Comments for The trouble with Trevor Berbick

The trouble with Trevor Berbick

2008-09-01T17:06:26Z

On account of that Wolfson update, I just went back and watched some Tyson clips. Man, he was a machine in his day. The thing I forgot was how, in he mid-80s, seemingly everyone he faced was afraid--even when his opposition is on offense they look they're actually on defense. It's like they aren't trying to knock him out, they're trying to stop him from hitting them. Anyway, here's the clip that started it all.

Comment from Shine on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T17:37:41Z

He (Tyson) was never the same after Cus D'Amato died.

Comment from DaveinHackensack on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T17:40:48Z

I don't know, Berbick looked game in that clip -- he attacked Tyson and got up off the mat when he could have just let himself get counted out. I don't remember any of Berbick's other fights, so his stiffness might have just been a result of him having an awkward style. One observation though: before the fight starts, Tyson is obviously warmed up, and Berbick looks like he barely broke a sweat in dressing room beforehand.

Have you had a chance to check out the first Jose Luis Castillo v. Deigo Corrales fight, or Ward-Gatti I? If not, treat yourself, and then post your thoughts.

Comment from Ta-Nehisi Coates on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T17:46:12Z

He did look game. Wasn't so much referring to Trevor. And, regrettably, I haven't really followed boxing like I used to. I lost interest after Bernard Hopkins checked out. I really should go back though.

Comment from DaveinHackensack on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T17:50:54Z

Hopkins was funny in those after-fight interviews with HBO's Larry Merchant, but I think the last fight he fought that I found interesting was when he KO'd De La Hoya with that vicious body shot. The title fights he had with -- what was his name, Jermaine Taylor? -- I don't know. I think I saw one of them, where Hopkins fought tactically and lost a decision, and then complained about the judging.

Comment from Ta-Nehisi Coates on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T17:53:09Z

That kidney shot was crazy. One of my favorites is De La Hoya v. Moseley--the first one. Is Mayorga still around? De La Hoya put it on him...

Comment from DaveinHackensack on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T18:06:19Z

Think it was a liver shot, but yeah, it was rough. There was one of those in Ward-Gatti I too. I think Mayorga has a fight coming up with Mosley this fall.

Comment from Dr. Victor Davis Handjob on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T18:14:18Z

Does Tyson kiss a man on the lips at 5:01? Wow.

Comment from howard on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T18:16:19Z

a few years back, i saw some footage of rocky marciano on espn classic. my first reaction? mike tyson, 30 years earlier!

Comment from keith on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T18:36:35Z

Man he was a beast, can't think of anyone other than Foreman or Frazier that hit harder. Mayorga is actually fighting on HBO in a couple of weeks against Mosely. They have both had it though. While the Heavyweight class is crap, just about every other weight class is as good as it has ever been. Pacquio-De La Hoya should be decent, but the fight of the year so far was Cotto-Margarito. Cotto was probably pound for pound the best fighter talent wise there was, Margarito was just a tough as nails machine that doesn't quit and can hit like a mule. You should try and check it out Ta-Nehisi.

The build up clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avorgxi9lfI

Heres a highlight clip that does not do the fight justice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJbQXBKggnU

Comment from John Henry on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T19:43:35Z

Its too bad that this was Tyson way after his peak. Tyson probably spent the night before this fight drinking sake, smoking blunts, and banging japanese groupies. In his heyday I think he would have taken Berbick out. After D'Amato died, Tyson had no one in his corner in the ring or in life.

These days the heavyweights are boring. Middleweight and welterweight is where all the action is. The Magarito-Cotto fight was good.

Comment from Ta-Nehisi Coates on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T21:45:28Z

John Henry,

Isn't this Tyson just as he begins his championship run?

Comment from David Schraub on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T21:52:22Z

Cotto/Margarito was fantastic, but the fight of the year remains Vasquez/Marquez III.

There are some stellar lightweight fights coming up this month (speaking of that weight class, Casamayor/Katsidis was fantastic as well).

