This 12 round WBC World Heavyweight Championship Fight took place on March 21, 1988 in Tokyo, Japan….which featured two outstanding heavyweights during the golden age of boxing (1964 – 1995)….with the truly legendary Iron Mike Tyson vs Tony Tubbs…. who was a great heavyweight in his own right…..but who unfortunately fought during the boxing era with the most legends, super great and great heavyweight champions of all time….and they all fought each other….I mean, just the boxing legends alone….Muhammad Ali, Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Larry “The Easton Assissan” Holmes, Big George Foreman Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield and Iron Mike Tyson….and there were more than a handfull of super great heavyweights with the likes of Ken Norton, Michael Spinks, Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson and Tony Tucker…..then you add the great heavyweights who fought during this golden era like Mike Weaver, Tim Witherspoon, James “Bonecrusher” Smith, Pinklon Thomas, Greg Page, Gerrie Coetzee, Michael “Dynamite” Dokes, Leon Spinks, Ernie Terrell…..all of whom were world heavyweight champions….and it becomes clearly evident why a great heavyweight boxer like Tony Tubbs is being rapidly forgotten in the history of boxing….but deserves his place in boxing history….cuz he was great.
I said all of that to say this….our boxing library at Imasportsphile has 620 world championship fights….plus another 300 or so televised fight….all from the golden age of boxing….and we will post every one of them….so, we have dang near 1000 professional boxing matches from the greatest era in boxing history.
Mike Tyson had three fights in 1988….when he faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988….when he defeated the legendary heavyweight champion by a fourth round KO….as this was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts….then in March, Iron Mike fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan….while simply fitting in a dominating two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work chaos. During this period, Tyson’s problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce….while his future contract wars were being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton….then he fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney….the man many credit for honing Tyson’s craft after the death of Iron Mike’s mentor and spiritual caretake, Cus D’Amato. Following Rooney’s departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to use sporadically his longtime Peek-a-Boo style of boxing…..but Tyson insisted he hadn’t altered the style that made him a world champion In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil….as he faced the popular British boxer Frank Bruno in February…. when Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the 1st round….after which Tyson went on to knock out Bruno in the 5th round ….which was followed by Tyson KO’ing Carl “The Truth” Williams in one round in July….so, suffice to say….Mike Tyson was dominating in the ring in 1988….while his personal life was in turmoil at the time he faced off against Tubbs.
Tony Tubbs is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 1997 and 2002 to 2006….while holding the WBA heavyweight title from 1985 to 1986…..when on March 21, 1988….Tony Tubbs stepped into the ring with Iron Mike Tyson for the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship….where after out-boxing Tyson in the 1st round…. he met a sudden and stunning end in the 2nd round….so, any time a boxing fan gets to watch a heavyweight boxing legend from the golden age of boxing enter the ring to show his undeniable talent….they watch him….so, ENJOY!!!
