Do you remember "Iron Mike Tyson" in his prime? He was a phenomenal fighter. The death stare he gave opponents at the start of matches sent most to their graves before the first round.
He won many fights by knockout and intimidated fighters with his intensity, speed, and power.
I remember watching Mike Tyson's boxing matches as a child. If you read my first book, perhaps you remember learning how I tried fighting like him on school playgrounds and in lunchroom cafeterias. I never had Tyson's skills, but I admired his ability to beat almost every boxer with the courage to step inside the ring with him.
Most of Tyson's fights didn't last long. He put multiple men on the canvas within minutes to see stars. The Mike Tyson of my childhood is a legend; he is no longer with us or has decided to pursue acting in retirement.
The Paul Vs. Tyson fight revealed he is human like the rest of us.
We are born, learn to live, and eventually die.
At 58 years old, Tyson is not the fighter of his youth. However, I thought he had enough gas in the tank to reach for one more knockout.
Training videos released before the Paul Vs. Tyson showcased glimpses of "Iron Mike" in preparation for last weekend's fight. He looked ready. If you saw the Netflix bout, you witnessed a shell of "The Baddest Man on The Planet."
It was pure entertainment. For over four hours, Netflix delayed the historical moment of Tyson returning to the ring after retirement. It was a show put on for streaming and live audiences.
Netflix attempted to revive the popularity of boxing, and it worked. About 60 million households tuned in for the fight. While I didn't watch the entire 5-hour episode on Netflix, many did.
For some, the night of boxing may have been their first time watching a professional fight. Celebrities made appearances in the live audience.
Tyson started strong, but by the end of his loss to the social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul, his fatigued legs and arms melted almost every ounce of iron left in his body.
Mike Tyson did not resemble the legend of my childhood or the training clips posted before the match.
Seeing him in the ring reminded me of the brevity of life. I experienced joy and sadness. One day, we are strong and courageous; the next, we are feeble and timid.
Time changes everything.
Don't get me wrong; I wouldn't challenge 95-year-old Mike Tyson to a fight. All it takes is one punch from him at the right time, and it's lights out. Tyson's ability to tap into the darkest side of human emotions will remain as long as he breathes.
He is not the same man, but I wouldn't test him on the street.
Throughout the match, Tyson bit his gloves. Some suggest the biting was his way of controlling the urge to put Paul in a coffin.
This blog post attempted to explain the fight, but I still don't know what to make of the spectacle. Did you see it? What do you think? Respond in the comments below this month's vlog episode. Subscribe for similar content delivered to your inbox.
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