The Untold Prelude to a Historic Upset: Mike Tyson’s Sparring Setback Before Facing Buster Douglas
In 1990, Mike Tyson faced one of the most shocking upsets in boxing history against James ‘Buster’ Douglas. At the time, few believed the Ohio native had any chance against ‘Iron Mike,’ who boasted an undefeated 37-0 record and reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
However, the seeds of this historic defeat were sown long before the match. In an open sparring session, Tyson was unexpectedly floored by his long-time training partner, Greg Page. This incident, captured on video by a Japanese television network, showed Tyson being caught by a powerful right hand from Page, sending him tumbling to the canvas. Though he quickly got up and dusted himself off, the sparring session was abruptly cut short.
Former super-lightweight world champion Tauyoshi Hamada, who witnessed the sparring from ringside, confirmed the severity of the blow: “It was clearly a knockdown. I watched it at the gym and also saw it on television. It was a right hook from short range.”
Despite this, a trainer at the gym dismissed the knockdown as ‘a slip or push.’ Reports from the New York Times indicated that Tyson sparred with Page again the following day but quit after three rounds and took the rest of the day off.
Page, at the time holding a 30-8 record and preparing for a bout with Martis Fleming, was no stranger to high-level competition. He had held the WBA heavyweight title from 1984 to 1985 and, over a 23-year career, compiled a record of 58-17-1, including victories over former world champions Tim Witherspoon, James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith, and Gerrie Coetzee.
The incident with Page foreshadowed Tyson’s downfall. On the night of the fight, Douglas, driven by the recent death of his mother, delivered a career-best performance. In the 10th round, he knocked out Tyson in front of a stunned Tokyo Dome crowd, cementing his place in boxing history.
Tyson’s lax training and focus on a future fight with Evander Holyfield were cited as factors contributing to his defeat. The incident with Page, which many saw as an ominous sign, highlighted the cracks in Tyson’s preparation and mindset leading up to that fateful night in Tokyo.
Page would later make headlines again by opening a deep cut above Tyson’s right eye just over two weeks before his fight with Alex Stewart, further marking his role in Tyson’s tumultuous career during that period.
