What was Buster Douglas truly capable of..?

Tokyo Douglas wasn't even at 100% of his capabilities. He was fighting sick on antibiotics. So I guess disciplined, fully capable Buster, would have been a problem for everyone in the 80's.

 

Again Douglas did have discipline for numerous years it's a myth that Douglas was only motivated for the Tyson fight.

Between 1986-1990 leading up to the Tyson fight Douglas had only lost 1 fight to Tucker in a fight he was winning up until the stoppage.

During this period Douglas beat Greg Page, Trevor Berbick, Oliver McCall, 2 fighters who were former world champions and another who would be a future world champion.

And Douglas won these fights pretty comprehensively on points.

Not to mention a stand out performance against Mike Williams who was pretty hyped up at that point as a future Tyson opponent and Douglas knocked him down 3 times with a jab which is unheard of.

So we already see in real time what Douglas's career looked like when he was motivated and disciplined.

The problem was for whatever reason after that good run of form between 1986-1990 Douglas decided he'd achieved what he wanted to do vs Tyson and then just turned up for the paycheck vs Holyfield.

 

The inconsistancy of Buster Douglas has inconsistant evidence. Its all based on him laying an egg against Holyfield(mr took steroids to go .500 in title fights) and retiring. The whole "he could never get it together and had one brilliant night" is perhaps the most widely believed smear I've seen in sports. People see 4 losses on his resume and 40+-1 underdog and they think "jo*****yman". And the Rocky music starts playing in their head and they get lost.

He fought Tyson last of course he'd have the worst odds regardless of how he compares to Tysons other opponents. Which in this case he compares immaculately except Tucker. If you ignore the number of losses and just focus on the Ws and the fact he almost beat Tucker hes right in the front of Holmes/Tysons contenders with Witherspoon.

Mike White is one of the best HWs above 6'9 whose ever lived. It sounds wrong but its the truth. And Douglas was beating him and made a little boo boo. It happens. A prospect loses a competitive 10 rounder to an undefeated Jesse Ferguson. It happens. Get caught by a David Bey. He was fighting a David Bey in his 5th fight. Whens the last time a stars 5th opponent was as good as David Bey?

I would bet money on Buster Douglas to beat Usyk.

 

"The problem was for whatever reason after that good run of form between 1986-1990 Douglas decided he'd achieved what he wanted to do vs Tyson and then just turned up for the paycheck vs Holyfield."

A thought here.

The belts were unified and Douglas was not getting a rematch or title shot without going on another run. Today at this juncture champions often switch weight classes and if they are HW try to get a shot at another belt. These options were not open to Buster Douglas. Heres a guy with financial security who had become the champ. Even if he'd showed up in shape to fight Holyfield and lost the motivation not being there to climb the ladder is understandable. As if often the case with guys who retire early(Moorers another one) Buster came back a few years later when its mid life crisis time. Then the motivation was there.

The story of guys quitting when they are secure and not in line for more accolades is common. This is one of the drawbacks proponents of a 1 belt system don't think about. The elite of Louis's HW division largely peaced out because with one belt their career had nowhere to go.

 

He showed flashes of talent. And yes I think if he was a 100% more often he could have done more. But I’m not sure he was all time great material. A part of me still thinks that Mike Tyson wasn’t 100% either that night

 

Big with good skills, good power, and an excellent jab, but always a little chinny.

 

He was already a problem 86-90. With constant discipline and a will to win he's one of the best heavyweights between 1980-today. With this hypothetical we have removed the biggest stumbling blocks of Douglas and you then have a hungry motivated big heavyweight that can throw combination punches and has very good footwork with a mean streak. I do think he gets caught on occasion and stopped thoughn

 

No, just no.

It sounds stupid is what it sounds. How many heavyweights have we had above 6-9? White lost to scrubs.

Ah, you know your judo well. But your money would fly away like a starling on the morrow.

 

He was capable of greatness.

 

Douglas got a bad rep because he faded against a very good version of Tucker, in a fight Douglas was winning clearly. The problem was at this time Mike Tyson was viewed as invincible and any contender that already had a few losses on his ledger was viewed as an also ran, just a future no hoper to be pummeled by Mike. People overlooked his run of good form, leading up to the Tyson fight.
Then post Tyson - he showed up fat, disinterested and clearly quit against Holyfield. Then disappeared. So his career got framed as a quitter that had one magical night. It’s partly true because you can’t erase what he did in the Holyfield fight and fact he just disappeared after, but that narrative obscures the fact he was quite talented with good size and had he dedicated himself he’d be a top 5 heavy for the 80s and probably the 90s.

 

A consistently motivated, peak conditioned Buster Douglas could have been HW champion for a lot longer than 8 months.

 

No chance Douglas beats Usyk, I think Usyk's HW run is completely overrated as well. Douglas should've been counted out against a version of Tyson that spent most of his training camp at late-night parties. It was an iconic win in HW history, but he was a very mediocre fighter among ATG HW champions.