By Jake Donovan
It’s been nearly 20 years since Mike Tyson last wore a heavyweight belt around his waist and almost 25 years since he truly served as the baddest man on the planet. One constant that has stood the test of time, is his presence as one of the sport’s most identifiable figures.
The former undisputed heavyweight king spends his time these days as the face of Iron Mike Productions (IMP), still in its first full year but already making an impact on the sport. While IMP has plenty of prospects in its stable – including a trio of young fighters appearing on an April 18 Shobox tripleheader, the company is for the moment without a legitimate horse in the heavyweight sweepstakes.
Given that scenario, Tyson is able to offer an objective opinion on the division’s landscape, particularly the prospects of an American heavyweight once again ruling the roost. Hasim Rahman was the last American heavyweight to hold a major title, while Evander Holyfield was the last American to have truly served as the best heavyweight the world, a status that hasn’t held true for more than 15 years.
For the moment, Wladimir Klitschko continues to rule the division with an iron fist, and showing no signs of relinquishing control anytime soon. His stance as the best heavyweight in the world dates back to 2006, including an upcoming 5th anniversary as the lineal World champion.
As for who’s next… the fact remains that the list of viable candidates in this part of the world remain rather shallow. Unbeaten rising contenders Deontay Wilder and Bryant Jennings seem to be the two names most often mentioned as the best chance at bringing home a belt.
“Jennings looked real good in his last fight,” Tyson said of the Philly-based heavyweight, who scored a 10th round stoppage of Artur Szpilka in their HBO-televised slugfest this past January in New York City. “He was technical, masterful and exciting. He looked real good in his last fight.”
As for Wilder, the last American male boxer to capture an Olympic medal?
“I saw Wilder's last fight, against the young guy (Malik) Scott. We have to see,” Tyson said, left with little to dissect after Wilder stopped Scott in the opening round of their bout last March in Puerto Rico. “I got a 3-year old son, he can knock anyone out. What happens when someone hits him back? We're waiting to see what happens to him when someone starts hitting (Wilder) and how he reacts.”
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as the Records Keeper for the Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and a member of Boxing Writers Association of America.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox