This Obscure Sports History Moment that Had a Domino Effect (Part 2)
14-year-old, Mike Tyson, sat in the car with his trainer, Cus D’Amato, as he spoke to the defeated Muhammad Ali. “Cus had wanted me to beat him so bad. I was offended by how badly he beat up Ali. When we drove home to Catskill [about an hour from Albany], nobody in the car said a word, we were all so upset. The next morning, Cus was on the phone with Muhammad Ali after taking this shellacking from Holmes. He said to Ali, “I have this young black kid who is going to be a heavyweight champion someday and I want you to talk to him.”
On October 2, 1980, young Tyson said: “When I grow up, I’ll fight Holmes and I’ll get him back for you.” His confidence proved to be accurate. Seven years later, when Tyson was 21-years-old, he and Larry Holmes went face to face in the ring. Moments before the fight started, Ali came up to Tyson and said, “Remember what you said – get him for me.” Tyson, in fact, did “get him”. In Round 4, Tyson delivered a final right hook that dropped Holmes for the third time in that round with just seven seconds left before the bell. Tyson had emerged victorious from what was dubbed ‘Heavyweight History’ and his name, if not already etched into the history books as the youngest ever Heavyweight Champion, was there to stay.