I think the one upside for Tyson is the $15.7m he’ll make from this farce. For relevance, he could’ve been JP’s sparring partner or trainer, without having to resort to this shambles of a bout. The worst part is that if Paul wins, he’ll be able to go around saying he beat “the baddest man on the planet” and one of the greatest, most feared heavyweights of all time. Giving further credibility to his claim of being a legit boxing phenomenon. That’s what the Tyson name carries. No mind that Tyson is a nearly 60 year old man, with years of drink and drug abuse, and depression behind him. A man that has no business getting in a ring with a 27 year old, even semi-pro boxer.
If you put Paul in the ring with even the most mediocre of current professional heavyweights - say anyone in the top 30 - he’d get pulverised to the point where I would fear for his long term health. But tonight he’s going to fight a name (and a name only) that will add respect to his resume, and help extend this charade. No matter that his opponent is only a handful of years away from qualifying for his senior citizen card. That said, I am sure that if, even at 58, Tyson lands his trademark duck, weave, right to the body, right uppercut combo, then its lights out for Paul. I’d also bet my left nut that’ll never be thrown, let alone landed, at anything close to full power.
This entire thing is grotesque. There are no winners from this, only losers. It’s shambolic, laughable and denigrating to the sport of boxing. It’s more than likely to be choreographed and staged, than a true bout, and everything from the moment they announced it, to the moment this whole circus is over is a shame upon the sport.
Yes, I’ll be watching.
