas extracted the maximum from his one shot at the heavyweight title; Layden extracts about all he was going to get out of the buildup, fight and aftermath, but it lacks the drama of a more even competition: Ali-Frazier, Hagler-Hearns, even Ali-Foreman. Something where two top champions go toe-to-toe.
A good book about a good fight.
The real weakness is the subject matter. Tyson-Douglas, while an upset for the record books, wasn't a great fight. The plot isn't even original (it's the Rocky story; likable challenger beats champ who couldn't be bothered to train for the fight).
Douglas extracted the maximum from his one shot at the heavyweight title; Layden extracts about all he was going to get out of the buildup, fight and aftermath, but it lacks the drama of a more even competition: Ali-Frazier, Hagler-Hearns, even Ali-Foreman. Something where two top champions go toe-to-toe.
A good book about a good fight.
February 1, 2020
A really detailed look at the infamous night(actually morning) in Tokyo. It goes into the lives and careers of Douglas and Tyson (before, during and after). Which both have had many ups and downs. This is a great book for any boxing fan!
April 30, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “THE WRITING DOESN’T MEASURE UP TO PERHAPS THE GREATEST UPSET IN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY!”
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This story is built around the Heavyweight Championship fight on February 11, 1990 between the Champion Mike Tyson and the challenger James “Buster” Douglas. When Buster entered the ring that day in Tokyo he was a 42 to 1 underdog. When he knocked out the previously undefeated and invincible Tyson in the 10th round it was considered one of the greatest, if not “the” greatest upset in Heavyweight boxing history. The unique storyline for this book was the research put in by the author regarding both Tyson’s and Douglas’s lives and careers leading up to this fight, the fight itself, and the impact that the outcome of the fight had on the remainder of the combatants lives, as they went their separate ways after the fight. It’s interesting that throughout boxing history it’s almost a given that when a champion is unseated from his throne, a lucrative rematch almost always follows. But with the unscrupulous behavior that has become common place in modern boxing; “nothing is as it seems it should be”, there was never a rematch! Even though this fight took place almost 18 years ago, the evil shadow that has besmirched boxing, in the name of Don King, was already manipulating the sport to his advantage, and to a lifetime boxing fan like myself, that force is what signaled the modern era of boxing, that unfortunately we’re still in.
The author’s information on Tyson’s life exposes nothing new to even an average boxing fan. To me, the most interesting reporting of Buster’s life was in the detail of the relatively unknown people in the supporting roles. His Father Bill “Dynamite” Douglas had been a boxer and defines the “old school” mentality of never taking a step back and the measure of a man’s heart was the real measure of a man! Unlike his Father, Buster throughout his career was known as a “quitter” except in a very limited amount of his fights. Lucky for him one of the fights he didn’t quit in, was one of the two biggest fights of his life, the one against Tyson. On the other end of the spectrum, he was accused of “quitting” on the canvas in his one title defense against Evander Holyfield. The stories of his trainers, managers, wife, and mother who died before he became Champion are quite illuminating. A surprising shortcoming of this book is that as interesting as all these characters are, there are absolutely no pictures in this book. As you get to know some of these lesser known people you start to visualize what they may look like and there is no way to compare your thoughts with reality. Especially when the author describes one of the trainers as looking like he came “straight out of central casting.” I have a vast library of boxing books and this is one of the only ones that doesn’t have 5-10 pages of pictures. One other quirk of the author is his use of so many “parenthetical” comments. It creates a strange literary flow. As we get to the end of the book, unless you’ve lived in a cave you already know what happened to Tyson, but other than one Sports Illustrated article in May 1993 I hadn’t heard much about Buster till this book. Without giving away too much about the uneven ending of the story I will say that Buster is one fighter that got out with his money. On the other end of the scale is some handy information from Tyson’s bankruptcy proceedings on how to spend ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN THREE YEARS: A few of the items were $4.47 Million on cars, $411,777.00 for the care and feeding of “pigeons and cats” which included a pair of white Bengal tigers, a figure that represented more than twice the amount listed under the heading of “child support”.
