what if James Buster Douglas hadn't forfieted against Tony Tucker?

As much as I like Buster Douglas and think his style would always trouble Tyson I wonder how under motivated and ill prepared he’d come in. I think he gets stopped middle rounds as he’d be taking punishment and slowing down. As for if the fight would actually happen around that time I think he was contracted to the tournament and would be stripped if he didn’t face Tyson. As for Tyson he wanted all the belts and Mickey Duff wouldn’t have any say in the matter. I still think Buster at his absolute best is a huge nightmare for Tyson but a lot of factors pushed him in that direction in 1990. Mother passing away being the main factor. That would be missing in 1987. So I reckon Tyson points/stoppage.

 

Forgot to add that is if he didn’t get stopped and win against Tucker. I don’t think he quit but just want motivated. As for Tucker he could have caught up on points.

 

Very Intresting question, mate
Could Buster have put in a great performance like he did in Tokyo, with the circumstances been different!?
Tyson was probably more motivated at the time, though even in 1987 he had issues I believe.
Maybe a narrow loss for Douglas, perhaps Tyson catching him up and stopping him. Really hard to say buddy.

 

Well looking at the scoring two judges only had Douglas winning by a single point, and the other had it a draw.

So Tucker still could've pulled it out in the later rounds and won a decision.

From my memory of the fight I tend to disagree slightly with the judges, I thought Douglas was winning a bit more widely.

But really my opinion doesn't matter, the 3 official judges had it razor thin close. And thus Tucker easily still could've pulled it out via decision.

 

This was my card on the bout and what I wrote. I just felt he gassed out.

Buster Douglas v Tony Tucker (vacant IBF heavyweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Douglas
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Douglas
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Douglas
Round 6: 10-9 Douglas
Round 7: 10-9 Douglas
Round 8: 10-9 Tucker
Round 9: 10-10 Even
Round 10: Tucker stops Douglas

Total through 9 completed rounds: 89-85 Douglas (actual scores: 86-85 Douglas, 86-85 Tucker and 86-86 Even)

Not the most exciting bout - just brief moments here and there - still, I wanted to see it again after seeing it live back in the day. At first I thought was that stoppage a bit premature, but no, Douglas made no protest and he looked a beat man when he flopped on his stool. The two just lacked a bit of fire and Douglas did appear to be fatiguing. Amazing the difference training can do for a fighter when he went against Tyson. Either that or the stars just aligned right.

 

Douglas gets stopped anyway

 

It was even on the cards, but I still think Tony pulls out a close decision.