1. Overview
Tyrell Biggs is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 1998. His career is notable for his significant amateur success, including a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1982 World Amateur Boxing Championships, both in the super heavyweight division. Despite an impressive amateur record, his professional career faced challenges, including a high-profile undisputed heavyweight title challenge against Mike Tyson in 1987. Biggs' professional trajectory was also significantly impacted by his long-standing struggles with drug addiction and alcoholism, which he battled throughout his career and personal life. His journey highlights the contrast between early promise and the complexities of sustaining a professional athletic career amidst personal challenges.
2. Early life
Tyrell Biggs was born on December 22, 1960, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. His early life was characterized by a strong involvement in sports, particularly basketball, before he transitioned to boxing.
2.1. Childhood and Education
Biggs grew up in Philadelphia and attended West Philadelphia High School, where he made his sporting debut as a basketball player. He was a starting forward for the school's "Speedboys" team, which achieved both the Public League and City championships in 1978. This team notably extended a state-record winning streak to 68 games before experiencing a regular season loss to Overbrook. One of Biggs' teammates in 1977 was Gene Banks, who later went on to play for Duke and in the NBA.
2.2. Personal Background
Following his initial successes in boxing, Tyrell Biggs legally changed his name to "Tyrell."
3. Amateur career
Biggs had a highly successful amateur boxing career, culminating in major championships and an Olympic gold medal. He competed primarily in the super heavyweight division.
3.1. National and World Championships
Biggs' first significant achievement as an amateur boxer was winning the United States National Boxing Championships in the super-heavyweight division in 1981. He successfully defended this title the following year. In 1982, he also secured a gold medal at the World Championships held in Munich, West Germany. In the final bout of this tournament, he defeated Francesco Damiani of Italy on points. Damiani had previously defeated the legendary Cuban boxer Teófilo Stevenson earlier in the competition.
3.2. Pan American Games
In 1983, Biggs participated in the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, where he earned a bronze medal in the super-heavyweight division. His progress was halted in the semi-final, where he lost to future professional challenger Jorge Luis González. During this period, Biggs also secured a 3-2 split decision victory over Cuban boxer Angel Milian, who had previously defeated Greg Page five years earlier.
3.3. Olympic Games
Biggs' amateur career reached its pinnacle in 1984 when he won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. His path to the gold included a quarter-final victory over future Olympic gold medalist and professional world champion Lennox Lewis, who was eliminated early in the tournament due to this loss. In the gold medal match, Biggs once again defeated Francesco Damiani on points, solidifying his status as an Olympic champion.
3.4. Amateur Record
Tyrell Biggs concluded his amateur boxing career with an impressive record of 108 wins, 6 losses, and 4 draws.
4. Professional career
Following his Olympic victory, Tyrell Biggs transitioned to professional boxing, embarking on a career that spanned from 1984 to 1998. Standing 77 in (196 cm) tall with a reach of 80 in, he fought in the heavyweight division with an orthodox style. He was known for his sharp jab and light footwork, though some observers, like Joe Koizumi ジョー小泉Jō KoizumiJapanese, noted his footwork was not as fluid as that of Muhammad Ali, and he lacked significant punching power.
4.1. Professional Debut and Early Career
Biggs made his professional debut shortly after his Olympic triumph on November 15, 1984. His first professional bout took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where he secured a 6-round unanimous decision victory over Mike Evans. In the early stages of his professional career, Biggs faced a number of notable opponents, including James "Quick" Tillis, Ossie Ocasio, David Bey, and Renaldo Snipes. He maintained an undefeated record through his first 15 professional fights.
4.2. Title Challenges and Notable Fights
On March 7, 1987, Biggs fought David Bey, winning by technical knockout (TKO) despite suffering a cut eyelid and bleeding during the bout. This victory earned him the right to challenge the winner of the upcoming Mike Tyson vs. Tony Tucker fight for the undisputed heavyweight title. Throughout the mid-to-late 1980s, Biggs consistently ranked among the top contenders in the heavyweight division.
4.3. Biggs vs. Tyson

Tyrell Biggs' most significant professional fight was against Mike Tyson on October 16, 1987, for Tyson's undisputed WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles. Both fighters entered the match with undefeated professional records. There was considerable animosity between Biggs and Tyson, with Biggs openly deriding Tyson before the fight.
