Mike Tyson update

Here is an Article update on Iron Mike Tyson. What do you think? Personally, I think it's sad, that someone once so great at boxing the way he was could fall so instantly. How did it happen...what are your thoughts?




YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -- Even Mike Tyson doesn't know why people would pay to see him fight anymore.

"That's what I said," he said to that question Thursday, drawing laughter at a news conference to announce "Mike Tyson's World Tour," in which he will fight in a series of four-round exhibitions.

"I think I'm useless to society. I don't think I'm worthy of the people who come out to see me, but they do."

The former heavyweight champ appeared calm and relaxed, smiling and joking about the shape he's in physically, mentally and financially.

But he said he was nervous to be back in front of an audience and in inner turmoil, his recent years marked by embarrassing fights -- inside and out of the ring -- and staggering debt.

"The money I make here is not going to help any of my bills really from a tremendous standpoint," he said. "But I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed."

The "baddest man on the planet" acknowledged he's in horrible shape and only capable of going three or four rounds.

So Tyson, who last fought in June 2005, losing to the unheralded Kevin McBride, will return to the ring Oct. 20 at the 6,000-seat Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown for a pay-per-view event against former sparring partner Corey "T-Rex" Sanders.

"Hopefully, he's gentle and kind to me," Tyson said. "If he starts winging, I'm going to start winging."

The 40-year-old Tyson had said he was finished with boxing after his bout with McBride, which he quit after six rounds.

On Thursday, the man who vowed to eat Lennox Lewis' children and bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear seemed accepting of his current position and emphasized he's in no mood for a comeback.

"If I don't get out of these financial quagmires, there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody," he said.

After the news conference, he said quietly, "I don't want to do that anymore. Everybody's saying, 'Mike, make a comeback.' I'm not going to do that.

"The best decision I ever made was to retire from boxing. Because I don't have any stress. I'm pretty simple. I like the person I am now more than I did. I don't like 'Iron Mike' -- I like Mike Tyson."

Tyson lived in the Youngstown area during his heyday and said the tour will start there because he's still wanted and comfortable there.

"I love the rain," he remarked of the former steel town's typically dreary weather. "The rain to me is like sun to some people. It may sound pretty morbid. That's why I stayed here so long."

He recently trained in a makeshift ring at a Las Vegas hotel to help pay off his debt.

"I truly hate fighting," Tyson told The Associated Press in August. "I've got a bad taste in my mouth."

It was that experience though that made him realize people still want to see him.

His goal on the tour, he said, is to entertain people and to enjoy boxing for a change.

"I want to have fun because during my boxing career I was too damn serious. That was my problem, I took myself too serious," Tyson said, comparing his younger self to Terrell Owens, the talented but problem-plagued Dallas Cowboys receiver.

"I look at him and he reminds me of me. How much we are in love with ourselves and only we count and nobody else counts around us. I say, 'Wow that was me."'

Tyson shot to fame by knocking out Trevor Berbick in 1986 to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history at age 20. He was knocked out by James "Buster" Douglas in 1990 and lost his world heavyweight title. He later served prison time for rape, returned to fighting and infamously bit Holyfield's ear in a 1997 fight.

Promoter Sterling McPherson is attempting to add former lightweight champ Paul Spadafora to the Tyson tour. Spadafora was paroled earlier this year after spending seven months in prison for shooting his fiancee in 2003 in Pittsburgh.

Also on the card is former 2003 Pan-Am Games silver medalist Juan McPherson, who unsuccessfully fought in court to win a spot on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team after being medically disqualified because of a neck injury suffered in the ring.

No other dates have been scheduled for the tour.

[Erik]

He was a brilliant fighter
he made so much money and lost nearly all of it
fighting is all he knows so it doesn’t surprise me that he is doing this
I’ll still pay to see him

[EDBruce]

He is a legend now, however there are still so many people out there who still would pay great money to see him continue to fight. The fact of the matter is he is just too old these days to be able to compete against the current competition there is out there.

Evender Holyfield is over 40, and he recently won a fight! I don't think too old. Chuck Liddell is pushing like...40 yr old as well I think. Age does count, but age isn't all.

[gina100]

I don't think age is a giant factor as long as he is great shape. He was an amazing fighter. He did some crazy things in the ring later in his career. I liked seeing him fight but I still think he has some problems to work on.

[Bruce_Vann_Dumb]

I think the age factor is only an excuse if say the boxer has been in many tough fights,of course the damage could show on them as they reach 40.

A few examples would be of great boxers being in epic battles with fantastic opponents,to later on in there careers lose to mediocre boxers.
You can only be in so many tough fights before the damage shows.

Ali is a good example of this look at all the tough fights he was in with - Foreman,3 frasier fights,3 norton fights,2 liston fights,earnie Shavers.

Yet after these fights his body was so warn and he started losing to mediocre opponents.

Holyfield is the same he had some tough fights,to later on lose to average opponents.

The list goes on.

[Bruce_Vann_Dumb]

Im 40 and still compete but only in Light Continious Kickboxing and Savate tournaments,so of course my body hasnt gone through the same damage as boxers or thai boxers of my age.
When i say that i mean the guys that have been in many tough fights that have had an efect on there bodys.

Of course even in light continious you still get injurys,and some tournaments dont seem light continious with bad refereeing.
But on a whole you dont really get battered to a pulp in these tournaments.

My only problem with my age is that maybe a bruise takes longer to disapear,but my health feels just as good as when i was 19 maybe even better.

So i dont believe age has to be a factor.
Its more a case of the damage to your body catching up with you at an older age.

[baldmonkee]

Iron Mike just checked himself into rehab a few weeks ago, I don't think we'll be seeing him in the ring anytime too soon. He has more pressing fights coming up in the courtroom