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This story is built around the Heavyweight Championship fight on February 11, 1990 between the Champion Mike Tyson and the challenger James “Buster” Douglas. When Buster entered the ring that day in Tokyo he was a 42 to 1 underdog. When he knocked out the previously undefeated and invincible Tyson in the 10th round it was considered one of the greatest, if not “the” greatest upset in Heavyweight boxing history. The unique storyline for this book was the research put in by the author regarding both Tyson’s and Douglas’s lives and careers leading up to this fight, the fight itself, and the impact that the outcome of the fight had on the remainder of the combatants lives, as they went their separate ways after the fight. It’s interesting that throughout boxing history it’s almost a given that when a champion is unseated from his throne, a lucrative rematch almost always follows. But with the unscrupulous behavior that has become common place in modern boxing; “nothing is as it seems it should be”, there was never a rematch! Even though this fight took place almost 18 years ago, the evil shadow that has besmirched boxing, in the name of Don King, was already manipulating the sport to his advantage, and to a lifetime boxing fan like myself, that force is what signaled the modern era of boxing, that unfortunately we’re still in.
The author’s information on Tyson’s life exposes nothing new to even an average boxing fan. To me, the most interesting reporting of Buster’s life was in the detail of the relatively unknown people in the supporting roles. His Father Bill “Dynamite” Douglas had been a boxer and defines the “old school” mentality of never taking a step back and the measure of a man’s heart was the real measure of a man! Unlike his Father, Buster throughout his career was known as a “quitter” except in a very limited amount of his fights. Lucky for him one of the fights he didn’t quit in, was one of the two biggest fights of his life, the one against Tyson. On the other end of the spectrum, he was accused of “quitting” on the canvas in his one title defense against Evander Holyfield. The stories of his trainers, managers, wife, and mother who died before he became Champion are quite illuminating. A surprising shortcoming of this book is that as interesting as all these characters are, there are absolutely no pictures in this book. As you get to know some of these lesser known people you start to visualize what they may look like and there is no way to compare your thoughts with reality. Especially when the author describes one of the trainers as looking like he came “straight out of central casting.” I have a vast library of boxing books and this is one of the only ones that doesn’t have 5-10 pages of pictures. One other quirk of the author is his use of so many “parenthetical” comments. It creates a strange literary flow. As we get to the end of the book, unless you’ve lived in a cave you already know what happened to Tyson, but other than one Sports Illustrated article in May 1993 I hadn’t heard much about Buster till this book. Without giving away too much about the uneven ending of the story I will say that Buster is one fighter that got out with his money. On the other end of the scale is some handy information from Tyson’s bankruptcy proceedings on how to spend ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN THREE YEARS: A few of the items were $4.47 Million on cars, $411,777.00 for the care and feeding of “pigeons and cats” which included a pair of white Bengal tigers, a figure that represented more than twice the amount listed under the heading of “child support”.
February 21, 2019
The Last Great Fight
The Last Great Fight will forever go down in history as one of the best sports narratives ever. I personally believe it will be one of the best books written about Mike Tyson. The genius in this book lies within Joe Layden’s ability to construct a narrative structure around one moment in history- the 1990 fight between Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas. Layden does a great job of depicting the characters before, during, and after the fight. He uses the rise and fall of these fighters to explain the sport of boxing as a whole. The book covers a very detailed explanation about both fighter’s entire lives, not just right before and right after the night fight. These facts, stories, and quotes are not used as fillers. The before and after additions allow the reader to develop an emotional connections to Tyson and Douglas, along with their families and other characters that were involved.
I also loved this book because most people refer to Mike Tyson as “the greatest fighter of all time.” I too have used this phrase during discussions. I was quite unfamiliar with the fact that he lost his last fight to Buster Douglas however. This book represents one of the greatest upsets in modern day sports. In light of that, I am glad this book was written to clarify that Mike Tyson did indeed lose. I think one of my favorite quotes to describe him was, “An undefeated world champion lost everything he had in one night as a fighter out of nowhere gained his lifelong dream.” It really summed up Mike Tyson as a character in life and in the book.
