Anyone notice that in early Mike's career it was all strictly business, finish the job and walk off. No sympathy or restraint. But somewhere in the 90s Tyson seemed to always go over to his vanquished opponent and try to help them get up, pick them up off their feet instantly. It seems innocuous, but does this not highlight that Tyson's competitiveness and ruthlessness was gone and maybe this was why his post-Desiree Washington record was so poor, he lost his killer instincts. Watch him vs Etienne, he also did this vs McNeeley and Botha and Buster Mathis too. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnbbMwMAJUs[/ame]
Dude... Mike was always like that. He had a compassionate side. I forget which fight but i remember when Kevin Rooney was screaming at him in the corner and he just kissed him on the cheek.
Tyson was also known for his sportsmanship as a young destroyer. I don't know that immediately walk over to his vanquished foes, would have to watch back his earlier fights. He's always had respect for the sport and it's combatants. I agree he lost a bit of his killer instinct, and it was going before he went to jail from from the money and the fame and all the yes men around him allowing to do what he wanted
I hear and read too many conflicting things about Tyson. one minute he's this ruthless sociopath that loves death and horror movies and violence and has zero compassion for humanity and the next he's this Christ-like figure that despite what he does for a living loves people and humanity and never wants to see any harm come to anyone. Both very exaggerated.
Welcome to being in Tyson's mind during his boxing career; I'm sure he was confused too. I always heard it was Rooney that made Tyson go check on the other after the fight was over. I've heard it be mentioned before.. and while watching some of his older fighters, I noticed that Rooney appeared to be telling him something. then Tyson would go over and check on the guy
No Tyson was never a sociopath. He was a very fearfull fighter who would cry from fear before a fight. But somehow, not sure if it was trained into him or just natural, he would fight his fears (in this case another fighter) ferociously. The guy is a deep thinker and has a big heart. All the stupid antics that occured during his career can mostly be attributed to the ****wits that surrounded him. He is actually a poster boy for kids who are getting bullied. Kids should be shown footage of him crying before he goes out to absolutely demolish his opponent. Show them what the courage to face your fears can achieve.
Mike was always a bit of a pyscho, but he was also a philosopher and boxing scholar. Mike looked up to Jack Dempsey, and was impressed with the way Jack would pick up, assist and show compassion to the guy he had just knocked out. Mike took this from Dempsey and did it himself. It's a way of saying, "I won, but you deserve my respect because we are both warriors". Something like that anyway. here's a clip of Jack doing it: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoSEEXIe6Gg[/ame]
Tyson also did this in his younger days. He even tried to pick up Marvis Frazier after knocking him unconscious in the corner but the doctors stopped him. Such respect after a fight is probably a product of the teachings of Cus Damato.
It was just a matter of time. All over the press at the time there were reports of him falling in and out of night clubs, crashing cars into trees, not training properly, then the Douglas fight happened.
look at the tubbs fight....as tubbs was going down, tyson wanted to get one more punch in before he hit the canvas.... just depended on his mood....but he just missed a pretty nasty uppercut on tubbs as he fell
The Animal version of Tyson was gone for good after the prison stint. He tried to act like he had that animal in him still, but it wasn't there, he had no love for the sport anymore.
