James Douglas Popular Books

James Douglas Biography & Facts

James "Buster" Douglas (born April 7, 1960) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1981 and 1999. He reigned as undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1990 after knocking out Mike Tyson to win the title, handing the undefeated Tyson his first ever loss. He also defeated heavyweight world champions Oliver McCall, Trevor Berbick, and Greg Page. 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 would knock 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 loss, Douglas returned to boxing between 1996 and 1999 until he retired a second and final time. Early life The son of professional boxer William "Dynamite" Douglas and Lula Pearl Douglas, Douglas grew up in Columbus, Ohio, in the predominantly black Linden neighborhood of Windsor Terrace. His father ran a gym at the Blackburn Recreation Center near Downtown Columbus and subsequently introduced young James to boxing (in the same way James would later bring his son Lamar to the same gym). He attended Linden McKinley High School, where he played football and basketball, leading Linden to a Class AAA state basketball championship in 1977. After high school, Douglas played basketball for the Coffeyville Community College Red Ravens in Coffeyville, Kansas, from 1977 to 1978; the 17-year-old was a 6'0" power forward. He is in the Coffeyville Community College Men's Basketball Hall of Fame. He also played basketball at Sinclair Community College from 1979 to 1980 in Dayton, Ohio, before attending Mercyhurst University on a basketball scholarship. He moved back to Columbus to focus on boxing. Professional career Douglas debuted on May 31, 1981, defeating Dan O'Malley in a four-round bout. He was managed by former Ohio State University assistant football coach John Johnson. Douglas won his first five fights before coming into a fight with David Bey weighing 20 pounds heavier than he usually had for his previous bouts. Bey handed Douglas his first defeat by knocking him out in the second round. After six more fights, all of which he won, Douglas fought Steffen Tangstad to a draw on October 16, 1982. He was penalized two points during the course of the fight, which proved to be the difference on the judges' scorecards. After the draw, Douglas beat largely journeyman fighters for the next 14 months. Two of his wins were knockouts of Jesse Clark, whom Douglas had also stopped in 1981. Douglas needed just seven total rounds of fighting in the three bouts combined to score the three KOs. In his last fight of 1983, Douglas was dominating opponent Mike White, but White knocked him out in the ninth round. On November 9, 1984, Douglas was scheduled to face heavyweight contender Trevor Berbick in Las Vegas. Berbick withdrew from the bout three days before it was to take place; Randall "Tex" Cobb elected to take the fight on short notice in Berbick's stead. Douglas defeated the former heavyweight contender by majority decision. The next year, he fought up-and-coming contender Jesse Ferguson. Douglas fought just three times in 1986, defeating former champion Greg Page and fringe contender David Jaco in two of the bouts. This earned him a shot at the International Boxing Federation championship that was stripped from Michael Spinks for refusing to defend it against Tony Tucker. Douglas started well against Tucker and was ahead on points, but he ran out of stamina and suffered a technical knockout in the tenth round. After the Tucker defeat and a series of disagreements, James split with his father; the Douglas family was shattered. James started business from scratch and hand-picked another team for himself, particularly a new trainer. This helped him win his next four fights. After the false start in 1984, Douglas finally fought Berbick in 1989, winning a unanimous decision. He followed that up with a unanimous decision victory over future heavyweight champion Oliver McCall, which earned him a shot at Mike Tyson for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Tyson became the universally recognized champion after knocking out Spinks in one round in 1988. (Douglas fought on the undercard of that event, defeating Mike Williams by seventh-round TKO.) Undisputed heavyweight champion The Tyson fight was scheduled for February 11, 1990 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. Almost all observers assumed that the bout would be another quick knockout for the champion; no fighter had taken Tyson beyond the fifth round since 1987. Many thought it was a tune-up for Tyson before a future mega-fight with undefeated Evander Holyfield, who had recently moved up to heavyweight after becoming the first undisputed world cruiserweight champion in the history of that weight class. Douglas's chances of lasting deep into the fight against Tyson, let alone winning, were so lightly regarded that only one Las Vegas betting parlor even bothered to establish odds for the fight. That lone casino, the Mirage, made Douglas a 42-to-1 underdog. Douglas's mother, Lula Pearl, died of a stroke 23 days before the title bout at the age of 46. Douglas had promised his mother that he would beat Mike Tyson before she had passed away. Douglas, who had trained hard, surprised the world by dominating the fight from the beginning, using his 12-inch reach advantage to perfection. He seemingly hit Tyson at will with jabs and right hands and danced out of range of Tyson's punches. The champion had not taken Douglas seriously, expecting another easy knockout victory just as the overwhelming majority of neutral observers had. He was slow, declining his usual strategy of moving his head and slipping his way inside. Rather, Tyson set his feet and threw big, lunging hooks in efforts to stop Douglas with one punch. By the fifth round, Tyson's left eye was swelling shut from Douglas's many right hands and ringside HBO announcers proclaimed it was the most punishment they had ever seen the champion absorb. Larry Merchant memorably added, "Well, if Mike Tyson -- who loves pigeons -- was looking for a pigeon in this bout, he hasn't found him." Tyson's cornermen appeared to be unprepared for the suddenly dire situation. They had not brought an endswell or an ice pack to the fight, so they were forced to fill a latex glove with cold tap water and hold it over Tyson's swelling eye. The eye would swell almost completely shut by the end of the fight. In the eighth round, Tyson landed a right uppercut that knocked Douglas down. The referee's count created controversy as Douglas was on his feet when the referee reached nine, but the official knockdown timekeeper was two seconds ahead. In the ring, however, the final arbiter of the .... Discover the James Douglas popular books. Find the top 100 most popular James Douglas books.

