David and Goliath match-ups, i.e. Cinderella stories are often more entertaining than even matchups, especially when the 'David' rises above his normal skill level and competes on heart, desire and enthusiasm.

What are the best David and Goliath stories out there where the underdog has risen to the challenge and overcome all the adversities?




Mike Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world - the youngest to ever win the world title, even. He was viewed as a dominant, human wrecking ball of destruction, whose career had so far read as a bodybag trail. Tyson, 37-0, with 33 KO's, was a 42-1 odds on favourite to win the fight. He had tremendous power in both hands, threw combinations – he was simply one of the best punchers, and finishers in heavyweight history. His opponent, James 'Buster' Douglas, was 29-4-1, with 3 of his 4 losses by knock out, and was seen as easy pickings for Tyson's ferocious power.

Douglas had lost his mother two weeks prior to the fight, and this pushed his desire to win the world title over the edge. Not only that, but the mother of his children was hospitalised and he was taking medication for influenza.

Onto the fight, from the opening bell, Douglas miraculously started exposing Tyson’s previously unknown weaknesses, strafing him with a pinpoint jab. Tyson’s lack of a plan B, and lack of will when things aren’t going his way were becoming apparent for the first time. Round after round this continued, but the feeling at the time was that it would just take one punch, one flurry, one moment of magic from the better fighter - Tyson.

The suddenly, in the 8th round, Tyson burst into life. Against the ropes, he unleashed a monster right uppercut that dropped Douglas to the canvas. Many fought that this was it (given that he was known as a quitter since quitting against Tony Tucker,) that it would take just a moment of destruction like that to turn the tide in Tyson’s favour.

However, to everyone’s dismay, Douglas rose at 9 and continued to dominate the fight for the next two rounds before he unleashed a terrific combination in the 10th round – a jab, right uppercut, left hook, right cross, and finally a punishing left hook sent Tyson down. Unable to beat the count of 10, the 'baddest man on the planet' Iron Mike Tyson was slayed by a 42-1 underdog, who had the heart, desire and will to win that goes above any lack of skill level imaginable. After the KO, it seriously looked like something out of a Rocky movie.. Douglas's people surrounding him, his arms skyward, a joy to behold.

The post fight interview was beautiful, too. Larry Merchant asking Douglas, and I paraphrase, "Douglas, what made you fight like that, what inspired you to do what no body believed you could,' before a weeping Douglas replied, “My mother, my Mother! God Bless Her Heart!”

As Larry Merchant said afterwards, "the Japanese people came to see Godzilla, only the wrong person turned out to be Godzilla"

For those 10 rounds, minus about 15 seconds in the 8th, Douglas was in the zone, he was simply unbeatable. Simply, he was a man with nothing to lose, and everything to gain.



The KO and entire last round.


Post yours.

Actually I'd have said Buster Douglas too, but how about Joe Johnson in snooker?



Johnson started the 1986 world championship as a 150-1 outsider, had never won a major tournament before and had never won a world championship match before. He was well-known and well-liked on the snooker circuit, but often struggled with the pressure of televised events, and consequently didn't have a record to match his ability. He beat Terry Griffiths 13-12 in the quarters after being 12-8 down, won his semi-final and in the final faced the legendary Steve Davis, world number 1 and the player of the 80s. It should have been a walkover, and it was.

I don't think Davis ever led at any point in the match. He didn't play badly by any means, but he just could not get near Johnson, who played too well, and the Yorkshireman won by the relatively comfy margin of 18-12 to secure a remarkable triumph.

Johnson's season as world champion was dire, and all he had to show for it for was a solitary semi-final. Consequently he returned to the Crucible a year later with the sole aim of getting through the first round. But lo and behold, he found his form and reached the final this time, again meeting Davis, although this time the nugget had his revenge and won 18-14.

Much like Douglas, I don't think Johnson really enjoyed being world champion, and in a way was relieved to have lost to Davis in '87. He never won another major tournament after that, he drifted down the rankings and retired in the 1990s after problems with his heart and eyes. But he can say what only a few other men on the planet can say: that he was world snooker champion and won it by beating the greatest player of his era. And he overcame remarkable odds to do it.

The final frame:

I know Dean won't like this one (lol) but....



Okay, it wasn't the ultimate underdog story, but going into the fight Roy Jones Jr was certainly the underdog. James Toney was 46 fights unbeaten, and Jones Jr was moving up a weight. The odds were stacked against him.

A Flashy 25 year old Roy Jones Jr entered the ring with no fear, and simply overwhelmed James Toney. And also shocked the crowd.

He pulled up his shorts, took a couple of short steps, froze; did a cheeky spread of the arms, and a swift left hook in the 3rd round sent Toney stumbling the full length of the ring into the corner. The crowd erupted. Roy Jones basked in his glory, Toney stood shocked.

Roy Jones began dictating the fight, it stopped when he wanted it to stop, the tempo raised when he wanted it to raise, and he was allowed to pull up his shorts at any moment!

Toney honuorably fought back, but Jones's 188cm reach proved effective. Soon enough Toney began fighting the air instead of Jones Jr. The youngsters speed, mobility and reflexes made him almost untouchable.

In the final stages of the second round, Toney began to fight for his life to gain points. Roy Jones already knew the fight was won. His arms were low and relaxed. The final bell went, and everyone knew the result. Roy Jones Jr won by unanimous decision.

Great fight, and a great performance by a great champion.