Mike Tyson’s immortal punching power was evident throughout his career, but none more so than in a few exceptional circumstances.
One such instance came when Tyson demolished a New York State Boxing Hall of Famer in 38 seconds, a win widely overlooked as a solid victory. Tyson battered Lou Savarese at Hampden Park in the UK as part of his farewell tour.
Despite being passed off as a knockover at the time, Savarese is a fighter who boasts some solid performances. But because Mike demolished Lou so quickly, Savarese was dismissed as a nobody, especially in the UK.
Tyson has only knocked out two fighters quicker than Saverese in Marvis Frazier and Robert Colay, but neither had the record of Big Lou. One quick look at the Savarese record and you immediately know that Tyson’s achievement is much better than it looks on paper. As one of the 28-member New York Hall of Fame Class of 2020, the popular Savarese was formally inducted at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
Savarese was a local favorite. Born in the Bronx and from Greenwood Lake, he is a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion, having fought at Madison Square Garden. Savarese turned pro on April 30, 1989, knocking out James Smith in the fourth round of their fight in Houston.
Savarese won his first 36 pro fights, highlighted by the last of those, a seventh-round technical knockout victory over Buster Mathis, Jr. With the triumph, Savarese claimed the vacant United States Boxing Association (USBA) heavyweight title. It also set up a high-profile 1997 showdown with George Foreman in Atlantic City. In another good showing, Savarese lost a twelve-round split decision (114-113, 112-115, 110-118) for the little-regarded vacant World Boxing Union [WBU] championship.
In addition, Savarese says his opening-round knockout of former world heavyweight champion James “Buster” Douglas in 1998 for the International Boxing Association World heavyweight title is his most significant accomplishment in the ring.
“I was a big underdog in the Douglas fight,” Savarese remembered. “He had a good jab. That’s number one for me. My amateur highlight was winning my first New York Golden Gloves title [in 1985 when he stopped Jonathan Hill in the finals] in front of my fans, family, and friends.”
He added that he expected to take Tyson to the later rounds.
“I don’t think he was training as hard as he usually did,” Savarese says. “That was the whole thing with Tyson at that point in his career; you wanted to get him to the later rounds.
“It was a huge opportunity. The next fight would have been big money. I felt confident. We had a good camp. I had good sparring and everything.”
Tyson brutally defeated Savarese as he continued his pursuit of another world title shot. However, Lennox Lewis would prove a bridge too far two years later. Savarese proved an easy victory for the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ despite seemingly having an off night.
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Despite the Tyson defeat and addition to the IBA, Savarese won the WBO Inter-Continental and IBA Continental championships.
Besides former world champions Douglas, Witherspoon, and Mathis Jr., Savarese defeated top contenders. They included heavyweights such as David Bostice, Lance Whitaker, and Leo Nolan.
“I fought six world champions. Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Foreman, Witherspoon, Douglas, and Riddick Bowe in the amateurs. Max Kellerman [formerly HBO] once said I’m from the old-school of boxing. That’s good. I love that.”
“I fought Foreman and Holyfield, so I wasn’t intimidated. But I had been building for it for a long time since I won the New York Golden Gloves in 1984. What you have to respect is the power.”
Savarese will always embody what it is to be a New York boxer. Furthermore, Mike Tyson scored a significant victory that night in Scotland, and he knows that.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
