After the success of the US Olympic Boxing Team at the 1984 L A Olympics….Pernell Whitaker, Evander Holyfield, Virgil Hill, Frank Tate, Mark Breland, and Meldrick Tayler all went on to the professional ranks to become world champions….but the one gold medal winner who was touted as the next heavyweight champion of the world after the Olympic Games was heavyweight Tyrell Biggs.
Tyrell Biggs is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 1998, and challenged once for the undisputed heavyweight title in 1987. As an amateur he won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics….after having previously won bronze at the 1983 Pan American Games and gold at the 1982 World Championships….all in the super heavyweight division.
He turned professional soon after his Olympic victory….scoring a 6-round unanimous decision over Mike Evans on November 15, 1984 at Madison Square Garden in New York City in his first bout. Besides Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Francesco Damiani he went on to face such other boxing luminaries as James “Quick” Tillis, Ossie Ocasio, Riddick Bowe, Tony Tubbs, Buster Mathis, Jr., and Larry Donald before ending his career with a second-round knockout of Carlton Davis in 1998. He never won a title, but stalked the rankings of contendership for much of the mid to late 1980’s…..as Tyrell Biggs was a really good heavyweight….who unfortunately fought during the golden era of boxing (1964 – 1995)…..as time when there was an abundance of really good to legenadary heavyweight boxers.
Biggs’ biggest pro fight was against Tyson for the undisputed heavyweight title….for Biggs and Tyson seriously disliked each other….with Biggs bad mouthing Tyson before the fight. Biggs attempted to outbox Tyson by using his jab and movement….but Tyson kept coming in and landing big punches….thus wearing Biggs down until the fight was stopped in the 7th round….as Tyson admitted after the fight to carrying Biggs….so he could inflict more damage to avenge Biggs’ pre-match comments.
However, regarding this early career match with Sterling Benjjamin….the truth is that it was a pretty darn good fight that went the distance and is well worth watching.
