\jeff{krimmel}

Likely Farewell to Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson lost another fight tonight, this time against a fighter named Kevin McBride. Tyson has lost three of his last four fights, and it is looking increasingly like he will retire after this latest loss. This news isn’t really shocking, but it is the end of an era of sorts.

I remember in elementary school when Mike Tyson was known as “the baddest man on the planet”. Kids would come to school and joke about pulling a Mike Tyson on someone; a common saying was “I would stand a better chance of lasting a round with Mike Tyson” or “I wouldn’t take a single punch from Mike Tyson for X million dollars”. The intent was clear: boxing Mike Tyson was asking for an end to one’s natural life.

Tonight’s loss is the latest in a string of sometimes humiliating defeats, and it seems as though Tyson has simply lost it, whatever it may actually be. I remember seeing a few clips from his fights in the early to mid 80s when he would storm out of his corner at the opening bell and just wallop his opponent until the guy cratered and couldn’t stand back up. It was phenomenal. Sometimes he would win in about a minute; sometimes less.

Those displays are long since over, and it looks like Mike Tyson’s career as a boxer is as well.