THROWBACKTHISDAY; Mike Tyson defeats Trevor Berbick to become youngest Heavyweight champion in boxing history.

 

Trevor Berbick vs. Mike Tyson, billed as "Judgment Day", was a professional boxing match contested on November 22, 1986 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.


                           

In 1986, the three major boxing organizations, the World Boxing Council, the World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation teamed with HBO to create a heavyweight championship tournament in an effort to crown the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since Leon Spinks in 1978.^[1] All three of organization's heavyweight champions, as well as several of the sport's top contenders were entered into the tournament. In the first leg of the tournament, Trevor Berbick met then-WBC champion Pinklon Thomas for the WBC portion of the heavyweight title. In a closely contested fight, Berbick was able to narrowly earn the victory by unanimous decision to capture his first major heavyweight title. However, his first defense of that title would come against the 20-year-old undefeated sensation Mike Tyson, who was 27–0 with 25 of his victories coming by way of knockout. Tyson had gone 12–0 in the year of 1986 alone and officially qualified for the unification series with a second round knockout victory over Alfonso Ratliff in September.^[2] Though the 32–year old Berbick entered the fight as the champion, he was installed as a 3–1 underdog to Tyson, who at 20 years old, was 12 years younger than Berbick and was trying to surpass Floyd Patterson as the youngest man to win a major Heavyweight title in the history of the sport.

Tyson would dominate Berbick, easily picking up the victory by way of 2nd round technical knockout. From the opening bell Tyson would be the aggressor, hammering Berbick with several powerful punches. Towards the end of the round, Tyson hit Berbick with a 4-punch combination that sent Berbick across the ring. Berbick managed to stay on his feet, but Tyson would continue to attack, hitting Berbick several more times until the bell sounded. Tyson picked up right where he left off in round 2, almost immediately hitting Berbick with a combination that dropped the champion. Berbick was able to answer the referee's count and the fight would continue. Berbick, however, was unable to get any offense going, continuously getting rocked by Tyson. Tyson would finally end the fight as the 2:35 mark, hitting Berbick with a right to the body followed by a left hook to the head that dropped Berbick for the second time. Berbick attempted to get up twice, only to collapse both times, causing referee Mills Lane to call the fight and award Tyson the victory via technical knockout.

THROWBACKTHISDAY; makes it 29 years and TBT Blog remembers.