By Yannis Mihanos: When in 2020 Mike Tyson announced his comeback to boxing, people immediately turned their attention to him.
Mike Tyson was a killing machine in the ring with an often uncontrollable behavior outside of it in his glory days.
The attention he was creating served well the tabloids and media, making him even more popular and rich. But no one escapes the law of karma: “what you sow you will reap.” At some point, it finally caught up with him, and his career finished disappointingly.
Coming back in 2020, many things have changed for Mike; he has found motivation again, coming from a different place. However, the goal is the same: to knock out any opponent he meets in the ring; the attention this time is about helping others: those who had similar problems with him, and there is also the fact that many over the hill veterans have returned in boxing because of his comeback: Holyfield, Byrd, Toney are some popular names.
“Don’t expect to see a 2003 Mike Tyson and 2003 Roy Jones,” said Chris Mannix.
I agree with Mr. Mannix. I do not expect to see Mike Tyson of 2003; I hope not.
When I watched that fight against Lennox Lewis, I was so disappointed in him; he lacked the heart, he came to fight like a dead man.
I expect to see the best version of the man Tyson this Saturday, not just physically fit but spiritually fit.
It is the mental part that so many fighters neglect to take care of.
“A man with a purpose you can’t him push down; he just keeps coming back.”
The training footage that Mike Tyson has published appears all impressive, and that created so much attention comparing to his current age of 54.
Yes, it can be impressive for any man of his age; I think that each man ought to take care of himself and keep himself in the best shape possible at all times.
When the other Tyson(Fury) came back, some thought it was a bad idea, especially when choosing to fight the knock out artist and unbeaten American Deontay Wilder.
Tyson proved that something in him had changed; he was a different fighter than before, more resilient, determined, and stronger.
The way he got up from the last knockdown in the twelfth round was like resurrecting from the dead. He got a draw, and some said he deserved the victory.
The big difference was that Fury, before coming back, went through an arduous healing process, and that made him spiritually fit, something that very few at this stage have done. Fighting mentally strong.
Most boxers before the day of the match appear physically fit, very tough, and dangerous; only when the real fight comes, we witness the full spectrum and recognize if that fighter came to win or not.
In his last fight against Terence Crawford, Kell Brook appeared the day before the fight in the best shape of his life, he was imposing, but on a fighting day, it was obvious that his spirit wasn’t there.
So this is the aspect that I am so excited to witness in Mike Tyson’s exhibition match this Saturday. To see if indeed he is now in full iron body, mind, and spirit.
I’m more than optimistic about that. There is a lot of good evidence in how he represents himself these days and all his last interviews.
Everybody is less demanding for Roy Jones jr, not because he is a worse fighter; in his glory days, he was just the best at cruiserweight; no one else had this hand speed and coordination.
Like many fighters, he didn’t recognize when this peak was passed, and he finished his career in disgrace. Jones kept fighting on in denial for the last 10 years of his career.
Both men have an excellent reason to be at their best next Saturday, and although the fight is not for a world title, it can be perfect for watching.