"Iron" Mike Tyson (50-6/ 44 KOs) has become more than accustomed to the bitter kiss and deadly embrace whose name is success. She whose dance is most lethal. A black widow's touch felt more often than not, boxing has embraced, ridiculed, feared, loved, hated and idolized the man throughout his meteoric rise to prominence when he fought.
That same cruel mistress also was there when he fell - and fell hard - only to sidestep the former Champion and then walk over him when he was down. This was combined with the kicking of course. And they still do so to this day. The boxing media, "fans," and other undesirables out there still wait for him to misstep so they can be there - waiting - like the vultures that they are.
They wait for Tyson to fail miserably so they can revel in their own cowardice. They wear masks covering up their ill-intentions, hiding behind crooked smiles and even more crooked ways and means. Boxing is and always will be Mike Tyson. Just as Michael Jordan is professional basketball and Emmitt Smith will always be football. There is no question - yet there is clearly the distinction.
A little earlier this year, "Kid Dynamite" found himself in an interview with an asshole who appeared to not only not know anything about boxing at all (DKSAB!), but who also managed to insult the former Heavyweight Champion of the World, a man who could still have easily cleaned this wimp's clock ten times over and have time to tie his shoes still. But that is not what this article is about. What it is about is how the media (both mainstream and boxing…which is which again?) have given Tyson a raw deal for how many years now? And there doesn't seem to be any end in sight, at least not on the end of the press that is.
You see, boxing media are vampires. They suck the blood not only out of the sport but also out of its participants and athletes. Living vicariously through professional prize fighters and pugilists - while they themselves look like they spent the entire first 20 years of their lives at a fast food drive-thru.
I will pass judgment on these clowns. You know why? Because they think that just because they write about boxing it makes them equivalent to boxers in general. News flash! It doesn't.
It doesn't matter how much boxing gear they may buy, how many pet animals they own who are named after professional boxers, or even how many articles they have written, how huge their Twatter (Twitter) following is, or who they know as far as the "in-crowd" is concerned in boxing. You know what the "in-crowd" in boxing consists of? At least on the media side? A bunch of over inflated, half-assed attempted writers whose only true reasoning or purpose for covering boxing in the first place is so they can continue to inflate their ridiculous egos up to the point of popping. Then once they pop all their bullshit rains down on the rest of us.
How many more "yes man" articles do you supposed "fans" want to read anymore? Don't you get tired (I am exhausted already) with all of the hype and filler writing that is out there. It's like watching ducks in a row, all nodding their heads to the same distant droning - "Conform, Repeat, Obey." But hey, if boxing followers, or fans, or whatever you call yourselves these days consist of these same attitudes then where does that leave boxing in the long term? Where does that leave Tyson?
Tyson is an anomaly in that he has always deviated from their norms and ridiculous expectations. The press was in love with Mike when he followed their script. Once he read his own lines none of them wanted to hear what he had to say.
Condemned, persecuted and despised for being what many of the pencil necked and frail in body and spirited "writers" could never be, "Iron" Mike has become the proverbial scapegoat for years.
Much like rapper DMX, who the press and law enforcement and public in general keep a close eye on - waiting for that next failure or mistake - so too must the powerhouse from Brooklyn strive to maintain his own inner peace when there are always those out there willing to disrupt it.
I grew up watching Mike Tyson in the ring and I was in awe and amazement with the type of fighter that he was. The power, the head movement, the old school similarities and comparisons stylistically to fighters from eras past.
There has always been an intimidation factor present. Yes, this intimidation factor remains. Only now, Tyson is a promoter, successful businessman and cult celebrity that is expected to follow along with their script when he makes appearances or gives interviews.
They still fear his "Iron" will.
They remember his crushing knockout power and how he would dispatch of his opponents in record time. They wonder how far they can push him until he goes over the edge? Snaps again. Laying the bait and traps out just enough for him to bite so that they can say, "See? I told you." What miserable people who make their living off of deriding and insulting a professional athlete with their words. Cowards.
The pen may indeed be mightier than the sword to some, but I would place my bets on a Mike Tyson hook or uppercut any day of the week against their repetitive and broken record-like scribbling or taunts.
But hey, that's just me…what do I know?
TWO-CENTS WELCOME! If you have any questions, comments, complaints, kudos or anything else you can e-mail Jason at boxingwarrior@hotmail.com. Always remember when in doubt knock ‘em out!
