Footage: Mike Tyson knocked down in sparring

Thanks, that's where I remember seeing it from.

 

I think the Japanese commentary,and Japanese cameramen on the film sort of gives it away.
Greg Page made him look a c**t there, if his corner had any idea what they were doing they would have called for a postponement ,Tyson clearly was not ready to defend his title .

 

Actually page was enjoying his training at that point, was in shape and winning again. The Douglas-Tyson fight was feb 1990 and Greg was 30-8 at that time. Page who lost his title weighing 239lb and had been as heavy as 242 in his first year as a pro was coming off 3 KO wins in 1989 and was a 220 pounder for all of that year when he joined tysons camp in Tokyo. Page had only lost two decisions in the last 3 years.

 

Who did Page beat in those 3 years? According to your past posts Page would need to beat someone to be in "form", which he wasn't.

 

He beat James Broad, which at the time was a fair victory.

Page was in relatively good nick from 86 to 93, and as well as beating Broad, he beat Bonecrusher Smith and gave primed Ruddock a fight many thought he couldn't.

Also he gave Francesco Damiani all he could handle in dropping a close decision.

 

mike williams :think

 

Thanks TBooze and I agree with you here. But it was a retort to Coke ay ee nay's past glorifying of Douglas as being Tyson's best opponent he faced up to that point.

I remember watching Damiani-Page on the Chavez-Camacho undercard and wasn't too impressed, even though Page looked trim for the first time in years.

 

:think

 

yes, you are quite right. page was no longer beating "at the time rated" contenders - a point I value when assessing a fighter. I’m just saying in a gym situation a one time top class fighter who is still winning fights at an albeit lower level, in top shape would be very capable sparring at that time. The footage of the sparring doesn’t tell us at what point of camp page knocked down Tyson. Greg is getting paid to bring Tyson on. If page was 250lb and coming off KO losses and still knocked Tyson down in camp then you could say there was something wrong, but then sparring is sparring, its not a real fight.

 

If they were in Tokyo it was within three weeks of the fight, so it would be late in camp. Usually fighters stop sparring a week before the fight, but Tyson under Rooney would spar during the week of the fight.

 

Not saying he wasn't a decent fighter and a solid pro. But this does not change the facts as I mentioned them. Guy got stopped twice by Mark Wills, before and after that, a guy with a .500 record for goodness sakes.

 

agreed, just saying a one time top pro coming off wins in good shape is great sparring. page was hot and cold, even in shape he was unreliable in actual fights but in the gym is something else. greg was not a used up broken down pug on the skids for that camp.

 

lol, I loved how they played Lethal Weapon music when Tyson gets knocked down

 

Shame Page had some much talent when in condition ...he sometimes got up for big fights...I always thought an in-shape Page had an excellent chance to beat Holmes but too bad so did Holmes and he gave up a title not to face Page...but Greg was his worst enemy he would get even by not training for his next fight so he cut off his nose to spite his face