A Quick Note Of Thanks to Mike Tyson
by
Buster Paris
2/24 - There was a bit of a mix up in the instructions given to Bernard Hopkins on February 19th, 2005. Someone told him the wrong time to be ready. Howard Eastman was obviously given the right information, he was ready to go, but Bernard was not and fans were left waiting a little longer after the Jermain Taylor and Daniel Edouard bout. It was not psychological warfare. Hopkins wasn’t messing with Eastman it was simply a matter of someone or something just screwing up.
I’d like to personally thank the person or series of events that led to this taking place.
In between the fights with time to kill HBO’s Jim Lampley and Roy Jones Jr were chatting it up. Jim had a special surprise guest to introduce and as the camera panned slowly right there he was beaming with childish charm and great charisma. There stood one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of gloves.
Mike Tyson.
It was a great surprise. I yelled out at the TV “Hey – its Mike!” Tyson looked so excited and happy to be at this fight and seemed genuinely glad to be talking with Jim and Roy.
Mike brilliantly described what his opinions and thoughts were regarding Jermain Taylor and Taylor’s next steps as well as his thoughts on the life and career of Max Schmelling.
By brilliant I’m not referring to his vocabulary that everyone likes to make fun of, I’m talking about Mike’s deep knowledge of this sport. It’s a shocking fact that many people overlook, but he is one of the foremost experts on the fight game – it’s past, present and future.
Tyson is easily at the level of a Harvard Graduate School professor when it comes to the sweet science. The one and only Cus D’Amato schooled Tyson not only in the art of pugilism, but in it’s rich history.
As Mike was learning to box he had access to one of the greatest, most fantastic and rarest fight film libraries ever. It belonged to Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton, business partners of Cus’ and the future co-managers and almost family to Mike. No fighter had ever received such an amazing and well-rounded education in his craft.
Tyson knows that of what he speaks of and it was absolutely great to see Mike the boxing expert and boxing fan. It gave me some ideas for his future after he retires. I think he has the potential to be great at whatever he chooses to do. I can’t imagine the sport without him and I’d like to see him stay connected to the scene and solidify his legacy as one of the top 5 greatest fighters of all-times and as one of the foremost scholars of boxing.
I’d like to see him as a coach of some sorts; maybe he could be the Cus D’Amato or Jimmy Jacobs to a group of youngsters. I like the idea of a Mike Tyson Pugilism Center or Tyson’s Gym or something like that. I would truly hate to see Cus’ teachings end with Mike.
I’d love to see him as a commentator, yes a commentator - after he receives some training. I think he has a unique perspective and deep knowledge of the sport, it’s past and present and an exceptional insight and knowledge of the fighters of yesterday, today and as they arrive – tomorrow.
Along the path of Tyson’s career we’ve accepted him in the role of Monster. He is not a monster. There is so much there that we’re going to miss out on if we keep thinking of him in that way.
The loss would be ours and it would be huge.
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