Comment from keith on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T22:33:26Z

Vasquez/Marquez III was a great fight. But I don't think I've seen a fight in a longtime where a guy like Margarito was so relentless and just preceded to break a world class guy like Cotto down over the course of 11 rds. Cotto, who is no slouch, was winning the fight and dropping bombs and Margarito just kept coming and coming. It was amazing.

The fight of the decade was Corrales(RIP) - Castillo. Ta-Nehisi, if you missed this fight please do yourself a service and watch in amazement.

If you can't find it, here is one of the top 5 rounds in THE HISTORY of boxing for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imZaiGJgbsw

Comment from Nat on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T23:53:21Z

Classic. Poor Berbick. Those haymakers... The fight with him and Spinks a couple years later is equally surreal (actually, you're right, with Tyson & anybody during this era). Nobody dominates like this at heavyweight anymore.

Comment from John Henry on 2008-09-01

2008-09-02T01:24:30Z

Isn't this Tyson just as he begins his championship run?

My bad. I was thinking of Buster Douglas.

Comment from David Schraub on 2008-09-01

2008-09-02T02:48:41Z

Margarito/Cotto was amazing, I give you (it was only the second time I -- poor college student that I am -- bought a PPV card). And arguably, it's a case of what do you like better. Vasquez/Marquez was fireworks, Cotto/Margarito was trench warfare. Vasquez/Marquez you knew both guys can hurt each other and sat back in awe as they spent 12 rounds teeing off anyway, Cotto/Margarito its more marveling at how the Tijuana Tornado is impervious to any sort of damage whatsoever.

In any event, both fights were definitely classics.

Comment from Matt J on 2008-09-02

2008-09-02T04:43:26Z

Tyson had an unfair reputation of being just a puncher/brawler. He was a puncher/brawler, but a technically perfect one. His upper cut was a thing of savage beauty. Freeze frame one and you will see a perfect line from foot to knee to elbow to fist. Not a millimeter of wasted motion. There have been a lot of ferocious fighters. Tyson was that scary combo of ferocious and fundamentally perfect.

Comment from hubcap on 2008-09-02

2008-09-02T04:52:49Z

For sheer "holy crap!"-ness I like the famed Tyson-Spinks fight. If you haven't seen it, watch it. It won't take long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2cOtzA64ns&NR=1

I remember seeing it live on cable (I'm old). During the prefight instructions Spinks looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in a ring with Mike Tyson.

The next week Dave Letterman (then on NBC at 12:30) had the "Top Ten Michael Spinks Excuses." One of them was "Got overconfident when first 70 seconds passed without incident."

Comment from El Caballo de Sangre on 2008-09-02

2008-09-02T10:24:58Z

When Mike came along, it was a time in my life where Friday mornings were my favorite: I got to read that week's SI with breakfast. I remember clearly the "Kid Dynamite" cover. I still tell people about this Berbick fight who only know about Mike as a pop culture punchline.

This isn't all, either: He hit Michael Spinks - IN THE CHEST - so hard Spinks had to take a knee for eight. Of course Larry Holmes (who I LOVED and exulted in when he beat Cooney) was way, way past his prime when he fought Tyson, but still - Mike hit him so hard Larry's ass landed where his feet had been.

Whatever else you want to say about him - and I'm one of those who believe Cus' death was his downfall - he was an electrifying heavyweight, and at least during that stage of his career, alone reached the standard that prime time Ali set and that nobody else in the division has since. Jebus, even his MISSES made you wince.

Comment from DaveinHackensack on 2008-09-02

2008-09-02T13:00:34Z

The one fight I would have loved to see would have been David Tua versus Mike Tyson.

Comment from Blue Moon on 2008-09-02

2008-09-02T14:16:54Z

My "holy crap" moment when I realized Tyson was a bad man was the Biggs fight. I believe Mr. Biggs had won olympic gold in 84 and was undefeated. I told everyone who would listen that Biggs would beat Tyson (I was a teenager okay?). Oops.

Comment from .Fred. on 2008-09-02

2008-09-02T14:22:11Z

While I prefer my men milky white - creamy even - Tyson in his prime has a primal - even primate-like - bestiality which I must admit I found irresistible.