"Boxers Don't Have an Old Timers Day" or: Is it Better to Burn Out?

Mike Tyson emerged on the boxing scene in the mid-80s and quickly established himself as one of the most dominant forces that the sport had ever seen. He came, he saw, he conquered. He was young, arrogant, and could seemingly put the fear of god into any man that he squared off against.

But that was then.

In early 1990, Tyson was knocked out by Buster Douglas, and he hasn't been the same since. He was brought up on rape charges, went to jail for awhile, made a comeback, bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear in a match, and had a cameo in the third Crocodile Dundee movie.

On July 30th, Tyson boxed professionally for the first time in 17 months. He was knocked out in the fourth round by Danny Williams, and sustained an injury to his knee that required surgery a few days later.

It's a shame to see that Tyson at 38 is not the same fighter that he was at 20. Every time that he steps into the ring now he further destroys his legacy. And I don't think that it is just age that has gone against Tyson. He made some bad choices in the past, and surrounded himself with the wrong people. At some point he lost "The Eye of the Tiger" that Apollo Creed always talked so passionately about. Mike Tyson was a great fighter, but now he is just a sad parody of himself. Hang it up, Mike, while history can still remember you as the great fighter that you once were.