Best Seller James Douglas Books of 2024

  • The Glory Boys synopsis, comments

    The Glory Boys

    Douglas Reeman

    As we've come to expect from multimillion copy bestselling author Douglas Reeman, The Glory Boys expertly weaves close and detailed knowledge of the actual events of WWII into a si...

  • The Hidden Years synopsis, comments

    The Hidden Years

    Rachel Hore

    'A dramatic, warmhearted, wonderfully written read.' DAILY MAIL 'Gorgeous' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'A gripping read' HELLO!Sunday Times bestseller Rachel Hore’s captivating...

  • Nanny synopsis, comments

    Nanny

    Charlotte Bingham

    Powerful and heartwrenching; fans of Louise Douglas, Dinah Jefferies and Kristin Hannah will love this Edwardian saga by the million copy and Sunday Times bestselling author Charlo...

  • The Mill House synopsis, comments

    The Mill House

    Susan Lewis

    How far would you go to hide the truth?Julia Thayne is a valued and loving wife, a successful mother and a beautiful woman. She is everything most other women strive to be. But ben...

  • The Lost Barkscrolls synopsis, comments

    The Lost Barkscrolls

    Chris Riddell & Paul Stewart

    These exciting tales are ideal for those new to the Edge or as an addition to the collection of any fan. They feature stories from each of the Edge trilogies: one from the time of ...

  • Hollywood Hellraisers synopsis, comments

    Hollywood Hellraisers

    Robert Sellers

    'I don't know what people expect when they meet me. They seem to be afraid that I'm going to piss in the potted palm and slap them on the ass.' Marlon Brando'I should have been dea...

  • Wrestling With His Angel synopsis, comments

    Wrestling With His Angel

    Sidney Blumenthal

    The “magisterial” (The New York Times Book Review) second volume of Sidney Blumenthal’s acclaimed, landmark biography, The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, reveals the future pre...

  • Ultimatum synopsis, comments

    Ultimatum

    Simon Kernick

    #1 bestselling author Simon Kernick will leave you breathless with his sheer storytelling power in this raceagainsttime thriller about a terrorist threat in London.An explosion bla...

  • The Secrets of Hawthorn Place synopsis, comments

    The Secrets of Hawthorn Place

    Jenni Keer

    'This is definitely up there as one of the best books that I have read. It's got a special place in my heart. Just amazing!' 5 reader review'Gorgeous! Exuberant writing, convincing...

  • A Brief Guide to Smart Thinking synopsis, comments

    A Brief Guide to Smart Thinking

    James M. Russell

    Each book is summarised to convey a brief idea of what each one has to offer the interested reader, while a 'Speed Read' for each book delivers a quick sense of what each book is l...

  • Summer with Morrison synopsis, comments

    Summer with Morrison

    Dennis C. Jakob

    Dennis Jakob met Jim Morrison in 1964, they becoming fast friends and eventually college room mates. This book details some of the many experiences they had together just prior to ...

  • When She Came Back synopsis, comments

    When She Came Back

    C J Parsons

    'I forgot to breathe in parts!' 5 review'I haven't been able to put down' 5 review'Worth far more than five stars' 5 reviewWhen her fiveyearold daughter disappears from the park, C...

