Mike Tyson this combination. Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision, with
Mike Tyson vs. Pinklon Thomas a unification match with Tony Tucker, who was able to capture the IBF Heavyweight Championship by defeating Buster Douglas by 10th round technical knockout prior to the Tyson–Thomas fight. The two men went the full 12 rounds, with Tyson ultimately picking up the victory by unanimous decision to become the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since Leon Spinks in 1978. Mike Tyson vs. Pinklon Thomas Mike Tyson vs. Pinklon Thomas, billed as "Hard Road to Glory", was a professional boxing match contested on May 30, 1987, for the WBA and WBC heavyweight championships. In 1986, the three major boxing organizations, the