By Tommy Acosta
Gratitude. That’s what I felt after the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. Grateful I was that the old pugilist was not KO’d or hurt badly in the ring.
It was with great apprehension that I awaited that fight, convinced Tyson would be carried out of the rin with a lethal concussion, but in the end, I was surprised at how well Tyson performed.
He came out strong in the first and second two-minute rounds, throwing hard punches and slipping most of what Paul threw. But by the third round, it was obvious age had claimed another victim, and it became a matter of survival for Tyson from that point.
Still, I truly enjoyed the fight Tyson put up. Even in the eighth and final round, Tyson was still throwing punches and dodging Paul’s not-too-lethal punches.
And Paul fought the perfect fight, giving just enough to keep it competitive while being careful not to permanently damage his idol. A few seconds before the last bell, Paul crossed his arms and bowed to Tyson, showing respect to the former champion of the world.
I remain surprised by how well Tyson did, despite the ravages of age. I had hoped for him to at least make it to the fifth round, but he went all the way, proving he still has the heart of a lion. Many of his old skills were there—slightly slower, but still recognizable—though not quick enough to penetrate Paul’s defenses.
Paul also looked better and improved: more relaxed, with better footwork. Tyson was inspiring to us older folks, for sure. He took on the challenge and rose to the occasion with dignity and bravery.
But it’s time to finally hang up those gloves and coast to a happy and glorious future.
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1 Comment
Tyson did a fantastic job for a 58 year old career fighter. I’m just slightly older but only have 1/3 of the strength and stamina Old Mike displays. I think Tyson’s animalistic fire of his angry past has been replaced with marijuana meditation and a better understanding of himself.
Paul was surprisingly gracious. My understanding of him was that he was a punk. Now I see a dedicated fighter who just won the golden ticket to big $ fights. Hopefully Mike has counseled Paul on good management and good money management. Which is where Mike should be now, managing and teaching a younger generation of fighters how to become the best fighters they can be while teaching them how not to get screwed over by what can be a very corrupt system.
Congratulations to both of them.