James Douglas

James Douglas

Birth : 1960-04-07, Columbus, Ohio, USA

History

James "Buster" Douglas is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1981 and 1999. He reigned as undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1990 after defeating Mike Tyson to win the title. His victory over Tyson is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history. Douglas was a 42-to-1 underdog going into his 1990 fight against Tyson, who was undefeated and considered to be the best boxer in the world for his domination of the division over the previous three years. Defying expectations, Douglas knocked out Tyson in the 10th round to claim the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion for eight months until he was defeated by Evander Holyfield in his only title defense. Retiring shortly after the fight, Douglas engaged in a series of comeback fights between 1996 and 1999 before retiring a second and final time.

Profile

James Douglas
James Douglas

Movies

The Wager
Tyrone
Brucie, is abandoned and left on the steps of the police station as a mere infant, leaving a future that consists of seventeen foster homes. He begins to be influenced by his surroundings, as a war for his soul wages. After a trip to church with his friend Suzy things appear to be looking up for young Brucie, that is until he is pulled from the grid, against his will, by the Cartel to do their bidding.
One Night: Joshua vs. Ruiz
Himself
'One Night: Joshua vs. Ruiz' is a comprehensive look at the night Andy Ruiz pulled off the biggest boxing upset in decades.
42 to 1
In sports, we're used to seeing the improbable. But the impossible is another matter entirely. And on February 11, 1990, while the odds were technically 42 to 1, it was very much the impossible that happened in a boxing ring in Tokyo, Japan, when James "Buster" Douglas defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world. The ESPN "30 for 30" documentary "42 to 1" tells the story of just how incredibly unlikely it was. It starts in Columbus, Ohio, where Douglas grew up the son of a boxer, who trained and guided him to become a top-10 heavyweight contender in the mid 1980's. Of course, it was all in the shadow of the rise of "Iron" Mike Tyson, who became a worldwide phenomenon in a remarkable undefeated run to the undisputed title. And by the time their fight was set, Douglas was lightly regarded, merely a stepping stone for bigger fights for the champion. But on the day they met, a series of extraordinary circumstances led to an unimaginable result.
Tyson
Self (archive footage)
Director James Toback takes an unflinching, uncompromising look at the life of Mike Tyson--almost solely from the perspective of the man himself. TYSON alternates between the controversial boxer addressing the camera and shots of the champion's fights to create an arresting picture of the man.
Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson
Self (archive footage)
Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson is a 1993 film made by acclaimed American documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple. Though Tyson was in jail serving a sentence for rape, Kopple used existing interviews with the boxer, as well as her own extensive interviews with those closest to Tyson, to explore the man's history. The film traces Tyson's story from his troubled and tumultuous upbringing, through his rapid ascendancy in the ranks of the boxing world and his subsequent struggle with the trappings of fame. Fallen Champ earned Barbara Kopple a Directors Guild of America award as Best Documentary Director of 1993.
Night Of 100 Stars III
Self
A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.
WWE The Main Event III
Referee
Heavyweight Boxing Champion James "Buster" Douglas tries to maintain order when "The Macho King" Randy Savage attempts to take back The WWE Championship from Hulk Hogan on February 23, 1990 from The Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas
Himself
Going into the fight, Mike Tyson was the undefeated and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. He held the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles. Despite the several controversies that marked Tyson's profile at the time, such as his abusive relationship with Robin Givens; the contractual battles between manager Bill Cayton and promoter Don King; and Tyson's departure from trainer Kevin Rooney; Mike Tyson was still lethal in the ring, scoring a 93-second knockout against Carl "The Truth" Williams in his previous fight. Most considered this fight to be a warm-up bout for Tyson before meeting up with then-undefeated number 1 heavyweight contender Evander Holyfield. Buster Douglas was ranked as just the #7 heavyweight by Ring Magazine, and had met with mixed success in his professional boxing career up to that point. His previous title fight was against Tony Tucker in 1987, in which he was TKOd in the 10th round. However, a string of six consecutive wins gave him the opportunity to fight Tyson.