Mike Tyson’s Eternal Recurrence
By Robert Ecksel September 27th, 2006Boxing’s bad boy Mike Tyson hits the road
“You know what a geek is? You throw a geek a raw chicken and he’ll eat it, feathers and all, and everyone outside the cage will laugh and applaud. Was I a champ or a geek? Only God knows what I was.” – Former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta
Mike Tyson, fresh off his recently closed boxing exhibition by the buffet at the Aladdin Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, is making a belated and less than half-serious return to the ring in what is being billed as “Mike Tyson’s World Tour.”
Tyson will face longtime sparring partner Corey Sanders on Oct. 20 in a 12-round exhibition, the first of many 12-round exhibitions if all goes according to plan.
For the pleasure of watching Tyson fight an exhibition with a sparring partner, the cost will only be $29.95 pay-per-view. (That’s no typo or joke.)
The promoter of this extravaganza, Sterling McPherson, told Dan Rafael at ESPN.com that he thinks the “greatest thing Tyson can do for himself is to do this, go around the world and meet people who have never met a star or an icon like Tyson. And the prices will be right. Here in Youngstown,” that’s Youngstown, Ohio, about as far from Las Vegas as the earth is from the moon, “the top ticket is $200. That used to be the cheapest ticket for a Tyson fight. Here, you’re talking about tickets for $25. Where can you see Tyson in the ring for $25?”
Hubert’s Flea Circus on 42nd Street in Times Square can’t be far behind.
September 27th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
When Tyson was in his prime, people could watch him fight live on HBO. Now people are expected to pay $30 to watch a shot Tyson spar? It’s getting to the point where promoters will put anything on pay-per-view. How long before press conferences are on pay-per-view?
September 28th, 2006 at 2:46 am
weeks.
September 28th, 2006 at 8:19 am
you’re questioning the $30? we used to pay $50 for his fights. i would also order the press conference if it was a tyson fight and on pay-per-view.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:07 am
ur crazy. i might watch it if it was free, and i had nothing better to do
September 28th, 2006 at 9:50 am
This is ridiculous! Corey has a bad eye from damage that was inflicted starting with the Andrew Golota fight. Although he won seven straight bouts — including a TKO over Oleg Maskaev — after the Golota fight, that eye never got better. It is completely glassed over.
This is a foul way to make some money.
September 28th, 2006 at 10:57 am
“You can see Tyson in the ring for $25″. A month ago the guy was hitting the mitts and shawdowboxing in a hotel casino for free. Now they want people to pay to see him quit against Corey T Rex Sanders, who I couldn’t tell apart from Kevin The Colossal McBride. The man doesn’t want to fight. How many times does he have to say it? I know boxing is supposedly the only way he can make money but he needs to find something else to do with himself outside of the ring to make money. Surreal Life maybe? Dancing with the Stars? Personal fitness trainer? Can’t he do some of those stupid Geico commercials?
September 28th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Tyson’s best bet is to get a shadow author and write a book. He could easily make a couple of mill of of that.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
I also think they are putting him in with Corey Sanders to confuse the public with Corrie Sanders so they will think it might actually be a worthwhile fight. Who knows, he might fight Lennox Louis next.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Imagine if Mike worked for HBO as an expert comentator. I would pay $50. just to listen to him and Merchant go a couple rounds! Could’nt be any worse than RJJ or George.
September 28th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
he might fight me next. this is wacked. books and movies are it.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:41 pm
Jeff Knoop
Yes, I’m questioning $30. People use to pay $50 for some of his fights, not his exhibition bouts. Putting a glorified sparring session on pay-per-view is ridicules. Such prime Tyson fights as Berbick, Smith, Thomas, Tucker, Biggs, Holmes, and Tubbs were on HBO. Now people have to pay $30 to watch a shell of Tyson spar. Ridicules.
September 28th, 2006 at 6:57 pm
charl-o maybe he will fight you next but he would probably want $30 from you to do it. Like he used to say “This is ludicrous”.
September 29th, 2006 at 11:07 am
He is subdued now, broke and humbled. How does one go through 300 million, Oh I forgot Don King. Only In America, Folks!
September 29th, 2006 at 11:48 am
as long as their are some idiot’s who will pay the 25 beans to watch this farce then the promotor’s will continue to dish out this kind of garbage
instead of a great fight card with excellent matchmaking like the barrera
/ juarez , gonzales / vasquez card
September 29th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Teron, I agree.
Mike should concentrate on something else. Come on, Mike! There are other things you can do. For one thing, why not try acting. Or make a rap CD. Or how about both? Hell, why not be a bloody boxing trainer!? God knows a lot of young guns out there would like to learn the tools you had in your prime.
September 30th, 2006 at 8:27 am
Paulie said.”Hell, why not be a bloody boxing trainer!?”
If I ever meet Mike Tyson in public Im going to ask him that because it makes the most sense. Perhaps he can also do the autograph shows. Thing is the U.S government has socked it to him. What I think is maybe someone ought to start a petition about resolving Tyson’s debt to the IRS. I feel sorry for Tyson.
September 30th, 2006 at 12:51 pm
I still think of Tyson to be one of the best boxers around. But it seems to me that people (who do not know him), know him better than the man himself !!!!
Leaf Tyson alone and let him decide what to do.
PS: and believe me !! MANY MANY people will pay this 30$ to watch him…
The reason we all are talking about him says enough……Tyson is (read it well) and will be the most talked about boxer and one of the best ever !!)
greetings
September 30th, 2006 at 5:30 pm
well said tom