Editor’s Note

Fight to win!

Most Hoosiers today have probably forgotten about prizefighter James "Buster" Douglas.

The boxer showed promise early in his career during two memorable matches at Tyndall Armory in Indianapolis in the early 1980s.

His most famous fight, however, occurred in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 11, 1990. On that evening, Douglas dared to challenge Mike Tyson, the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world.

Tyson was at the height of his popularity and strength. He was a ferocious, vicious fighter who could knock out an opponent with ease. It was thought that anyone with a shred of dignity and an ounce of common sense would not be caught in the ring with Tyson, unless they would make enough money from the fight to pay for medical expenses.

The only casino in the country that bothered to take wagers on the fight said the odds of Douglas winning were a mere 42-1. Some people probably tried to talk him out of what appeared to be suicide for his career and possibly, his life. Yet, with courage, confidence in his abilities and hunger for the world title, Douglas proceeded with the fight.

Douglas, who had trained hard, dominated the match from the beginning, using his 12-inch reach to hit Tyson with a series of jabs and energetically danced around the confused champion. Tyson, who obviously had not taken Douglas seriously and did not train much, remained mostly stationary and threw heavy, ineffective punches.

Tyson did manage to land a right uppercut that knocked Douglas down. Douglas, however, stood back up and kept going. By the 10th round, Tyson was on the ropes, and Douglas used an upper cut and rapid multi-punch combination to knock Tyson down for
the first time in his career, becoming the new heavyweight champion.

Those of us seeking success in the professional world can draw some lessons from this historic fight. Do you have a "Mike Tyson" standing in front of you? Do you, like Buster Douglas, have the odds hopelessly stacked against you?

Some of those odds, if you're a business owner, may include debt, rising prices for wholesale products, intense market competition and a shrinking customer base. If you have inspiration to launch an enterprise, you may be fearful of the uncertain economy, or may be challenged by lack of investors, lenders and capital.

Maybe you just want to advance your career, but are in a dead-end job, lack the time and resources to further your skills or face the daunting task of competing for the same great job with literally hundreds of other applicants.

If Douglas' victory is any indication, it is important for us to try to reach for whatever goal we may have. There was absolutely no guarantee that Douglas would win his match with Tyson, but he decided to at least try.

If you would like to start a business, grow a business or expand your career, then at least give it a strong try and go for it.

Second, like a skilled athlete, it is critical to train in order to "win" at achieving our goals. Douglas worked hard to get himself in shape and improve his power and speed.

In the professional world we can train by learning all we can, whether we are in college, going back to school to learn a new trade, spending time with mentors or networking at a gathering of potential associates, partners and clients.

Through good ol' fashion research (training) and building new connections, we can increase our odds for success and find access to resources that we need.

Finally, there's no doubt that Douglas had a team of trainers and other individuals supporting him, who were ready to encourage him if the fight took a tough turn.

Every professional, whether they are the CEO of a large company, a small business owner or a dedicated worker, needs a team of supporters behind them, including colleagues, mentors, family members and friends. Good support definitely matters.

When negative people with limited vision say we can't win (succeed) or that we are wasting our time, our "team" can encourage us to keep going. When we get knocked down by life's setbacks, our supporters can encourage us to do what Douglas did when he got knocked down by down by Tyson, and get back up.

In all of these things, perhaps the most essential ingredient is having the right attitude. When Douglas, and other accomplished athletes take on challenges, they probably don't think,"The competition looks too skilled and the challenges look too tough, I might
not make it."

Instead, they utilize a more victorious perception that can be adopted in business: "I can and will succeed. I believe I have what it takes, but if not, I can get it. I'm fighting for growth, for financial freedom and for success. I'm going to fight (or play) to win."

Brandon A. Perry
Managing Editor