Mike Tyson’s bout against James “Bonecrusher” Smith took place on March 7, 1987, at the Las Vegas Hilton in Nevada. This fight was for the WBA heavyweight title, and Tyson, with an undefeated record of 28-0, had the opportunity to unify the WBA and WBC belts. James Smith, a powerful and experienced fighter, was known for his knockout power. Let’s dive into a detailed, round-by-round account of this significant fight in a casual, storytelling voice.
Build-Up to the Fight
Mike Tyson was rapidly becoming the most feared man in boxing, with twenty-eight straight wins, nearly all by knockout. The boxing community was buzzing with anticipation as Tyson prepared to face James Smith, the reigning WBA champion. Smith, with his power and experience, was expected to provide a real challenge for Tyson. The atmosphere in Las Vegas was electric, with fans eager to see if Tyson could continue his dominance and unify the belts.
Round 1: Tyson’s Ferocious Start
As the bell rang for the first round, Tyson came out of his corner with his usual intensity. Smith, aware of Tyson’s reputation, kept his guard high and moved cautiously around the ring. Tyson, in his low, bobbing stance, immediately went on the offensive, pressing forward with his signature aggression.
Tyson wasted no time closing the distance. He landed a sharp left hook to Smith’s body, followed by a right hook to the head. Smith tried to keep Tyson at bay with his jab, but Tyson slipped the punches effortlessly and countered with powerful shots of his own. Tyson’s speed and power were evident as he landed a flurry of hooks and uppercuts, forcing Smith to cover up and retreat.
The crowd was already on its feet, cheering for Tyson’s relentless aggression. Smith managed to land a few jabs, but they did little to deter Tyson, who kept pressing forward. Near the end of the round, Tyson landed a brutal right uppercut that snapped Smith’s head back, drawing a gasp from the audience. The bell rang, and Smith looked relieved to have survived the opening round.
Round 2: Smith’s Defense
The second round began with Smith using his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at a distance. Tyson, in his usual aggressive style, kept pressing forward, looking to land big shots. Smith, however, was more elusive in this round, moving around the ring and using his jab effectively to disrupt Tyson’s rhythm.
Tyson landed a few hard shots to the body, but Smith responded with quick counters and jabs. The veteran’s experience was showing, as he was able to avoid some of Tyson’s most powerful punches. Tyson continued to press the action, but Smith’s movement and defense were making it difficult for him to land clean, effective punches.
The crowd was impressed with Smith’s ability to handle Tyson’s aggression. As the round ended, it was clear that Smith was not going to be an easy opponent for the young knockout artist.
Round 3: Tyson’s Persistence
As the third round commenced, Tyson came out with the same determination, ready to break through Smith’s defenses. Smith continued to use his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at bay, but Tyson’s relentless pressure was beginning to wear him down.
Tyson landed a powerful left hook to Smith’s body, causing him to wince in pain. Sensing an opportunity, Tyson unleashed a combination of hooks and uppercuts that had Smith on the defensive. Smith, showing his resilience, managed to avoid getting pinned against the ropes and fought back with quick jabs and counters.
The crowd was on its feet, cheering for both fighters—Tyson for his relentless aggression and Smith for his resilience and skill. The round ended with both fighters having their moments, but Tyson’s pressure was starting to make a difference.
Round 4: Tyson’s Dominance
The fourth round began with Tyson continuing to press the action. Smith, visibly exhausted and battered, tried to keep his distance, but Tyson’s relentless pressure left him with no room to maneuver. Tyson landed a powerful right hook to Smith’s body, followed by a left hook to the head that sent Smith reeling.
Tyson’s combination of speed, power, and aggression was overwhelming. He landed a series of brutal hooks and uppercuts, forcing Smith to cover up and retreat. The referee was watching closely as Tyson continued his assault, landing punch after punch with precision and power.
Smith, showing incredible heart, continued to absorb Tyson’s punches and fight back when he could. The crowd was on its feet, cheering for both fighters—Tyson for his dominance and Smith for his resilience. The round ended with Tyson firmly in control, but Smith still standing.
Round 5: Smith’s Resilience
As the fifth round commenced, Tyson came out determined to finish the fight. Smith, visibly tired but still fighting, tried to use his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at bay. Tyson, however, was relentless, landing powerful hooks and uppercuts that had Smith on the defensive.
Tyson landed a powerful right hook to Smith’s body, followed by a left hook to the head that sent Smith reeling. The referee was watching closely as Tyson moved in for the kill. He landed another series of powerful hooks to Smith’s head and body, but Smith, showing incredible heart, managed to stay on his feet.
The crowd was roaring, sensing that a knockout was imminent. Tyson kept pressing forward, landing punch after punch, but Smith’s resilience allowed him to survive the round. The veteran was giving Tyson one of the toughest fights of his career so far.
Round 6: Smith’s Fight Back
The sixth round began with Smith showing signs of fatigue, but he continued to fight back with quick jabs and counters. Tyson, relentless as ever, kept pressing forward, landing hard shots to Smith’s body and head. Smith absorbed the punches and fought back, landing a few solid counters that caught Tyson’s attention.
Tyson’s aggression was beginning to take its toll on Smith, but the veteran was not backing down. He continued to move around the ring and use his jab to keep Tyson at a distance. The crowd was impressed with Smith’s ability to handle Tyson’s power and aggression.
As the round ended, it was clear that Smith was not going to be an easy opponent for Tyson. The young knockout artist was facing a real challenge, and the crowd was loving every minute of it.
