Early in Mike Tyson’s incredible career he was the most dominant boxer in history. Many thought he was unstoppable. When Buster Douglas was slated to fight Mike Tyson, it was only supposed to be a warm up for the apparent “real” show down between Tyson and Holyfield.
Buster had someone on his side—his mom. He was his mother’s pride and joy. She was telling everyone at the beauty shop that her baby was going to knock out Mike Tyson. Buster had to have been thinking his mom was crazy. He probably even told her so as many of us do when our parents “gush” over us.
Just a couple of days before the fight Buster’s mom died. He promised his mother that he would knock out the “toughest man on the planet.” When the big day arrived Buster did two significant things that seemed impossible.
- He got up when Mike Tyson knocked him out (something no one else had done).
- He knocked out Mike Tyson.
Love conquered Mike Tyson. It gave an average boxer the ability to withstand incredible pain and injury. It gave fuel to a human who accomplished the unthinkable; superhero feats. Something no one else had done before. It gave a man the ability to conquer his greatest foe.
If the gushing of a mother can make an average fighter the toughest man on earth—who can you gush over? Who can you lovingly encourage to conquer their biggest fears, their greatest foes?