  • Last Letter Home synopsis, comments

    Last Letter Home

    Rachel Hore

    From the millioncopy Sunday Times bestseller comes a timeless love story, lost in letters of the past . . . Secrets from the past, unravelling in the present… Uncove...

  • Dead Is Dead synopsis, comments

    Dead Is Dead

    John Lansing

    From the “pulse pounding” (Kirkus Reviews) writer of TV hit Walker, Texas Ranger comes a riveting Hollywood thriller that will keep you captivated until the shocking conclusion.Ret...

  • Black Douglas synopsis, comments

    Black Douglas

    Nigel Tranter

    It was almost inevitable that in the 15th century the new Scots royal house of Stewart would have to come to a reckoning with the great house of Douglas.Young Will Douglas, the eig...

  • Relentless synopsis, comments

    Relentless

    Simon Kernick

    The #1 international bestseller.One day Tom Meron, a happily married father of two who’s never been in trouble, receives a phone call that will change his life forever: his friend ...

  • The Last 10 Seconds synopsis, comments

    The Last 10 Seconds

    Simon Kernick

    #1 bestselling author Simon Kernick weaves a masterful plot in this raceagainsttime thriller that puts Detective Inspector Tina Boyd in the middle of a criminal conspiracy and up a...

  • The Wallace synopsis, comments

    The Wallace

    Nigel Tranter

    At the end of the 13th century, Scotland was a bloodtorn country suffering under the harsh domination of a tyrant usurper, the hated Plantagenet, Edward Longshanks. During the appa...

  • The House Of Flowers synopsis, comments

    The House Of Flowers

    Charlotte Bingham

    Fans of Louise Douglas, Dinah Jefferies and Kristin Hannah will love this uplifting and moving wartime saga by the million copy and Sunday Times bestselling author Charlotte Bingha...

  • Forbidden History synopsis, comments

    Forbidden History

    J. Douglas Kenyon

    Challenges the scientific theories on the establishment of civilization and technology Contains 42 essays by 17 key thinkers in the fields of alternative science and history, inclu...

  • One Moonlit Night synopsis, comments

    One Moonlit Night

    Rachel Hore

    THE HIDDEN YEARS, the captivating new novel from millioncopy bestselling author Rachel Hore, is out now in paperback.Loyalty and betrayal, hope and despair, One Moonlit Night tells...

  • You Are My Sunshine synopsis, comments

    You Are My Sunshine

    Katie Flynn

    Kay Duffield's fiancé is about to leave the country, and her own duty with the WAAF is imminent when she becomes a bride. The precious few days she spends with her new husband ...

  • The Court at War synopsis, comments

    The Court at War

    Cliff Sloan

    The inside story of how one president forever altered the most powerful legal institution in the countrywith consequences that endure today  By the summer of 1941, in the nint...

  • The Fate of Their Country synopsis, comments

    The Fate of Their Country

    Michael F. Holt

    How partisan politics lead to the Civil War What brought about the Civil War? Leading historian Michael F. Holt convincingly offers a disturbingly contemporary answer: partisan po...

  • A Gathering Storm synopsis, comments

    A Gathering Storm

    Rachel Hore

    From the millioncopy Sunday Times bestseller comes a gripping story of family secrets, allconsuming love and the chaos of war.2011. When Lucy’s troubled father Tom&#...

  • Found synopsis, comments

    Found

    Erin Kinsley

    A MISSING CHILD RETURNS. BUT WHO TOOK HIM? BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB CHOICE SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB PICK 'Brilliant, utterly compelling, heartwrenching...I was gripped and loved it.'...

  • The Treasure of the City of Ladies synopsis, comments

    The Treasure of the City of Ladies

    Christine de Pizan & Sarah Lawson

    Written by Europe’s first professional woman writer, The Treasure of the City of Ladies offers advice and guidance to women of all ages and from all levels of medieval society, fro...

  • All the Powers of Earth synopsis, comments

    All the Powers of Earth

    Sidney Blumenthal

    Lincoln’s incredible ascent to power in a world of chaos is newly revealed in this “compelling, original, and elegantly written” (Michael Beschloss, New York Times bestselling auth...

  • The Blue Note synopsis, comments

    The Blue Note

    Charlotte Bingham

    Fans of Louise Douglas, Dinah Jefferies and Kristin Hannah will not be disappointed by this magically romantic and dynamic saga by the million copy and Sunday Times bestselling aut...

