So Tyson is going to start fighting exhibitions. On PPV.
That’s pay-per-view. That means people are going to pay money to watch a fight on television that doesn’t count. They already have those–it’s called professional wrestling. (Except I kinda doubt Tyson will be squaring off in a “Hell in a Cell” match.)
There’s really only 3 ways this can end:
1.This is a failure. Nobody cares, nobody pays, and Tyson and his handlers have to come up with some new scheme to hustle a few bucks.
2. At this stage probably the most interesting fight Mike Tyson could possibly have is with the self-proclaimed “King of the Four Rounders” Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch. Although his place in the sports culture is nothing compared to where it was several years ago, this would be a marketable event. Nobody is going to care that Butterbean lost four fights in 2005. Back in 2002 Butterbean actually fought a decrepit Larry Holmes to a 10 round loss by unanimous decision, including a knockdown of “The Easton Assassin”. Tyson probably isn’t as far-gone as Holmes was but ‘Bean wouldn’t have to worry about going ten rounds either. It may be a travesty, but for a four round fight? This thing could sell.
3. Tyson looks okay in the first exhibition. Scores an impressive knockout. He trains a bit and gets another one in the second. All of a sudden we hear how he’s regaining his fire/falling in love with boxing again/rededicating himself to training/etc. After a couple more victories he announces his comeback. All of it will almost seem…scripted.
My guess is the first one is how it will turn out, and if the fights are on the up-and-up, Tyson could lose any of them.
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