Sadly, two weeks before the fight, Douglas’ mom passed away after having a stroke. Weeks leading up to the big fight, Douglas’ mother was going around town telling people, “My son is going to beat Mike Tyson!” He begged her to stop. Only one casino would hold odds on the fight, the Mirage, and it made Douglas a 42-to-1 underdog! The only bets allowed were on what round Douglas would lose in. Most of Tyson’s fights ended within the first round or two. I remember gathering with friends as a 19-year-old to watch his fights on Pay-Per-View, knowing that his fights may last 14 seconds. Tyson struck terror in the eyes of his competitors. His professional record was 37-0 when this fight took place, with 34 of those being knockouts. Tyson was a beast of a man and came from a very tough New York neighborhood as a misguided youth. Douglas was thrown into this fight after another fighter “canceled.” Now, you have to understand how terrifying Mike Tyson was in 1990 and you will understand why fighters often “canceled” or got knocked out in under a minute. Tyson is set to fight Douglas on his way to Evander Holyfield. It’s February of 1990 and there is to be a fight in Tokyo for the heavyweight title. One of the best examples of resilience that will go down in history, is the fight between Douglas and Tyson. By using setbacks or challenges as learning opportunities instead of things to weigh you down, over time you will build up resilience. People who learn not only how to bounce back but also learn to bounce “forward” are living healthier, happier lives. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. When you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Stress and adversity are never going away, and we need to learn how to become more resilient to life’s challenges. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, and/or threats.” People have asked “Is someone born resilient or is it something you can learn?” and science has proven that it can, in fact, be learned and you can train yourself to be more resilient. Let’s start with the science of resilience. It was during a professional boxing match-up between James Buster Douglas and Iron Mike Tyson in 1990. Then I would like to share one of the greatest examples of willpower and resiliency that I have ever seen. There is actual science behind this and I will be discussing some pretty cool stuff. I want to talk about what it means to be resilient today, and how some people seem to be able to “overcome” obstacles and challenges quicker or better than others. I don’t mind going first – I am the oldest and have the least amount of time left on this Earth so I should probably go first. I am honored to be here today speaking in front of you. Go as hard as you can and savor the moments that lead you out of the struggle. If you are in a rut, if you are struggling, dig deep and find a reason to stand up one last time. Rick Clark, who began his college journey at age 45, shared this note on Facebook days before his speech: “I ain’t scared. The following is a speech written for and presented in a communications class.
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