Oct. 16, 1987: Tyson vs Biggs

Tyson vs Biggs It is 1987 and nothing and no one can stop heavyweight wrecking machine Mike Tyson. The year before he had blown away Trevor Berbick in two rounds to become the youngest heavyweight champion of all time. This historic victory was followed by dominant wins over James “Bonecrusher” Smith, Pinklon Thomas and Tony Tucker.

Once the dust settled from these victories, Tyson stood alone as the king of the big men, no matter what backers of Michael Spinks said to the contrary. Only 21-years-old, a pro fighter for a mere three years, “Kid Dynamite” had laid waste to the division and assumed its throne with such fury that seasoned boxing scribes were hard pressed to make sensible comparisons. He was so dominant there appeared only two kinds of Tyson fights: the ones in which he demolished his opponents in short order, overwhelming them with his aggression and power, and the ones in which his adversaries survived, but in the process lost every round.

Viewed by some as a boxer who could seriously challenge Tyson, Tyrell Biggs certainly sounded confident enough ahead of his showdown with “Kid Dynamite.” Some speculated that Biggs — young, quick, skilled and with obvious advantages in height and reach — might have the stuff to neutralize “Iron Mike’s” aggression. After all, he was the super-heavyweight gold medalist from the 1984 Olympics, the same boxing team for which Tyson had failed to qualify. Indeed, many had been just as pumped about Biggs turning pro as they had been about Tyson. He certainly looked like he had the right stuff when he defeated contenders David Bey and Renaldo Snipes and overcame a broken collarbone to take a decision over Jeff Sims.

Olympic Boxers Turning Pro
Biggs (right) with stablemates Holyfield, Breland, Taylor and Whitaker.

But what Biggs’ supporters did not know was that he had a serious drug problem and it was all his managers could do to keep him focused on his boxing career. His addiction to cocaine had taken hold when he was still in high school and he had in fact entered rehab shortly after turning pro, the first of many stints. When Tyson vs Biggs had been signed, some wondered if the challenger might have benefited from a bit more seasoning, more rounds against legit contenders. But the behind-the-scenes reality was that Tyrell’s people saw the writing on the wall and wanted to cash in before it was too late. Despite all this, the contender’s public utterances gave no hint of apprehension.

A young Biggs looked to many like a future champion.

“I don’t know this Tyson the way you guys talk about him,” sneered Biggs. “I know Tyson from way back when. He’s never fought anyone like me, someone with a strong jab who can box and is not going in there just to survive. He’s going to be throwing big, wild shots at me but I’ll be keeping out of range. But I’m not going to run. When he’s not throwing punches, I’ll be on the attack.”

Suffice to say, Biggs talked a good fight. But when the bell rang, his words soon proved empty.

For the first three minutes of the match it appeared “Kid Dynamite” would finally face some stiff competition. Biggs emerged from his corner moving with uncommon grace, shifting and dancing as Tyson worked to corner him. The challenger pumped a long left jab as he evaded Tyson’s attack, connecting nineteen times with it, and clinching whenever Mike got close. It was textbook boxing and it won Biggs the opening round.

Tyson vs Biggs
Biggs had his moments in the early going.

But Tyrell lacked the stamina, physical or mental, to stick to the game plan. A minute into the second and he was flat-footed, still jabbing but no longer a moving target, and immediately Tyson took advantage, punishing his opponent with powerful shots from either hand. Biggs later claimed he slowed down because he wanted to pace himself to last the distance. If so, the strategy backfired completely; standing still guaranteed he would never make it anywhere close to the final bell.

Near the end of the second a fierce hook tore a gash on the inside of Biggs’ mouth. In the third Tyson ripped open the challenger’s left eyebrow. Indeed, the champion knew the bout was finished as early as round three, though not just because Biggs was now bleeding all over the ring.

Tyson vs Biggs
When Biggs slowed down and stopped dancing, his fate was sealed.

“In the third round I knew I had him,” said Tyson afterwards. “He was crying. When I was hitting him to the body, he was making noises, like a woman screaming.”

Any hope for a competitive boxing match had vanished. The fight was a rout and now Biggs suffered for all those brave words. “I could have knocked him out any time after the third,” claimed Tyson, “but I wanted to make him pay for what he said.”

To his credit, Biggs kept throwing punches, albeit without conviction. And his chin was clearly made of solid stuff. Otherwise, it was all “Iron Mike” as he relentlessly walked his man down and battered him. A powerful straight right staggered the challenger in the fifth. More rights connected in the sixth before a left hook to the body doubled him over. A series of hooks at the end of the round had Biggs desperately running and clinching.