Round 7: Tyson’s Pressure
As the seventh round commenced, Tyson came out with the same determination, ready to break through Smith’s defenses. Smith continued to use his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at bay, but Tyson’s relentless pressure was beginning to wear him down.
Tyson landed a powerful left hook to Smith’s body, causing him to wince in pain. Sensing an opportunity, Tyson unleashed a combination of hooks and uppercuts that had Smith on the defensive. Smith, showing his resilience, managed to avoid getting pinned against the ropes and fought back with quick jabs and counters.
The crowd was on its feet, cheering for both fighters—Tyson for his relentless aggression and Smith for his resilience and skill. The round ended with both fighters having their moments, but Tyson’s pressure was starting to make a difference.
Round 8: Tyson’s Dominance
The eighth round began with Tyson continuing to press the action. Smith, visibly exhausted and battered, tried to keep his distance, but Tyson’s relentless pressure left him with no room to maneuver. Tyson landed a powerful right hook to Smith’s body, followed by a left hook to the head that sent Smith reeling.
Tyson’s combination of speed, power, and aggression was overwhelming. He landed a series of brutal hooks and uppercuts, forcing Smith to cover up and retreat. The referee was watching closely as Tyson continued his assault, landing punch after punch with precision and power.
Smith, showing incredible heart, continued to absorb Tyson’s punches and fight back when he could. The crowd was on its feet, cheering for both fighters—Tyson for his dominance and Smith for his resilience. The round ended with Tyson firmly in control, but Smith still standing.
Round 9: Tyson’s Persistence
As the ninth round commenced, Tyson came out with a look of determination, ready to finish the fight. Smith, visibly tired but still fighting, tried to use his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at bay. Tyson, however, was relentless, landing powerful hooks and uppercuts that had Smith on the defensive.
Tyson landed a powerful right hook to Smith’s body, followed by a left hook to the head that sent Smith reeling. The referee was watching closely as Tyson moved in for the kill. He landed another series of powerful hooks to Smith’s head and body, but Smith, showing incredible heart, managed to stay on his feet.
The crowd was roaring, sensing that a knockout was imminent. Tyson kept pressing forward, landing punch after punch, but Smith’s resilience allowed him to survive the round. The veteran was giving Tyson one of the toughest fights of his career so far.
Round 10: Tyson’s Pressure
The tenth round began with Tyson continuing to press the action. Smith, visibly exhausted and battered, tried to keep his distance, but Tyson’s relentless pressure left him with no room to maneuver. Tyson landed a powerful right hook to Smith’s body, followed by a left hook to the head that sent Smith reeling.
Tyson’s combination of speed, power, and aggression was overwhelming. He landed a series of brutal hooks and uppercuts, forcing Smith to cover up and retreat. The referee was watching closely as Tyson continued his assault, landing punch after punch with precision and power.
Smith, showing incredible heart, continued to absorb Tyson’s punches and fight back when he could. The crowd was on its feet, cheering for both fighters—Tyson for his dominance and Smith for his resilience. The round ended with Tyson firmly in control, but Smith still standing.
Round 11: Tyson’s Persistence
As the eleventh round commenced, Tyson came out with the same determination, ready to finish the fight. Smith, visibly tired but still fighting, tried to use his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at bay. Tyson, however, was relentless, landing powerful hooks and uppercuts that had Smith on the defensive.
Tyson landed a powerful right hook to Smith’s body, followed by a left hook to the head that sent Smith reeling. The referee was watching closely as Tyson moved in for the kill. He landed another series of powerful hooks to Smith’s head and body, but Smith, showing incredible heart, managed to stay on his feet.
The crowd was roaring, sensing that a knockout was imminent. Tyson kept pressing forward, landing punch after punch, but Smith’s resilience allowed him to survive the round. The veteran was giving Tyson one of the toughest fights of his career so far.
Round 12: The Final Round
The final round began with both fighters showing signs of fatigue but determined to finish strong. Smith continued to use his jab and footwork to keep Tyson at bay, but Tyson’s relentless pressure was beginning to wear him down.
Tyson landed a powerful left hook to Smith’s body, causing him to wince in pain. Sensing an opportunity, Tyson unleashed a combination of hooks and uppercuts that had Smith on the defensive. Smith, showing his resilience, managed to avoid getting pinned against the ropes and fought back with quick jabs and counters.
The crowd was on its feet, cheering for both fighters—Tyson for his relentless aggression and Smith for his resilience and skill. Tyson kept pressing forward, landing punch after punch, but Smith’s toughness allowed him to survive the final round.
The Decision
As the fight ended, both fighters embraced, showing mutual respect for the tough battle they had just endured. The judges’ scorecards were read, and Tyson was declared the winner by unanimous decision. While Tyson didn’t get the knockout he was known for, he had proven that he could go the distance and win against a tough, durable opponent.
The Aftermath
Tyson’s victory over James Smith made him the unified WBA and WBC heavyweight champion. It was an impressive display of his power and aggression. With twenty-nine wins and twenty-seven knockouts, Tyson was rapidly becoming the most talked-about young boxer in the sport. His performance against Smith solidified his reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division.
For Smith, the fight was a tough loss, but he had the distinction of facing a future legend. Tyson’s ability to dismantle his opponents with such ease was a testament to his training and natural talent.
Legacy of the Fight
The fight against James Smith was another significant step in Tyson’s early career. It showcased his incredible power, relentless aggression, and ability to overwhelm opponents quickly. This fight, like his previous bouts, was a clear indication that Tyson was destined for greatness in the heavyweight division.