I have only recently become a fan of boxing, so I was a little overwhelmed with the idea of reading an almost three hundred page book on Mike Tyson. The author did a great job of illustrating the sport of boxing as to inform, not to barrage, the unfamiliar reader with information. The author spares few details about either of the main characters. He shares both positive and negative aspects of both characters. I also liked how Buster Douglas was included as a rather likable man, whereas Mike Tyson is not as likable. If you are not familiar with Mike Tyson, you should probably know that Tyson is a rapist. This made me very apprehensive towards reading this book, but I really wanted to know about his boxing career, so I did it anyway. I personally am not a fan of Mike Tyson, but this book was constructed with such beauty that I have a hard time criticizing it. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone.
The Last Great Fight will forever go down in history as one of the best sports narratives ever. I personally believe it will be one of the best books written about Mike Tyson. The genius in this book lies within Joe Layden’s ability to construct a narrative structure around one moment in history- the 1990 fight between Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas. Layden does a great job of depicting the characters before, during, and after the fight. He uses the rise and fall of these fighters to explain the sport of boxing as a whole. The book covers a very detailed explanation about both fighter’s entire lives, not just right before and right after the night fight. These facts, stories, and quotes are not used as fillers. The before and after additions allow the reader to develop an emotional connections to Tyson and Douglas, along with their families and other characters that were involved.
I also loved this book because most people refer to Mike Tyson as “the greatest fighter of all time.” I too have used this phrase during discussions. I was quite unfamiliar with the fact that he lost his last fight to Buster Douglas however. This book represents one of the greatest upsets in modern day sports. In light of that, I am glad this book was written to clarify that Mike Tyson did indeed lose. I think one of my favorite quotes to describe him was, “An undefeated world champion lost everything he had in one night as a fighter out of nowhere gained his lifelong dream.” It really summed up Mike Tyson as a character in life and in the book.
I have only recently become a fan of boxing, so I was a little overwhelmed with the idea of reading an almost three hundred page book on Mike Tyson. The author did a great job of illustrating the sport of boxing as to inform, not to barrage, the unfamiliar reader with information. The author spares few details about either of the main characters. He shares both positive and negative aspects of both characters. I also liked how Buster Douglas was included as a rather likable man, whereas Mike Tyson is not as likable. If you are not familiar with Mike Tyson, you should probably know that Tyson is a rapist. This made me very apprehensive towards reading this book, but I really wanted to know about his boxing career, so I did it anyway. I personally am not a fan of Mike Tyson, but this book was constructed with such beauty that I have a hard time criticizing it. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone.
February 20, 2019
The main plot of The last great fight, by Joseph Layden talks about the lives of Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas. It shows how the two came from different lives but yet still competed in the same stage for the same thing. In the early stages of the book, the author talks about how how each of the fighters grew up and then a little later how they each trained for the big fight. This fight was between a man who had never been knocked to the canvas, Mike Tyson, and a normal fighter, Buster Douglas, the underdog. The fight was a true underdog story and is very well illustrated in the book. In the later sections of the book it tells about the aftermath of the fight and tells about their lives from then on.
The book was very well written and researched. It really showed how much time and effort Joseph Layden put into writing this book. The book goes into great detail on the lives of the two fighters and really gives a great insight onto what the fighters were thinking before and after the fight. For example, at one point before the big fight it went into detail about Tyson's training in Japan before he went into the ring against Douglas. In the book it says, “and for the first time ever, Mike Tyson was knocked to the canvas in training.”(134). This brought an almost personal aspect to the book and made it unique in that sense. This really pulled you into the book and made you feel like you were in the book.
In my honest opinion I did not like the book. It was very fast in the beginning, but after the fight to me it seemed like the book dragged on. However, the fight takes place mid way through the book and that part was very enjoyable. After the fight I found myself bored with the book and wasn’t getting everything I could out of it. I feel like someone with an appreciation for boxing would find this book more interesting and like it a lot more, but this book just wasn’t for me. Only think of the last great fight if boxing is your thing.
The book was very well written and researched. It really showed how much time and effort Joseph Layden put into writing this book. The book goes into great detail on the lives of the two fighters and really gives a great insight onto what the fighters were thinking before and after the fight. For example, at one point before the big fight it went into detail about Tyson's training in Japan before he went into the ring against Douglas. In the book it says, “and for the first time ever, Mike Tyson was knocked to the canvas in training.”(134). This brought an almost personal aspect to the book and made it unique in that sense. This really pulled you into the book and made you feel like you were in the book.
