This Obscure Sports History Moment that Had a Domino Effect (Part 1)
Two of America’s great athletes in one story? Now, this is what we’re talking about. Many people don’t know the inspiration Muhammad Ali had on Mike Tyson. Or that it was a promise of vengeance that ignited Tyson’s rise to the top. “TIL when Muhammad Ali lost to Larry Holmes in 1980, then 14-year old boxing prospect Mike Tyson spoke to Ali on the phone, promising to avenge the loss. He fulfilled the promise seven years later, knocking Holmes out in four rounds. Tyson later called it a highlight of his career.” – Obscure Fact by szekeres81
This heated fight in 1980 would, in fact, be a cataclysmic moment in sports history. There were no knockdowns, but Holmes dominated the fight and was given every round by all three judges. Holmes won through a technical knockout after Ali’s trainer Angelo Dundee stopped the fight after the tenth round. In the audience watching these epic icons duke it out was none other than future Heavyweight Champ, Mike Tyson. At 14 years old, Tyson idolized Ali. And when his hero lost the fight, a fire burned in him. The next morning, Tyson’s trainer and long-time father figure Cus D’Amato was on the phone with the defeated Ali.