Boxing legend Tony Tucker fought a host of gifted heavyweights but insists Buster Douglas was the most skilled.
Tucker was a prominent figure in the heavyweight division during the 80’s and 90’s, fighting some of the best operators including Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.
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Tucker fought Tyson in 1987 and threatened to cause a monumental upsetCredit: Getty
But the event that cemented his name in the history books was against ‘Iron’ Mike, in an exhilarating fight during which he came so close to recording a monumental upset.
Tyson came into their unified heavyweight title clash as the bookies’ favourite in 1987, despite the pair sharing almost identical professional records.
But what followed sent shockwaves through the boxing world, with Tucker landing a thunderous left uppercut on Tyson in the opening round, leaving him completely stunned.
His rival buckled on his feet and stumbled towards the centre of the ring, but Tucker was ultimately unable to follow up with a fight-ending barrage to the frustration of fans.
Tucker later described that he had suffered a brutal injury to his hand from the punch, leaving him handicapped and unable to avoid defeat on the judges’ scorecards.
“I hit him with a right uppercut early and my hand just shattered,” said Tucker. “It was the worst pain ever. I still went on though, that’s why I did all those antics and everything. I was supposed to beat this guy, but how could I with one hand? With two hands I would have knocked Mike Tyson out.”
Tucker was forced to regroup after his devastating loss to Tyson, but the legend admitted his life instead spiralled out of control due to his partying lifestyle.
After back-to-back wins upon his return, he landed a high-profile fight against Lennox Lewis, in a clash billed ‘Star Spangled Glory’ for the WBC heavyweight title.
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Lewis reigned as undisputed champion holding the four major belts in his primeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Lewis dropped Tucker twice in the thrilling encounter, which saw him forced to climb from the canvas for the first times of his career.
His resilience enabled him to cling on until the final bell, although he was defeated by unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards.
But despite facing both Tyson and Lewis, it was the challenge of Buster Douglas in 1987 that he believes was his most formidable.
Tucker was able to stop the fight, stunning the American with a crisp right hand, before a flurry of following punches saw the referee step in and halt proceedings.
Douglas went on to make history despite the loss, picking up a shock stoppage over Tyson in their fight three years later, which went down as one of the most seismic upsets in sport.
Speaking to Ring Magazine as part of their ‘Best I Faced’ segment, he said: “The best skills were Buster Douglas. Tyson, Douglas and Lennox had good skills.
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“Douglas was very sound technically; you saw how he fought Tyson. We fought before him and Tyson and he saw how I did and followed [the game plan].”
The 65-year-old went on to name Douglas as having the best jab, and as one of the best overall fighters he faced.
Tyson topped categories including best chin, strongest and quickest hand speed.
He named Lewis as the best overall fighter, alongside being named as the best puncher, smartest and as having the best footwork.