In my honest opinion I did not like the book. It was very fast in the beginning, but after the fight to me it seemed like the book dragged on. However, the fight takes place mid way through the book and that part was very enjoyable. After the fight I found myself bored with the book and wasn’t getting everything I could out of it. I feel like someone with an appreciation for boxing would find this book more interesting and like it a lot more, but this book just wasn’t for me. Only think of the last great fight if boxing is your thing.
February 14, 2019
A Great Review for The Last Great Fight
Since ancient times, it is a commonly asked question, “Why do we enjoy watching other humans beings beat the oblivion out of each other?” No one really knows for sure, but what I do know is that people loved watching the great Mike Tyson do just that. This book takes gives the ins and outs of the fight of the generation, Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas. If you are a fan of boxing, this book is definitely for you.
“The extraordinary tale of two men and how one fight changed their lives” is the subtitle of this book and is exactly what this book consists of. Are you intrigued when you hear the title? If yes, then continue reading, if not then I still suggest reading it.
Are you interested in gaining the perspective of the fighters themselves as they led up to the biggest fights of their lives? If yes, continue reading. If not, find some soft and boring book to read.
Do you enjoy a very detailed and constructed plot? If yes, this is definitely the book for you. If not then this is definitely not the book for you. This book goes into very big detail about the fight.
If you made it to this point I highly suggest you read this book. The author Joseph Layden did an outstanding job of research to relive these chain of events. This is an account of perhaps the greatest upset in boxing history, the night Buster Douglas knocked out the seemingly invincible Mike Tyson. It's done in the non typical style of books and stands out completely.
Since ancient times, it is a commonly asked question, “Why do we enjoy watching other humans beings beat the oblivion out of each other?” No one really knows for sure, but what I do know is that people loved watching the great Mike Tyson do just that. This book takes gives the ins and outs of the fight of the generation, Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas. If you are a fan of boxing, this book is definitely for you.
“The extraordinary tale of two men and how one fight changed their lives” is the subtitle of this book and is exactly what this book consists of. Are you intrigued when you hear the title? If yes, then continue reading, if not then I still suggest reading it.
Are you interested in gaining the perspective of the fighters themselves as they led up to the biggest fights of their lives? If yes, continue reading. If not, find some soft and boring book to read.
Do you enjoy a very detailed and constructed plot? If yes, this is definitely the book for you. If not then this is definitely not the book for you. This book goes into very big detail about the fight.
If you made it to this point I highly suggest you read this book. The author Joseph Layden did an outstanding job of research to relive these chain of events. This is an account of perhaps the greatest upset in boxing history, the night Buster Douglas knocked out the seemingly invincible Mike Tyson. It's done in the non typical style of books and stands out completely.
January 10, 2018
This is a non-fiction book about hard work and perseverance. It takes us through the entire lives of James "Buster" Douglas and Mike Tyson from their rough childhood to their successful boxing careers. This book takes us behind the scenes and describes how each fighter grew up and became professional boxers. Additionally, this book describes the legendary fight between Buster Douglas and Mike Tyson, how both fighters prepared for the event, and how the result of the fight affected both men. The chapters alternate between Mike Tyson and how he prepared for the fight, with that of Buster Douglas and how he prepared for the fight.
This is a truly inspirational and emotional book Using exclusive interviews, the author really digs deep into the lives of both fighters as well as their family members and other people important to them. I especially enjoyed this aspect of the book as well as how the author alternated between the perspectives of both fighters in each chapter. However, I did not really like how the author jumped around time periods in the book. This made the book confusing to follow at times.
This book leaves the reader awestruck at the work ethic of both fighters and how they worked hard and persevered to prepare for this fight. Any boxing enthusiast or even any sports enthusiast would enjoy this book.
This is a truly inspirational and emotional book Using exclusive interviews, the author really digs deep into the lives of both fighters as well as their family members and other people important to them. I especially enjoyed this aspect of the book as well as how the author alternated between the perspectives of both fighters in each chapter. However, I did not really like how the author jumped around time periods in the book. This made the book confusing to follow at times.
This book leaves the reader awestruck at the work ethic of both fighters and how they worked hard and persevered to prepare for this fight. Any boxing enthusiast or even any sports enthusiast would enjoy this book.