In the bout, Biggs attempted to employ an outboxing strategy, utilizing his jab and movement to keep Tyson at bay. However, from the middle of the second round, Tyson began to effectively corner Biggs. Despite Biggs' efforts, Tyson relentlessly pressed forward, landing powerful punches that steadily wore him down. Biggs sustained a cut eyelid and was bleeding during the fight. In the seventh round, Biggs suffered two knockdowns before the fight was stopped, resulting in a knockout loss. Following the fight, Tyson controversially admitted to intentionally "carrying" Biggs through earlier rounds to inflict more damage, as retaliation for Biggs' pre-match comments.
4.4. Other Notable Professional Fights
Biggs continued his professional career after the Tyson fight, facing other prominent heavyweights. On November 23, 1991, he fought Lennox Lewis, losing by TKO in the third round. He also faced formidable opponents such as Riddick Bowe (a TKO loss in the 8th round on March 2, 1991), Tony Tubbs (a unanimous decision loss in a 3-round bout on December 3, 1993), Buster Mathis, Jr. (a unanimous decision loss in a 12-round bout for the vacant USBA heavyweight title on February 5, 1994), and Larry Donald (a KO loss in the 2nd round on September 11, 1997). Biggs' last professional fight was on August 27, 1998, where he secured a second-round knockout victory over Carlton Davis before retiring.
4.5. Professional Record
Number | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | Win | 30-10 | Carlton Davis | KO | 2 | Aug 27, 1998 | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
39 | Loss | 29-10 | Larry Donald | KO | 2 (10), 1:00 | Sep 11, 1997 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. | |
38 | Win | 29-9 | Alonzo Hollis | Points decision | 6 | Feb 19, 1997 | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | |
37 | Win | 28-9 | Andre Crowder | TKO | 1 | Jan 11, 1997 | Royal Oaks Center, Mount Washington, Kentucky, U.S. | |
36 | Loss | 27-9 | Ray Anis | TKO | 3 (10), 2:55 | Apr 4, 1994 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
35 | Loss | 27-8 | Buster Mathis Jr. | UD | 12 | Feb 5, 1994 | The Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. | For vacant USBA heavyweight title |
34 | Win | 27-7 | Evgeny Sudakov | Split decision | 3 | Dec 3, 1993 | Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S. | |
33 | Win | 26-7 | Shane Sutcliffe | TKO | 2 (3), 3:00 | Dec 3, 1993 | Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S. | |
32 | Loss | 25-7 | Tony Tubbs | UD | 3 | Dec 3, 1993 | Casino Magic, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, U.S. | |
31 | Loss | 25-6 | Mike Hunter | UD | 12 | Jan 17, 1993 | Union Plaza Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | For vacant USBA heavyweight title |
30 | Win | 25-5 | Marion Wilson | UD | 10 | Dec 8, 1992 | Hyatt Regency, Tampa, Florida, U.S. | |
29 | Win | 24-5 | John Jones | KO | 2 | Nov 19, 1992 | Days Inn South, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
28 | Win | 23-5 | Roy Jobe | KO | 1 | Jul 18, 1992 | Civic Assembly Center, Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
27 | Win | 22-5 | Mike Faulkner | TKO | 2 | May 29, 1992 | Amarillo, Texas, U.S. | |
26 | Win | 21-5 | Charles Woolard | TKO | 1 (8), 2:12 | May 7, 1992 | Westin, Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
25 | Win | 20-5 | Alan Jamison | KO | 1 | Apr 18, 1992 | High School Field House, Chandler, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
24 | Loss | 19-5 | Lennox Lewis | TKO | 3 (10), 2:47 | Nov 23, 1991 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
23 | Loss | 19-4 | Riddick Bowe | TKO | 8 (10), 2:17 | Mar 2, 1991 | Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
22 | Win | 19-3 | Rodolfo Marin | UD | 10 | Dec 8, 1990 | Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
21 | Win | 18-3 | Rick Kellar | TKO | 2 | Apr 5, 1990 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. | |
20 | Win | 17-3 | Ossie Ocasio | UD | 10 | Jan 11, 1990 | Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
19 | Win | 16-3 | Bobby Crabtree | TKO | 5 (10) | Nov 29, 1989 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. | |
18 | Loss | 15-3 | Gary Mason | KO | 7 (10), 3:00 | Oct 4, 1989 | Royal Albert Hall, London, England | |
