Mike Tyson: Was he good or bad for the sport?

[kafkod]

The guy analyzing Iron Mike's complex personality in this video is not a boxing pundit, he is a university professor and a counsellor of mental health and chemical dependency.



I subscribed to Dr. Grande's YT channel because I like his deadpan sense of humour and Vulcan level objectivity. He ends his a analysis of Tyson's personality by stating that, in his opinion, Mike diminished the sport of boxing by making it all about aggression and rage, rather than science and technique.

Personally, I disagree with that conclusion. I believe that, love him or hate him, the amount of attention and interest Mike gets from ordinary people all over the world can only be good for the sport.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I agree with your assessment. I remember Tyson’s heyday well. After Ali, whose mid-late career I also saw, Tyson was huge. Everyone, even today, knows who he is. I don’t think you can say quite the same about any other boxer. That’s saying a lot. And that kind of notoriety could only be good for the sport. Mike didn’t put boxing on the map, but he sure as hell kept it there.

[boogbx]

Great man and great for the sport.

The man Tyson has become is an inspiration to all.

As a fighter once upon a time he was the best doing it.

Iron Mike Tyson is the man plain and simple.

[LoadedWraps]

Bringing positive attention to a sport is good. even negative attention is good.

Tyson was an icon and great for boxing. Dude inspired balrog(US name) in Street Fighter, among other things at the time.

[boliodogs]

The guy analyzing Iron Mike's complex personality in this video is not a boxing pundit, he is a university professor and a counsellor of mental health and chemical dependency.



I subscribed to Dr. Grande's YT channel because I like his deadpan sense of humour and Vulcan level objectivity. He ends his a analysis of Tyson's personality by stating that, in his opinion, Mike diminished the sport of boxing by making it all about aggression and rage, rather than science and technique.

Personally, I disagree with that conclusion. I believe that, love him or hate him, the amount of attention and interest Mike gets from ordinary people all over the world can only be good for the sport.

My opinion is he was bad for the sport. Hell, he bit part of Holyfield's ear off and he bit Lewis on the calf. he got in a fender bender and beat up some old people for no good reason etc. He was a vicious thug in and out of the ring. Sure he brought attention to boxing but not the good kind like Ali.

[HitmanTommy]

Tyson bit Holyfield's ear because he knew he was going to get another thorough ass whooping.

[LetOutTheCage]

if he was bad for the sport would you see so many casuals fans excited to see him come out of retirement?

Boxing was still big when he was around...

[BodyBagz]

King ruined him and at the same time made him ****** rich.

Then again, maybe King brought out the real Mike. A bully.

He was a notorious figure and boxing is a notorious sport.

[edgarg]

The Lewis thing was accidental, as they both fell and became entwined. I don't think h actually bit him, his mouth just came in contact against Lewis' leg because of the fall..

As to the Holyfield bite, he said afterwards that he spat it out because he's forgotten to bring some salt. Joking aside, with a guy of Tyson's sparking temperament, constant head butting without the ref DQ-ing Holyfield, was too much finally, for him to take. He could have grabbed his ear and twisted, if he hadn't gloves on. He complained about the head butts at the time and after the fight.

I recall as a kid, in a tussle up at our sports field, the club bully was trying to throttle me, and I gripped both of his ears and twisted them nearly off. He let go pretty quickly and cried quits...

[KillaMane26]

It doesn't matter half of Tyson fans aren't boxing fans but exclusively Tyson fans so how can that be bad for boxing even if his impact was toxic?