May 22, 2017
Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas was arguably the last shocking fight in the sport of boxing.
Mike Tyson was considered the "baddest man on the planet", an unstoppable machine who looked to rule the heavyweight division of boxing between now and the end of time. And it was a fight in Tokyo against a journeyman boxer that put an end to it all.
This is the story of both men. The story of how they arrived to that fateful afternoon in Tokyo, the fight itself, and the aftermath with the impact it had on both their lives.
Layden provides enough inside details that makes it feel that you're not just reading the Wikipedia page of both fighters.
Mike Tyson was considered the "baddest man on the planet", an unstoppable machine who looked to rule the heavyweight division of boxing between now and the end of time. And it was a fight in Tokyo against a journeyman boxer that put an end to it all.
This is the story of both men. The story of how they arrived to that fateful afternoon in Tokyo, the fight itself, and the aftermath with the impact it had on both their lives.
Layden provides enough inside details that makes it feel that you're not just reading the Wikipedia page of both fighters.
December 12, 2020
This book is a fascinating (and impeccably researched) dual biography of two fighters brought together in one of boxing's most iconic moments. While the basics of the fight itself should be known to any casual boxing fan, what Layden does here is to take that fight and traces its effects on the two participants' lives, and on the sport of boxing in general. The amount of interviewing and research put into the book is evident, and is made more interesting for all of the author's effort. The prose itself can be a bit repetitive and bland at times, but I would still consider this a must-read for boxing fans.
February 23, 2019
The writing was good and it kept you interested throughout. But this book embodies one of my pet peeves. And that is where the title doesn't accurately reflect the work itself.
Not many pages were devoted to the fight itself, or the lead-up to the fight, or the aftermath.
And it hardly shows at all how it changed their lives forever.
Probably 75% of the book had absolutely nothing to do with the fight.
This is basically just a dual biography of two fighters.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
Not many pages were devoted to the fight itself, or the lead-up to the fight, or the aftermath.
And it hardly shows at all how it changed their lives forever.
Probably 75% of the book had absolutely nothing to do with the fight.
This is basically just a dual biography of two fighters.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
September 29, 2020
Raw and to the point of Douglas' upset of Mike Tyson. Touching on both fighters background, Layton "holds no punches back"from beginning to the end of this book. Detailing events leading up to the historic fight as well as after the fight of both fighters. The hype, the joy, and the sorrows of both men, it is all there.
August 22, 2022
Although informative at times, this book was frustrating. The office use of parentheses to interject information that was in irrelevant got annoying before chapter one even started.
The timeline was also bothersome. He bounced back and forth between events which completely ruined the suspense of finding out what happened at a later chapter. For example, there was a chapter about a fight in August 1987 before the chapter about a fight in April of 1987. So you already knew who won that fight in April due to who fought in august. It just didn't make any sense.
The timeline was also bothersome. He bounced back and forth between events which completely ruined the suspense of finding out what happened at a later chapter. For example, there was a chapter about a fight in August 1987 before the chapter about a fight in April of 1987. So you already knew who won that fight in April due to who fought in august. It just didn't make any sense.
July 26, 2017
Great account of the events in the lives of these two fighters before and after their historic meeting. Second best boxing book I've ever read (the best is "The Phantom Punch"). I've always been a Tyson fan, for better or worse. I now count myself a Buster Douglas fan, too.
October 14, 2020
A good book on the Tyson Douglas Heavyweight title fight, as another reviewer said probably could have had more on the fight but has a lot on the fighters careers both before and after the title fight. A easy good book to read.
December 17, 2025
The Last Great Fight
A great page turner, one of the best boxing books that I have read in a long time, if you are a fan of 90s heavyweight boxing history you are going to love this book.
A great page turner, one of the best boxing books that I have read in a long time, if you are a fan of 90s heavyweight boxing history you are going to love this book.
August 24, 2022
Loved it but not sure I would recommend it to non boxing fans.
April 3, 2011
I'm a fairly casual boxing fan, a category that seems to be almost non-existent these days, as most folks tuned out long ago and those that remained are far more committed and knowledgeable than I'll ever be. I find boxing simultaneously alluring and repulsive, compelling and grotesque, and I have asked myself or more than one occasion why I stick with it. I have, however, much more than a casual interest in Mike Tyson, who I think is one of the most interesting, screwed up, anti-social and undoubtedly magnetic figures in my childhood memory.
