11/21/24
July 31, 2004
The end of Mike Tyson?: That might be it, folks. As a fighter - mercurial. As a story - sensational.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey to boxing at 01:46 AM - 11 comments
The astonishing thing is that no one believed Williams could do it. In his last fight against Michael Sprott, he was embarrassing; he just didn't appear to want to be there. He looked bored and indifferent. I heard the result when I woke up this morning, I actually thought the fight was tonight, not last night and my flabber was well and truly gasted. The BBC reporter reckons that in the first 2 rounds Tyson was as good as he has ever been, then burned out, so Williams deserves kudos; it wasn't just a matter of beating up a washed up bum. It will be interesting to see if he carries the same determination and courage into his next fight. There is a good pre fight profile of Williams here.
posted by Fat Buddha at 04:22 AM on July 31, 2004
posted by Fat Buddha at 05:05 AM on July 31, 2004
Every boxer is a tragic figure. What I can't figure out, from this piece, is how Mike Tyson gets more than $30 million in debt. I want to meet the banker who decided that he was a good risk.
posted by rcade at 08:05 AM on July 31, 2004
They showed some clips on the local sports shows. Williams was in BIG trouble in the 1st round. Tyson rocked him twice with monster shots and Big Willy literally fell on top of Tyson in order to stay on his feet. The twisted knee probably did more damage than originally expected. I have to give Tyson some credit for fighting through an injury like that. But in the end I'm probably saddened and gladdened by the result: sad that this is how Tyson might be remember by some younger people (instead of the absolutely dominating young man he was), but glad that this should probably put an end to his boxing career and give him a chance to avoid any more damage to his brain.
posted by grum@work at 08:39 AM on July 31, 2004
The end of Mike Tyson? That might be it, folks. As a fighter - mercurial. As a story - sensational. As a human being - pitiful. I can only hope the next time we read about this idiot will be his obituary.
posted by wfrazerjr at 12:11 PM on July 31, 2004
I'm not into wishing death upon anyone, wfrazerjr. I really hope he can figure out some way to avoid bolivion and find a way out of this cycle of destruction he's in.
posted by chicobangs at 05:43 PM on July 31, 2004
Yeah Bolivia, that's where they ice-pick you ain't it? You gotta admit, the boy could punch. I have no time for Tyson now, but I had time for him back then.
posted by squealy at 06:23 PM on July 31, 2004
I'm not into wishing death upon anyone, wfrazerjr. If you read that, neither am I. I hope he lives to be 90. I just don't want to hear any more about or from his rapist ass.
posted by wfrazerjr at 12:00 AM on August 01, 2004
"Bet on Williams!" the man from the Guardian wrote last week. "He's 8-1 even though he's fighting a 38 year-old has-been. It's daylight bookie robbery!" But did I? Of course I didn't.
posted by JJ at 05:09 AM on August 02, 2004
I just don't want to hear any more about or from his rapist ass. Thank you for sharing my opinion. Hopefully now he'll disappear.
posted by Bernreuther at 11:27 AM on August 02, 2004
Anybody see the fight? I'd love to hear details... Goddamn ESPN links always hang on me so I couldn't read the linked article...read a few others though...Here's a good one from the San Jose Mercury News... Well, I guess this is finally it, isn't it? There's no more pretending that he's going to make a late-career comeback. I grew up watching this guy and thought he would end up as the greatest fighter ever. He was absolutely fucking flat-out invincible! He dispatched Larry Holmes, Frank Bruno, Michael Spinks...yes the division was weak but he could only fight who they put in front of him. You want an example of what sucks about boxing? We never saw Tyson at his peak versus Holyfield at his peak. Evander embodied so much that was right about boxing, unbelieveable guts, technical skill, focus. Picture a fight between those two pre-rape conviction? It would have been epic! They probably would have fought three times and I can't help but see Tyson as the winner but who knows what lay in Holyfield's constitution? But Tyson was such a character, raising his pigeons on the rooftop, the big goofy gold-toothed grin, and what we all new was a tragic future. The comeback against Peter McNeely then eventually Evander just fucking whupped his ass. And more than Buster Douglas, Evander exposed the bully and gave everybody else confidence. I have to admit, I expected him to beat Lennox Lewis! But the skillful Brit just laid that big frame over him like a wet blanket and he couldn't ever mount an attack. This guy today is a Brit about the size of Lewis and you can bet he watched alot of tape. I couldn't help but notice that the U.K. right now leads the world in heavyweight belts (although this wasn't a title fight, Lewis still technically holds several belts, right?) but you also lead the globe in fighters who cry before fights.