This video provides historic visual proof that longtime rival legendary boxing promoters Bob Arum and Don King….did not always hate and disdain each other…..as history has otherwise told us. In an interview with HBO’s Larry Merchant….Don King and Bob Arum give each other so much love….it seemed like a “love-fest” by comparison to the complete disdain that each of these men had for each other…..for here was the top two boxing promoters of all time…..the two men who “owned” fighters like Donald Trump has owned casinos and hotels….for the explicit purpose of making money….and here they are….caught on video tape…..acting as if they were the original “ebony and ivory existing in perfect harmony”
As for the fight against Henry Tillman….this was Iron Mike’s first fight after being defeated by knockout (his 1st and only) by Buster Douglas….and you could see a distinct difference in the Tyson attitude and aggressiveness that he brought to the ring on this night….something he did not have against Douglas in his last fight….what this lil Chiweenie Sportsphile calls Tyson’s fire.
Henry Durand Tillman was an American heavyweight boxer….who had twice defeated Mike Tyson as an amateur….winning both bouts via close decisions. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the Los Angeles Olympics against highly touted Canadian boxer Willie de Wit….who turned pro in 1984 as a cruiserweight and had a disappointing professional career….primarily due to a weak chin. In 1986, he was knocked down twice and upset by Bert Cooper via a decision. However, in 1987 he was able to secure a shot at WBA Cruiserweight Title holder Evander Holyfield. Holyfield dropped Tillman three times en route to a 7th round TKO….as Tillman later lost to Willie DeWitt in a rematch of their 1984 Heavyweight Olympic Final bout.
In 1990, he took on Mike Tyson in Tyson’s comeback bout after his loss to James “Buster” Douglas. Tyson knocked him out in the first round. He finished his professional career with a record of 25-6-0 with 16 knockouts. In the movie Rocky V….Tillman played contender “Tim Simms” who lost a bout to “Tommy Gunn” played by Tommy Morrison.
As I have said before…..any time you get to watch the boxing legend known as Iron Mike Tyson fight….it is worth the time spent.