The 1990 heavyweight championship fight between Tyson and James "Buster" Douglas likely was, as this book's title suggest, the beginning of the end for boxing as a mainstream sport capable of capturing significant attention in the media. More accurately it probably was the middle or end of the end, as the sport's ability even then to draw significant interest outside of Tyson fights was fairly marginal. There would be few if any more casual boxing fans -- the kind to, on the spur of the moment, pay $50 or more to watch a pay per view boxing match -- left after Tyson's downfall, which began in earnest with Douglas knocking him out in Tokyo twenty one years ago. Maybe that's not a terrible thing. Maybe Tyson got what he deserved, and this was a heartening underdog story that caught the nation's attention while dooming the sport of boxing to c-list status going forward. Even if you're inclined to think that way (and I'm not), Layden's book is a good read, as it gives a deep, relatively nuanced view of the life and times of both Douglas and Tyson, before, during and after that famous fight that both confirms that narrative but also provides alternative views on what the fight "meant" to the fighters as well as the public. If you're already a fan of the sport, the book's worth reading for the significant amount of facts Layden brings to the table, including his interviews in 2006 with both fighters, although little of it is truly revelatory. The problems with The Last Great Fight include the fact that it's written a bit loosely for my taste, too conversational at times, as well as Layden's view of himself as an outsider to boxing (which admittedly is more of a mixed bag as it has both good and bad impact upon his reporting).
Not essential reading, but worth some time for a blast to the past for kids like me who believed for a while that Tyson was invincible.
The 1990 heavyweight championship fight between Tyson and James "Buster" Douglas likely was, as this book's title suggest, the beginning of the end for boxing as a mainstream sport capable of capturing significant attention in the media. More accurately it probably was the middle or end of the end, as the sport's ability even then to draw significant interest outside of Tyson fights was fairly marginal. There would be few if any more casual boxing fans -- the kind to, on the spur of the moment, pay $50 or more to watch a pay per view boxing match -- left after Tyson's downfall, which began in earnest with Douglas knocking him out in Tokyo twenty one years ago. Maybe that's not a terrible thing. Maybe Tyson got what he deserved, and this was a heartening underdog story that caught the nation's attention while dooming the sport of boxing to c-list status going forward. Even if you're inclined to think that way (and I'm not), Layden's book is a good read, as it gives a deep, relatively nuanced view of the life and times of both Douglas and Tyson, before, during and after that famous fight that both confirms that narrative but also provides alternative views on what the fight "meant" to the fighters as well as the public. If you're already a fan of the sport, the book's worth reading for the significant amount of facts Layden brings to the table, including his interviews in 2006 with both fighters, although little of it is truly revelatory. The problems with The Last Great Fight include the fact that it's written a bit loosely for my taste, too conversational at times, as well as Layden's view of himself as an outsider to boxing (which admittedly is more of a mixed bag as it has both good and bad impact upon his reporting).
Not essential reading, but worth some time for a blast to the past for kids like me who believed for a while that Tyson was invincible.
November 14, 2008
My favorite boxing match of all-time....weird, i know. It was a fluke right? Well, the reason i love this fight so much is because Buster Douglas defied the odds, beat a monster, and for one fight reached the pinnacle where everybody thought he should be.
I watch this fight all the time when it's on TV and i actually have it Tivo'd and when nothing else is on....i put it on. Buster Douglas did every single thing he could of to beat Mike Tyson...exactly.....perfectly...amazingly. It's said that 80% of boxing is mental...lets step into Busters realm for a minute. His mother (his 'best friend') dies a month before this fight, he has underachieved many times throughout his career, Mike Tyson is undefeated and usually KO's his opponents within the first round of a fight, and the odds are 42-1 against him! How does he do it? He does it with everything a boxer tries to achieve in a career...he gets into peak physical shape, he studies his opponent, and sadly he realizes that nothing can be worse than the death of his mother... Tyson doesn't scare him at all....getting punched doesn't hurt as much as losing the one person you love more than anything. Buster was also split up from his wife at the time...another thing to add. One of the most beautiful things i have even seen that always brings a tear to my eye is the post fight interview with an exhausted Douglas being mobbed by his team. Larry Merchant from HBO is taking in the moment and asks "Why did you do this Buster?" and Buster replies "I did it for my Mother, my mom" and the new undefeated heavyweight champion of the world has tears running down his face. It is beautiful, Buster Douglas is my hero....always has been, he is the ultimate David Vs. Goliath, the ultimate underdog, and when he knocked out Tyson he changed boxing forever.