  • Debutantes synopsis, comments

    Debutantes

    Charlotte Bingham

    Fans of Louise Douglas, Dinah Jefferies and Bridgerton will love this wonderfully evocative and enthralling romantic saga by the million copy and Sunday Times bestselling author Ch...

  • How the Scots Made America synopsis, comments

    How the Scots Made America

    Michael Fry

    Ever since they first set foot in the new world alongside the Viking explorers, the Scots have left their mark. In this entertaining and informative book, historian Michael Fry sho...

  • We Are Only Ghosts synopsis, comments

    We Are Only Ghosts

    Jeffrey L Richards

    An extraordinary, emotionally intense novel spanning World War II Europe to 1960s New York City with an unsettling psychological edge, We Are Only Ghosts depicts not only the horro...

  • An A-Z of Hellraisers synopsis, comments

    An A-Z of Hellraisers

    Robert Sellers

    An AZ of Hellraisers is the last word on inebriated misbehaviour, and the miscreant mob in this whopper of a book constitute the most amazing grouping to see print: from Alexander ...

  • The Koran synopsis, comments

    The Koran

    N. J. Dawood

    'Across the language barrier Dawood captures the thunder and poetry of the original' The TimesThe Koran is universally accepted by Muslims to be the infallible Word of God as first...

  • The Islesman synopsis, comments

    The Islesman

    Nigel Tranter

    This is the thrilling story of Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, during the turbulent days of Robert the Bruce.The grandson of the great Angus Mor, direct descendant and succe...

  • The Woman Who Walked into the Sea synopsis, comments

    The Woman Who Walked into the Sea

    Mark Douglas-Home

    The daughter who nobody wanted learns the truth about the mother she never knew. A pageturning, heartbreaking mystery 'full of surprises ... this is a classic whodunit' (Scotsman)....

  • Opal synopsis, comments

    Opal

    Elvi Rhodes

    Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, this is an emotional and powerful story of a woman who has a dream, and who will do anything to achieve it by multim...

  • Kubrick synopsis, comments

    Kubrick

    Robert P. Kolker & Nathan Abrams

    The definitive biography of the creator of 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, and A Clockwork Orange, presenting the most indepth portrait yet of the groundbreaking filmmaker.The ...

  • A Week in Paris synopsis, comments

    A Week in Paris

    Rachel Hore

    SECRETS FROM THE PAST, UNRAVELLING IN THE PRESENT From the millioncopy Sunday Times bestseller comes a gripping and moving story spanning 25 years and World War II, ...

  • Siege synopsis, comments

    Siege

    Simon Kernick

    From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Relentless, Stay Alive, and Ultimatum, a heartpounding, raceagainsttime thriller about a carefully orchestrated hostage takeover a...

  • Daughters Of Eden synopsis, comments

    Daughters Of Eden

    Charlotte Bingham

    A riveting story of love and loss set in wartime Britain from the million copy and Sunday Times bestselling author Charlotte Bingham, for fans of Louise Douglas and Dinah Jefferies...

  • The Inner Work of Age synopsis, comments

    The Inner Work of Age

    Connie Zweig & Harry R Moody

    2022 Coalition of Visionary Resources Gold Award 2022 Nautilus Gold Award Award Winner in the Health: Aging/50+ category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book ...

  • The Sea Detective synopsis, comments

    The Sea Detective

    Mark Douglas-Home

    Discover the chilling first mystery in a truly unique crime series you won't be able to put down'There comes a time when a novel raises the bar for a particular genre, and The Sea ...

  • The Buried synopsis, comments

    The Buried

    Sharon Bolton

    AN OLD ENEMY IS LAID TO REST . . . AND A NEW CRIME IS DISCOVEREDFlorence Lovelady, the most senior serving policewoman in Britain, visits convicted serial killer Larry Glassbrook i...

  • James Douglas synopsis, comments

    James Douglas

    Julie H. Ferguson

    James Douglas’s story is one of high adventure in preConfederation Canada. It weaves through the heart of Canadian and Pacific Northwest history when British Columbia was a wild la...

  • The Fourth Gunman synopsis, comments

    The Fourth Gunman

    John Lansing

    From the bestselling author of The Devil’s Necktie and Blond Cargo comes the latest title in the Jack Bertolino series.Retired inspector Jack Bertolino straddles two perilous world...

  • Alice Teale is Missing synopsis, comments

    Alice Teale is Missing

    H. A. Linskey

    YOU HAD A SECRET. ALICE FOUND OUT. 'A highly entertaining, gripping and compulsive crime read, with many twists and turns' Alice Teale walked out of school at the end of a bright s...