Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to an electrifying night of boxing history. Live from the AT&T stadium, we bring you the clash of generations. In one corner, the legendary former undisputed heavyweight champion, the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’, Iron Mike Tyson! And in the other, the internet sensation turned boxing disruptor, Jake Paul. Tonight, it’s more than a fight; it’s a battle of eras. So buckle up, because this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Let’s get ready to rumble! I’m sure if you watched the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, whether you understand anything about boxing or not, you know the results were more than disappointing. Poor old man Tyson lost to this random youtuber. Even at his old age, he should’ve won! I mean did you see his training videos? This is what I and the majority believe, but the fight wasn’t about the spirit of boxing, it was about money. What I want to talk about isn’t the unfairness of the contract, or the fact it could’ve been rigged, or any of the ethicality of the fight itself. I want to talk about Mike and how easily we as a society decided to completely forget what a horrible person he was and may still be. 

As a boxing enthusiast, it was no shock when all of my social media was overflowing with videos and posts about the fight. I was eager to see the results and to watch the live streamed fight, but I never would have expected that result. I saw so many people sympathizing with Mike Tyson because he lost, painting him as just a helpless old man who wanted nothing more than to be the best one last time. And maybe they were right. Maybe Mike Tyson just wanted to have one last amazing fight. Be the heavyweight champion once again. But let's not forget when his best punch was. “Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson,” a biography written by a former friend of Mike Tyson, Jose Torres, to give an insider’s look at who Tyson was. One of the excerpts in the biography explained Tyson’s depiction of the best punch he ever threw. “It was when I fought Robin in Steve Lott’s apartment. She really offended me and I went BAM. She flew backwards, hitting every wall in the apartment,” Tyson recalled. “That was the best punch I’ve ever thrown in my entire life.” Robin Givens and Mike Tyson divorced after a brief marriage, the actress having accused him of physical violence during their relationship. 

Tyson also details a sadistic viewpoint on sex. “I like to hurt women when I make love to them…It gives me pleasure,” Torres quotes Tyson as saying. These aren’t the only instances illustrated in this book that show Tyson’s true nature, one that doesn’t seem to resemble a poor old man who deserves people’s sympathy. Society’s selective amnesia regarding the misdeeds of famous figures like Mike Tyson reveals an uncomfortable truth about human nature: we are drawn to redemption stories but often at the cost of justice. Tyson’s history of violence, misogyny, and admitted cruelty outside and inside the ring shouldn’t be dismissed, even as we admire his athletic achievements. Yes, people can change, and perhaps Tyson has. But change doesn’t erase the past; it recontextualizes it. The danger lies in ignoring his past entirely, which sends a message to other celebrities–and society at large–that fame is a shield against accountability. When we sympathize with figures like Tyson without acknowledging their darker histories, we inadvertently perpetuate a culture where power and talent can excuse even the most heinous actions. 

This isn’t just about Tyson; it’s about how we, as a society, define morality and redemption. Do we hold our heroes to the same standards we would hold anyone else? Or do we allow their legacies to overshadow their humanity, flaws and all? Tyson’s story isn’t just about boxing–it’s a cautionary tale about the cost of idolizing the imperfect without grappling with their complexities. 

01/06/2025