This book is great for what it is. There is a lot of research that goes through the lives of each boxer leading up to the fight and what happens afterwards. Buster shocked the world and I was very happy to read this book obviously. But my feelings aside the book is only okay as it's hard to write 250 pages about an event that lasted under 40 minutes. I am glad it was written though and i'm glad to have read it.
Long Live Buster Douglas.
I watch this fight all the time when it's on TV and i actually have it Tivo'd and when nothing else is on....i put it on. Buster Douglas did every single thing he could of to beat Mike Tyson...exactly.....perfectly...amazingly. It's said that 80% of boxing is mental...lets step into Busters realm for a minute. His mother (his 'best friend') dies a month before this fight, he has underachieved many times throughout his career, Mike Tyson is undefeated and usually KO's his opponents within the first round of a fight, and the odds are 42-1 against him! How does he do it? He does it with everything a boxer tries to achieve in a career...he gets into peak physical shape, he studies his opponent, and sadly he realizes that nothing can be worse than the death of his mother... Tyson doesn't scare him at all....getting punched doesn't hurt as much as losing the one person you love more than anything. Buster was also split up from his wife at the time...another thing to add. One of the most beautiful things i have even seen that always brings a tear to my eye is the post fight interview with an exhausted Douglas being mobbed by his team. Larry Merchant from HBO is taking in the moment and asks "Why did you do this Buster?" and Buster replies "I did it for my Mother, my mom" and the new undefeated heavyweight champion of the world has tears running down his face. It is beautiful, Buster Douglas is my hero....always has been, he is the ultimate David Vs. Goliath, the ultimate underdog, and when he knocked out Tyson he changed boxing forever.
This book is great for what it is. There is a lot of research that goes through the lives of each boxer leading up to the fight and what happens afterwards. Buster shocked the world and I was very happy to read this book obviously. But my feelings aside the book is only okay as it's hard to write 250 pages about an event that lasted under 40 minutes. I am glad it was written though and i'm glad to have read it.
Long Live Buster Douglas.
May 26, 2010
In 1990, heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson was considered a force of nature and a journalist's dream story. Rescued from a life of crime and extreme poverty by legendary trainer Cus D'Amato, he had crushed—not just beaten—virtually every opponent placed in front of him on the way to the Heavyweight Championship. He had energized boxing as no one since Muhammad Ali. James "Buster" Douglas, on the other hand, was a half step above journeyman status. He was raised in a stable, two-parent home and even had some college on his resume. His father was a respected second-tier fighter in his day and had encouraged—rather than pushed—his athletically gifted son into boxing.
Layden, an award-winning author who covered professional boxing during Tyson's best years, re-creates the aura surrounding the February 11, 1990, bout in Tokyo—a fight that many consider the greatest upset in boxing history. He interviewed Tyson and Douglas, their trainers, corner men, family members, broadcasters, and knowledgeable journalists. Most interestingly, he also examines each fighter's life since Douglas' upset. Tyson, of course, has been in ever-accelerating descent, but Douglas has endured much, too.
Layden, an award-winning author who covered professional boxing during Tyson's best years, re-creates the aura surrounding the February 11, 1990, bout in Tokyo—a fight that many consider the greatest upset in boxing history. He interviewed Tyson and Douglas, their trainers, corner men, family members, broadcasters, and knowledgeable journalists. Most interestingly, he also examines each fighter's life since Douglas' upset. Tyson, of course, has been in ever-accelerating descent, but Douglas has endured much, too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2007
If you have followed the saga of these two boxers over the years then there is not too much new in this book (except perhaps where their lives were in 2006).
