42 to 1

Synopsis

In sports, we're used to seeing the improbable. But the impossible is another matter entirely. And on February 11, 1990, while the odds were technically 42 to 1, it was very much the impossible that happened in a boxing ring in Tokyo, Japan, when James "Buster" Douglas defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world. The ESPN "30 for 30" documentary "42 to 1" tells the story of just how incredibly unlikely it was. It starts in Columbus, Ohio, where Douglas grew up the son of a boxer, who trained and guided him to become a top-10 heavyweight contender in the mid 1980's. Of course, it was all in the shadow of the rise of "Iron" Mike Tyson, who became a worldwide phenomenon in a remarkable undefeated run to the undisputed title. And by the time their fight was set, Douglas was lightly regarded, merely a stepping stone for bigger fights for the champion. But on the day they met, a series of extraordinary circumstances led to an unimaginable result.