TalkingBoxing Articles
Who Is Mr. Boxing?
TUE July 5, BUSTER PARIS - It’s 7:13 am. I’m somewhat bored. I’m done checking e-mail and I wanted to see if my most recent article had been posted yet and afterwards figured I’d go link hopping and check out some other boxing news – and then once I’m done with that figured I’d check out some movie reviews – maybe go see a flick.
I’m in the mood for either that new Zombie movie - Land Of The Dead or maybe War Of The Worlds – it’s a matter of Zombies vs. aliens - and of course the unavoidable question arises - who’d win in a fight – a Zombie or an alien – My wife says aliens win hands down…
And all of the sudden I was struck with another very stupid question.
If I was an alien from another planet and I was interested in learning about boxing and needed to report back to my fellow aliens what boxing is – whom would I choose as the fighter of example to show my comrade space folk – One consideration - I only have as my source gathering materials your earth’s internet, magazines and television.
So what one boxer would present himself above all others as the symbol or name that defined the sport? Who would it be?
I begin my expedition with a simple internet search. I type “boxing” into a search engine and go from there. I’m following link to link like a monkey going from vine to vine. It’s fun give it a try.
Go to your favorite boxing website which I assume you’re already at since you’re reading this. Go ahead and click on a link or after you’re done here go to Yahoo or Google and type in “boxing” and tour that way.
I journeyed to all the boxing links available and I hit as many pugilistic themed sites as I could. My taskbar got so crammed up that it took a while to close all those windows, but that’s the enormous price I pay for doing research to bring you these top-notch reports.
On my safari through the boxing website jungle I discovered him. My quarry. How many times would we run in to each other? Could I actually go from site to site and stalk my target and each time bag him? What are the chances that he will be where I wind up?
Turns out we crossed paths on about 95% of the websites - either his picture or a mention of his name.
Who is this individual that as an alien I will report back to my fellow spacemen is the poster boy for boxing, who is this fighter that is the ultimate spokesman and ambassador for the sport, who is the pugilist who is the department chair for the sweet science?
Quick, write that name down. That’s who you think is boxing’s representative to this planet. That’s who our colleagues and peers have deemed to be the shining example of the fistic world.
All of you who have Muhammad Ali written down pat yourselves on the back. You’re wrong, but you have great taste.
Michael Gerard Tyson.
If I were an alien from another planet I would have to report back that Mike Tyson is the boxer above all others who symbolizes the sport. He is Mr. Boxing.
What does this say about us and about the state of our beloved sport? Well, it depends on your perception of Mike.
If you’re in the majority you’re disgusted with this result. You’re appalled that another species will view Mike Tyson as the definitive symbol of pugilistic glory. The Ultimate Heavyweight Champion.
If you’re in the minority you’re laughing at those in the majority right now and you’re laughing at those in the system of boxing. In a way you’re delighted with them that while they revile Iron Mike that they’re nonetheless hypocritically willing to make dollar after dollar off of him. They despise him as a monster, yet they need him, he’s essential to their short-term survival. The different authorities, commissions and promoters need him to make money, the sports writers and pundits need him, he’s great copy and gives us limitless materials and the detractors of the whole institution need him to prove how awful the sport is.
Let’s face it, love him or hate him he is Mr. Boxing and most of us owe him some thanks, same respect and an apology. For those of you who think I’ve flipped my lid I haven’t.
First off more people inside and outside of the sport are more apt to pay for a Tyson fight than any other fighter. He is good for the profitability and exposure of the sport. Therefore any boxing promoter, business associate and fan owe him thanks.
We also owe him thanks for his reign as Heavyweight Champion. He unified the belts in a time when they were scattered about like Tolkien’s 9 rings of the Kings throughout Middle Earth.
Tyson made the Heavyweight Champ the “badest man on the planet” again. We all knew that there was no man alive that could beat him.
We owe him a great deal of thanks for bringing back the peek-a-boo style.
He was a throwback to a time most of his fan base and most of the spectators of the 1980’s never really knew about. No robe, no socks and just a black pair of trunks and bad intentions.
Even with retirement just around the corner he is still relevant today. He’s had a career that has spanned an amazing 20 years. He has given us some of the greatest moments in boxing and sports history. He has defined the careers of many other boxers as well. What would Buster Douglas be without Mike Tyson? What about Evander Holyfield? What about any of today’s Heavyweights? You can’t say the name Sam Peter without the inevitable reference to Mike Tyson.
Mike Tyson is the standard to which we judge them all and to which they compare and measure themselves against.
Why else do we owe him an apology? Check out next weeks article and practice saying it with me: “Mike, I’m sorry for the way I treated you.”
Zombies, aliens and all others can reach Buster Paris at bparis@talkingboxing.com
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