It is a good history of Tyson and Douglas leading up to their match in Japan and the aftermath for the fighters and boxing itself. The zoo that surronds Tyson is almost surreal and you can see hos he was already on the way down before Douglas took him down.
Douglas is also a very interesting story and you can see the very best of him (vs Tyson) and the very worse (vs Holyfield) in a 9 month time period.
I reads a bit like one long SI article and a bit of historical context on upsets in the game may have given the book a bit more weight. Also, I wonder why there is not one single photo in the book? I assume it is some legal/financial reason but some photos of the fighters during and after the fight would have made it a better book.
It is a good history of Tyson and Douglas leading up to their match in Japan and the aftermath for the fighters and boxing itself. The zoo that surronds Tyson is almost surreal and you can see hos he was already on the way down before Douglas took him down.
Douglas is also a very interesting story and you can see the very best of him (vs Tyson) and the very worse (vs Holyfield) in a 9 month time period.
I reads a bit like one long SI article and a bit of historical context on upsets in the game may have given the book a bit more weight. Also, I wonder why there is not one single photo in the book? I assume it is some legal/financial reason but some photos of the fighters during and after the fight would have made it a better book.
December 27, 2007
Recently, I heard someone say that sportswriters are leaps and bounds ahead of all other non-fiction writers. After reading this book, I think there is a lot of merit to that assertion. Quite possibly, this is one of the best books I have ever read. The research was impeccable (he interviewed both Tyson and Douglas), the writing was excellent, and his analysis was amazing. Obviously, Tyson is not a good person, in any sense of the word, but at least the author was smart enough not to treat him as the cartoon figure/char. that he is often portrayed as in the media. In this book, Tyson comes across as a deeply troubled person who has committed countless transgressions, but at the same time is also somewhat thoughtful, with probably a greater understanding of boxing history then any athlete has of their own sports history. If you like sports, especially boxing, read this. Much better then Remnick's King of the World.
June 20, 2019
What I remember most about this book besides the backgrounds of both fighters was the fact that it was such a huge fight especially for Buster Douglas. Both fighters went to Tokyo to live and train for 2 months in advance of the fight. Mike Tyson was the reigning Heavyweight of the world and the so called baddest man on the planet and nobody thought Buster Douglas would ever beat Mike Tyson because he was known at the time as being a good fighter and contender but not great and certainly not good enough to beat Iron Mike. The writer got some real good interviews and insights to both fighters leading up to the fight and that always makes for a good book.
May 1, 2008
a great read. I first read Joe Layden when he "co-wrote" Home Before Daylight (with Steve Parrish) and I had a good feeling that he would tackle this subject well. I was not disappointed.
A even handed profile of both fighters done in a relatively gentile way. It would be easy to sit back and judge both men, one who had everything and gave it away, the other given a opportunity, a miracle even, and in his own way squandered that as well. but there is no judging in this book. just a reporting of the events and how their lives changed forever on that afternoon in Tokyo
A even handed profile of both fighters done in a relatively gentile way. It would be easy to sit back and judge both men, one who had everything and gave it away, the other given a opportunity, a miracle even, and in his own way squandered that as well. but there is no judging in this book. just a reporting of the events and how their lives changed forever on that afternoon in Tokyo
May 15, 2009
i have a soft spot for boxing books, and i have always been interested in the douglas v. tyson fight. this book will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about that fight and it's remarkable aftermath. neither tyson or douglas were ever the same. i actually found the background info of the fighter's careers which led to their tokyo fight to be the most interesting part of the book. had the feeling of being a little long at the wrong places, and a little short where you wanted more, but all-in-all a good boxing book.
July 13, 2010
Mike Tyson is such a tragic figure - he's easy to condemn, and the fact that he is a convicted rapist makes me feel conflicted about him, but he is so soft-spoken and seemingly regretful about how his life has panned out that it's hard to hate him.
I enjoyed this book a lot - it is about much more than the fight between Buster Douglas and Tyson, but reflects on their lives both before and after this fight.
I think sports fans will love this book. If you don't like sport, don't bother - you'll be bored!
I enjoyed this book a lot - it is about much more than the fight between Buster Douglas and Tyson, but reflects on their lives both before and after this fight.
I think sports fans will love this book. If you don't like sport, don't bother - you'll be bored!
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