The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever
*Starred Review* In 1990, heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson was considered a force of nature and a journalist's dream story. Rescued from a life of crime and extreme poverty by legendary trainer Cus D'Amato, he had crushed—not just beaten—virtually every opponent placed in front of him on the way to the Heavyweight Championship. He had energized boxing as no one since Muhammad Ali. James "Buster" Douglas, on the other hand, was a half step above journeyman status. He was raised in a stable, two-parent home and even had some college on his resume. His father was a respected second-tier fighter in his day and had encouraged—rather than pushed—his athletically gifted son into boxing. Layden, an award-winning author who covered professional boxing during Tyson's best years, re-creates the aura surrounding the February 11, 1990, bout in Tokyo—a fight that many consider the greatest upset in boxing history. He interviewed Tyson and Douglas, their trainers, corner men, family members, broadcasters, and knowledgeable journalists. Most interestingly, he also examines each fighter's life since Douglas' upset. Tyson, of course, has been in ever-accelerating descent, but Douglas has endured much, too. Thomas Hauser is the dean of American boxing writers, but Layden has researched and written the most compelling and moving book on the sweet science we've seen in years. Lukowsky, Wes