Tyson: 'I don't have the stomach for this'(Requiem for a Heavyweight)

ESPN.com news services ^ | 6/11/2005 | STAFF

[GVnana]

This is one of those genuine sports tragedies.

Perhaps Tyson could have been a great fighter. But he was a dirtbag who won and made money, and that was all that mattered.

[durasell]

People steal from fighters. There probably aren't even records to show where the millions vanished.

[Brimack34]

It sounds like a lot of Republicans we know!

[durasell]

...maybe. I just hate waste. And his talent was wasted.

[GVnana]

And his talent was wasted.

I agree with you. He had ability, but no professionalism.

[durasell]

All athletes -- but particularly fighters -- need people around them who look after their best interests. Not surprisingly, Tyson never had this. He was surrounded by thieves that put him on a course of self-destruction.

[endthematrix]

"How you can burn that much cash is beyond me."

Have a manager like King and a wife and mother in-law like he had...well you'd be broke too! They stole millions.

[sheik yerbouty]

Mekhtoub! (It is written). He lives as a thug and in all likelihood he will die like one.

[The Duke]

...Time to go on the senior tour.

[bannie]

Hope the cannibal donates his brain to science...'twould be interesting.

[KneelBeforeZod]

[libs_kma]

I used to be a boxing fan but pay-per-view absolutely ruined the sport. The last time I payed for a fight was when Michael Spinks took a dive at 1:46 of the first round.

Boxing promoters and boxers are like the UAW. They drove/are driving their meal ticket straight into the ground.

That said, I think Tyson is a thug, and now it looks like he'll back back to shacking up on friend's couches until he dies doing something stupid.

[LongsforReagan]

Mike Tyson never ever fought in the Olympics. He lost in the Olympic Trials to Henry Tillman.

[garylmoore]

Tyson has never been anything other than an overrated street thug.

Amen

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

He had ability, but no professionalism.

That's the best summation of Tyson I've seen. It's been straight downhill for him since Cus D'Amato died. Then the vultures descended, and it was over. A shame - at the beginning, he was one of the best pure punchers I've ever seen.

[longfellow]

Tyson's boxing career was finished when he lost Cus DAmato.

[Solamente]

According to ABC NEWS, Tyson went through 400 Million Dollars, and owes millions in taxes, etcetera.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Unfortunately for Tyson, Cus DAmato died. "

Getting rid of Kevin Rooney was his downfall. Cus was his father. Kevin was the brother who took no crap from him.

To this day, I still believe that if Tyson kept Rooney, he would have retired 10 years ago with a better record than Marciano.

Then again, Don King didn't help.

[durasell]

I've met a couple of people who knew Tyson early on -- at Cus' training camp. They described him, remarkably, as "sweet natured." Life and the people he surrounded hiself with must have really done a number on his head after Cus' died.

[Caipirabob]

I remember reading an article on an interview with Tyson where he discussed how he liked to "hurt women" and other abysmal behavior that altered my perception of him from man into beast.

Since then I kind of figured when he "went" it would be a spiraling high speed tailspin right to the bottom.

He hasn't gotten there yet.

And I can say that this brings me no joy nor any real emotion. He's a trainwreck of a man.

Perhaps he'll find Jesus. Despite my disgust I'll say a prayer to that end. Best that this part of Tyson's life has found an end as well.