Tyson vs Biggs
Tyson was just too strong, too relentless.

Mercifully, the end came in the seventh. A right followed by a flush left hook sent Biggs tumbling across the ring. He beat the count but seconds later he was on the canvas again. Biggs’ corner-men were stepping through the ropes as the referee waved it off.

It had been an awesome exhibition of dominance and brute skill and afterwards, Tyrell didn’t have much to say. Neither did anyone else. What was there to discuss other than the fact that Mike Tyson was the best heavyweight on the planet? And that as far as anyone could see, nary a serious challenge was anywhere to be found? The pundits tried to talk up Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks, but few sincerely thought either capable of derailing the combination of aggressiveness, speed and power that was “Iron Mike.” And yet Tyson was only 21-years-old. He might reign for a decade or more. A latter-day Joe Louis. Amazing.

What no one could have known was that this was in fact Mike Tyson’s peak. It would last for only three more fights and then the craziness began and the great unraveling.         – Michael Carbert

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5 thoughts on “Oct. 16, 1987: Tyson vs Biggs

  • October 16, 2016 at 5:19 am
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    Fantastic article. Really enjoyed reading this recap of the fight so many years later.

    Reply
    • June 28, 2018 at 5:20 am
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      Well put Tyler M… Excellent article here, and reading it slowly while watching it at the same time brought as much excitement as watching it way back when but in a different way which secures a fascination to recap. This article even gives some better understanding through an angle coming from a writer’s view without subjectiveness . Michael Carbert, you make nonreading boxing fans want to read. Thank You

      Reply
  • October 17, 2017 at 6:06 am
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    The neck on Tyson! He was like part Minotaur or something.

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  • August 18, 2023 at 11:48 am
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    Here’s the thing; you’re right about Biggs’ management. The Duvas DID throw Tyrell Biggs in with Tyson so as to get him one crack at the title, which was their job, before the roof caved in. They knew Biggs was not a good pro, and I think that’s only partly due to the drugs. He was a part of that great 1984 LA Olympics USA boxing team of gold medalists, but he was easily the weakest prospect of the guys who signed with the Duvas. If Cuba didn’t boycott the ‘84 Olympics there’s serious doubt Biggs wins the gold. But he did, that’s not in dispute, and it’s not Biggs’ fault Teofilo Stevenson never showed up. But there were seriously bad signs just before he signed to fight Tyson.

    Biggs fought David Bey – you actually use the Bey fight to “praise” Biggs, which is insane, as that was the fight that convinced the Duvas they’d better RUSH this guy in with Tyson, at least get him a payday, before he lost to some bum, which is what damn-near happened in the Bey fight, as the ref could’ve stopped that at any time, legitimately, the cut was THAT BAD, and it was from a punch iirc, not a butt or clash of heads; then you say how Tyson cut Biggs over his left eye – only partly correct, as that cut was opened up by David Bey, and it was UGLY; Biggs was bleeding all over the ring in that fight as well, although he was NOT supposedly to struggle with Bey, who was fat, and whose best days were already far behind him. So, you completely got those aspects wrong. Biggs had suffered the cut vs. Bey in March of 1987, then he fought in July, which I’m sure was a mistake, since that cut probably should’ve kept him out of the ring for maybe a year; Biggs’ eye cut is still one of the worst, if not THE worst, I’ve ever seen. But, as noted, the Duvas felt they needed to strike while the iron was at least warm.

    No offense intended, I just recall it very differently. (FYI, I attended the Tyson-Biggs fight in A.C., and I also saw Tyson KO Carl The Truth Williams in 93 seconds, also in A.C., and I saw Michael Spinks KO Gerry Cooney in 5 in June ‘87, among many other Atlantic City fights I’ve gotten to watch In person; i was REALLY locked into the fights at the time). The post fight presser was when Tyson really tried to embarrass Biggs 😂. To the victor…

    Reply
  • May 13, 2024 at 2:05 pm
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    In his book, Tyson admits that he made up the story about Biggs crying. He said that he had a vendetta agains Biggs, ever since the Olympic days. Even though Tyson did not qualify for the team, his trainer, Cus D’Amato, encouraged him to go along with the team to see the Olympics, thinking it would be a good experience.

    He and Biggs were in the airport together, traveling to the Olympics, when a kid came up to ask for an autograph. The kid said something along the lines of, “Oh, boy! Olympic boxers.” Biggs embarrassed Tyson in front of the kid by saying that only he was the Olympic boxer—Tyson wasn’t.

    Tyson wrote that he had never forgiven Biggs for that and wanted to give him a beating in the ring and then embarrass him, as payback.

    Reply

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