I was channel surfing last night and there was a special on ESPN Classic last night showing some of Iron Mike Tyson's early fights. I had forgotten what an awesome fighter he was before he went to prison and became a joke, a cartoon character.
The guy could hit. I think he knocked out his opponent in 10 of his first 12 professional fights. I think 8 of those 10 were KOs in the first round. In one fight Tyson knocked the guy down with the very first punch he threw, maybe 3 seconds into the fight. He knocked him out with the second punch, after maybe 3-4 jabs. Tyson hit the guy so hard he literally lifted him off his feet.
Some of the early fights were cool, it was clearly club fighting, the video a handheld camera. In one poorly photographed fight you could here the punches, it sounded like the meat Rocky pounded on. That victim lasted about 1-1/2 minutes.
You could see some of the later, crazy Mike Tyson in one fight. The opponent came out and was swinging away. He caught Tyson with a solid uppercut, followed by a right cross. You could see the anger in Mike's face. He was pissed. He reached back and socked the guy immediately with a left hook that knocked him clean out. Impressive.
Where did it go wrong Iron Mike? You could have been the best ever.
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