ESPN2 had a talk with Buster Douglas tonight for an inside look on how to beat Tyson. This was before the bout, and I thought "wow, what would the odds be if Williams followed suit."
Now we know. And knowing is half the battle. Or to quote Fark.com: Pwned!11!
(edited by Matt Tracker on 30.7.04 2107) "To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
The thing that is really, really sad about this all is that it makes a mockery out of what he once was. Up until Buster knocked him out, he was the most dominating heavyweight in YEARS. Shame. A damn shame. Don King got in his head and he was never the same.
Everything before Customado. and Everything after Customado.
Before "Cus" he was a street punk, full or rage and anger, with no direction; the same can be said after "Cus" died.
Tyson was the best heavyweight champion of all time, even Ali said so! Don King and the money produced in boxing at that time were not a good fit to "Iron Mike".
The thing that killed Tyson, as a person and a boxer was the Douglas fight. I am 28, I watched the fight live on HBO. I remember the fight like it was yesterday. Mike Tyson, I claim to this day knocked Douglas out for at least 12 seconds in that fight.
I admit, at the beginning of the bought I called a friend and said Tyson doesn't look right; this is before the fight started. Tyson was losing the fight, but he did knock Buster out!
But in the official book of boxing, Douglas knocked Tyson out, and with that knock out put a so far 20 year jinx on the boxing industry. The sport has been a joke since that fight, and turned Douglas into the perfect "transitional" champion.
Do I feel sorry for Tyson, no. I feel sorry for the sport that let it's brightest star fall so far down.
Imagine: Richard Petty drinking before races. Cal Rypkin using a look-a-like for games. Jerry Rice with glue on his gloves. Hulk Hogan is a child molester. These are the things Tyson's fall are comparable to.
Can't say I'm that surprised. Williams is a pretty good fighter with a decent chin, and listening to him before the fight he's also damned hungry and full of self belief.
Tyson on the other hand is a broken down shell of his former self who was only coming back from a long lay off because he needed the money.
I'm not vindictive enough to wish any ill on Mike, but I hope its the last I see of him for a good long time.
Originally posted by dMrCan't say I'm that surprised. Williams is a pretty good fighter with a decent chin, and listening to him before the fight he's also damned hungry and full of self belief.
I can't remember who said it (maybe Larry Merchant?) but they mentioned that Williams also has a tremendous heart in the ring. Tyson can't deal with guys who don't get intimidated and actually fight back if they actually bring something to the table.
If Tyson wants to keep fighting he's going to have to be like Rahman and basically start his career over against nobodies in little venues to bring himself back up.
Originally posted by TopTenProTwo things hurt Tyson:
Everything before Customado. and Everything after Customado.
It was Cus D'Amato. The guys wasn't a luchador or anything.
The thing that killed Tyson, as a person and a boxer was the Douglas fight. I am 28, I watched the fight live on HBO. I remember the fight like it was yesterday. Mike Tyson, I claim to this day knocked Douglas out for at least 12 seconds in that fight.
I admit, at the beginning of the bought I called a friend and said Tyson doesn't look right; this is before the fight started. Tyson was losing the fight, but he did knock Buster out!
Douglas CLEARLY had his wits about him when he picked up the count, and had the count been at 8 and not 6 I'm sure he would've gotten up in time.
But in the official book of boxing, Douglas knocked Tyson out, and with that knock out put a so far 20 year jinx on the boxing industry. The sport has been a joke since that fight, and turned Douglas into the perfect "transitional" champion.
That's a damn-fool thing to say. I must've imagined things like Jones-Toney, De La Hoya-Mosley, and Gatti-Ward, and guys like Jones, De La Hoya, Mayweather, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, etc.
Do I feel sorry for Tyson, no. I feel sorry for the sport that let it's brightest star fall so far down.
"Boxing" didn't rape anybody, Mike Tyson did. He's not the first guy nor will he be the last to have a great career and have his life go to crap out of the ring.
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Considering Tyson is getting knocked out by journeymen, have we reached the point where the next Tyson fight will be against a bear? Sad to watch tapes of Tyson from the mid 80's when he was indestructable to the decrepit puncher he is today.
Originally posted by geemoneyA part of me feels sorry for Tyson.
I actually agree here, since it looked like he was actually making an effort to be prepared for this without all the usual controversy/circus atmosphere he brings.
This pretty much says it's over. It's too bad, but it had to happen sometime. Farewell, hardest NES game boss of all time.
With regard to Top Ten Pro's statement that boxing has been a joke since Douglas KO'd Tyson; I will agree that the Heavyweight division hasn't been good. But there have been great fights and champions in the lower weight divisions. Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr. just to name tow all time greats.
Monsoon: Ted Arcidi's gonna drop by. Brain: What a jerk. Monsoon: He's buying dinner. Brain: Oh, that Ted Arcidi. He's a wonderful human being.
Tyson losing to Douglas didn't make the heavyweight division a joke. The heavyweight division had been a joke since the mid 70's when they had the Ali/Frazier/Foreman triumverate. Larry Holmes was a solid champ, but he had no charisma. Only memorable things about Holmes was him beating Ali into brain damage and his facing Cooney in the ultimate example of "White Heavyweight ='s Huge Gate". Tyson in the 80's was refreshing because the heavyweight division was a fractured disaster, as the middleweight division had already turned into the premiere division in boxing.
It's the end of an era for sure. As a matter of fact I don't know if anyone has ever been so exploited and mislead by those who surrond him in his chosen sport than Tyson. It's a sad thing to see a man with no education and a bright future go to riches only to end up a man with no education and a *freak*. He brought pleanty of it on himself for sure. Prerape Mike Tyson fights were probably some of the biggest events I can remember growing up. Postrape Mike Tyson fights were pretty big but in a disturbing way. I was really pulling for him to make one last comeback, but I that isn't possible now. Where does a pitbull that was trained to do nothing but fight do when he no longer can fight? They're either put down or maim an innocent person. I fear for Tysons future.
The mid 90's actually saw some very good heavyweight title fights. Holyfield vs. Foreman was an extremely good fight, and the Bowe/Holyfield fights were wonderful. The decline really came in the late 90's, as Holyfield started to age, Lewis got bored, and the belts splitting meant such heavyweight champs as John Ruiz, Lamon Brewster, and Chris Byrd.
I have to say that it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Despite his attributes as a boxer, Tyson offends me as a person. Although I generally do have faith that people have the capacity to change, Tyson strikes me as an abuser. Hope it hurt, hope it's the last I see of him until the next time they drag his ass to jail.
The heavyweight division started to decline when Bowe ducked Lewis and split up the unified title. Until then the obvious and best fights got made - Bowe never fighting Lewis is also what kept Lewis from reaching the top tier of Heavyweights in history.
Man's most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe. - Euripides
I admit I watched all 12 rounds on the edge of my seat, but only in hope Foreman may win. That was not a good fight, it made the champion look weak As much of a great champion Holyfield was that fight hurt him.
Foreman full of personality and grace was not a good choice to defend the title against. It seemed his chin got even stronger with age, and it exploited Holyfield's weakness, punching power.
Foreman gave the division something it needed, a replacement for Tyson. With Tyson in jail the heavyweights needed George, and he did well distracting us from the "Larry Holmes" of the 90s (Holyfield).
Someone pointed out Lewis was hurt by Bowe not defending against him, the same is true for Holyfield,because of Tyson. Although Holyfield defeated Tyson twice he never defeated Tyson v.1 (to steal from Hardy).