The Iron Years Part One
Mike Tyson Mike Tyson with his mentor Cus D'Amato Introduction - Heavyweights In Despair 15th February 1978 saw Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. The rematch saw him being stripped of the WBC version of the crown for not facing mandatory contender Ken Norton, who they installed as their champion. Ali won the return with Spinks and retired, leaving the WBA championship vacant. Whilst Norton lost his WBC title to Larry Holmes on the 09th June 1978 in his first defence, Holmes was able to hold on to that title. The vacant WBA belt was contested between John Tate and Gerrie Coetzee on the 20th October 1979, in Coetzee's home country of South Africa. Tate took the crown via a fifteen round unanimous decision. In March 1980 Tate lost his championship when Mike Weaver stopped him in the fifteenth round. October of the same year saw Holmes make his eighth defence, beating Muhammad Ali in the tenth round in w...