In February 1988, fresh from marrying Robin Givens, Mike Tyson flew off to Tokyo. He was fulfilling a two-year-old promise to defend his championship title for his Japanese fans.
The moment Tyson’s plane touched down at Narita Airport, he was greeted by swarms of enthusiastic fans. “Tyson Fever” had gripped Tokyo, creating a craze more intense than anything he’d seen stateside. The heavyweight champion found himself the center of every gaze, every camera lens, with even young Japanese children rushing up to him, excited to see the real-life version of the 8-bit giant from Nintendo’s “Punch-Out”. Women giggled behind their hands, while men watched with a mix of admiration and awe. At just 21, Tyson was living proof of American might, a force to be reckoned with, and already a legend in his own right.
Reflecting on Tokyo, Tyson shared, “It feels like I left home, went to another planet.” Yet, in this alien environment, we saw the young, courteous side of Mike. At a press event, surrounded by pink roses, he smiled and tried to engage, albeit nervously. “Does no one speak English?” he inquired with genuine curiosity.
However, it was within the confines of Korakuen Stadium, beneath the massive Tokyo Dome, affectionately known as The Big Egg, that Tyson felt truly at home. His mission was clear: protect his championship title and maintain his flawless record. As he remarked, “Wherever I fight is my home.”
The Japanese promoters lined up Tony Tubbs as his adversary. Tubbs, a former champ himself, posed a unique challenge. He was chosen for his potential to stretch Tyson into the later rounds, despite his well-known struggles with weight. Once a lean 212 pounds at the start of his career, Tubbs had steadily gained over thirty pounds. Not one to shy away from his appetite, he agreed to a $50,000 bonus should he weigh in under 235 pounds for the fight with Tyson. Alas, he tipped the scales at 238 and a half.
Yet, Tubbs was confident. Despite his bulk, his hands were fast, and he planned to test Tyson by targeting his body—something Iron Mike’s opponents hadn’t dared. Tubbs envisioned a fight up close, with quick punches. He aimed to exploit Tyson’s one notable weakness: his tendency to lunge, hoping to counter with an uppercut.
Tubbs entered the ring garbed in a brilliant white robe, accentuated with red trim, with the beat of rap music marking his arrival. His entourage, adorned in flat-brimmed caps, chains, and shades, contrasted starkly with the reserved spectators. Tyson, in his signature style, entered with no robe or towel—just his gloves, black trunks, and boots. The crowd erupted as he prowled the ring like a predator ready to pounce, wiping saliva from his mouth with his glove in anticipation.
As the bell chimed, the fight unfolded at close quarters. Tubbs stood resilient, trading blows with Tyson, sticking to his body-targeting plan and landing some effective hits that seemed to have momentarily rattled Tyson. The first-round commentators even gave a nod to Tubbs, impressed by his fearlessness and determination.
Before the fight, Tyson had engaged in some lighthearted promo activities with Japan’s sumo wrestling star, Konishiki. However, in round two, Tyson seemed to channel that raw power, pushing Tubbs backward with relentless pressure.
With a minute left on the clock in the second round, Tyson launched a devastating left hook. Tubbs collapsed against the ropes, prompting a rapid series of punches from Tyson—first to Tubbs’ midsection, then right back up to the head. Despite hanging in there stubbornly, Tubbs had unintentionally created the perfect opportunity for Tyson’s iconic lunge punch.
In an instant, Tubbs was floored by a massive left hook to the side of his head. The punch seemed to come out of the blue, overpowering Tubbs despite his guard being up. Disoriented, he spun, losing his balance until he hit the corner post, where he collapsed. His team dashed to his aid, tossing in the towel and nursing his bleeding head with another.
Tubbs lay there, dazed, perhaps contemplating the vastness of the universe above the Tokyo Dome’s distinctive roof. His mind wandering through the stars, his thoughts likely far removed from the raucous cheering that echoed around him.
As Tubbs lay there, Tyson, with a satisfied grin, confirmed his dominance. When approached by a reporter, he declared, “This is my world in here.”
—David Como