17 | Loss | 15-2 | Francesco Damiani | TKO | 5 (10), 1:06 | Oct 29, 1988 | Palatrussardi, Milan, Italy | |
16 | Loss | 15-1 | Mike Tyson | TKO | 7 (15), 2:59 | Oct 16, 1987 | Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | For WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles |
15 | Win | 15-0 | Lorenzo Boyd | TKO | 3, 1:12 | Jul 31, 1987 | Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. | |
14 | Win | 14-0 | David Bey | TKO | 6 (10), 2:15 | Mar 7, 1987 | Las Vegas Hilton, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. | |
13 | Win | 13-0 | Renaldo Snipes | UD | 10 | Dec 12, 1986 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
12 | Win | 12-0 | Robert Evans | KO | 5 (10), 2:35 | Oct 29, 1986 | Alexandra Palace, London, England | |
11 | Win | 11-0 | Percell Davis | UD | 10 | Sep 14, 1986 | Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
10 | Win | 10-0 | Rodney Smith | Retirement | 7 (8) | Aug 14, 1986 | Felt Forum, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
9 | Win | 9-0 | Jeff Sims | UD | 10 | Mar 23, 1986 | Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada, U.S. | |
8 | Win | 8-0 | James Tillis | UD | 8 | Jan 25, 1986 | Americana Host Farm Resort, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
7 | Win | 7-0 | Tony Anthony | Knockout | 1, 2:57 | Dec 21, 1985 | Pavilion Convention Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. | |
6 | Win | 6-0 | Danny Sutton | TKO | 7 (8) | Nov 19, 1985 | Landmark Hotel, Metairie, Louisiana, U.S. | |
5 | Win | 5-0 | Sterling Benjamin | TKO | 7 | Aug 29, 1985 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
4 | Win | 4-0 | Eddie Richardson | TKO | 3 (6), 1:55 | Jul 13, 1985 | Atlantis Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. | |
3 | Win | 3-0 | Grady Daniels | Corner retirement | 2 (6) | May 17, 1985 | Caesars Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S. | |
2 | Win | 2-0 | Mike Perkins | Technical knockout | 1 (6), 2:50 | Apr 20, 1985 | Memorial Coliseum, Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. | |
1 | Win | 1-0 | Mike Ronay Evans | Unanimous decision | 6 | Nov 15, 1984 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
5. Personal Life and Struggles
Beyond his boxing career, Tyrell Biggs faced significant personal challenges, primarily a persistent battle with drug addiction and alcoholism. These struggles began early in his professional career, with Biggs entering rehabilitation just a few months after turning professional. Many observers believe that his career was effectively derailed by these issues even before his highly anticipated fight against Mike Tyson. At times, Biggs' boxing robe was emblazoned with the phrase "Realize your potential," a mantra associated with drug rehabilitation. Even at the age of 40, an article characterized him as "still fighting between stints in rehabilitation," highlighting the ongoing nature of his struggles.
6. Outside the Ring
Outside of his professional boxing career, Tyrell Biggs made notable appearances in other public arenas. In 1993, he competed in the "Gold Medal Challenge of Champions" during season 5 of the television series American Gladiators. In this competition, he faced and lost to Bill Johnson, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in downhill skiing. As of late 2022, a feature documentary about Tyrell Biggs' life was reportedly in production.
7. Reception and Legacy
Tyrell Biggs' career is often viewed through the lens of unfulfilled potential, particularly given the stark contrast between his stellar amateur achievements and his less impactful professional outcomes.
7.1. Unfulfilled Potential and Career Evaluation
Biggs' amateur career was exceptionally successful, marked by an Olympic gold medal and a World Championship title, positioning him as one of the most promising heavyweights of his generation. However, his professional career did not reach the heights many anticipated. While he challenged for the undisputed world title and faced many top contenders, he never secured a professional championship. The primary factor widely cited for this disparity is his long-standing battle with drug and alcohol addiction. These personal struggles are believed to have significantly impacted his training, performance, and overall career trajectory, preventing him from fully realizing the immense potential he demonstrated as an amateur.