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The Hard Fall of Mike Tyson

© Roy Pickering

Where did it all go wrong? It's a matter of public record, no secret answer to that question. Being convicted of rape has never been much of a boost to one's popularity. When he was sent back to prison for going into a "road rage", this was not the same as when he had gotten into a fistfight with Mitch Green on the streets of Harlem. Mike was not picking strictly on fellow pugilists anymore. Every one of us was fair game. Any bit of glory that Mike Tyson reclaimed by winning back the heavyweight title was thrown away when he got disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield. Mike was beyond a criminal now. He was a flat out cannibal, just one child molestation away from earning a special place in Hell right next to Satan.

Not everyone deserted him, however. As he mounted yet another comeback, there were those who fondly remembered the thrills he first brought with him into the ring. Those ferocious lightning quick knockouts of his were as addictive to diehard fight fans as heroin to the bloodstream. Tyson fanatics wanted to believe he still carried that same lightning in his gloves. By fighting lower tier opponents who were only able to offer minimal resistance, Mike cruised through several fights (not that he earned official victories for all of them, because he kept managing to get himself disqualified) without hardly breaking a sweat. Next thing you knew, Mike was poised to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world once again.

Fight experts and even amateurs could clearly see that Mike was overmatched this time around. The current champion had a dangerous combination of factors working for him. Lennox Lewis had a major height and reach advantage, he was a weight division or two heavier than Tyson, he had been fighting regularly against top quality opposition, and he had a whole lot of motivation handy. Lewis knew that in order to be considered truly great, he needed to vanquish the man who was still considered the best of his era. Lennox does not possess an especially engaging personality or style of boxing, but he did have a huge chip on his shoulder that he intended to ram right down the throat of his adversary. Mike helped to fuel the champions' will by insulting, degrading, and yes, once again biting the man he was to do battle with. Looking back, hindsight as usual being 20/20, it can be seen that Tyson was little more than a lamb being led to the slaughter. He had not beaten anyone worth noting in years. Those who watched his past few fights saw that he was rustier than a bike left outside during the rainy season, even if they were loathe to admit it. Tyson was ripe for a fall.