Last summer as I sat down with friends to watch "Iron" Mike Tyson fight for the first time in 17 months, I couldn't help, but feel things were finally looking up for the former undisputed heavyweight champion. His financial advisors had put together a plan to get him out of bankruptcy and a (4) four-fight deal from a major cable network worth over 100 million dollars was out on the table. Trainer Freddie Roach would definitely have him ready to go, as his future both in and out of the ring, hinged upon this fight. But then something totally unexpected happened. Mike Tyson had to face an opponent that even he could not overcome, his own body.

Tyson's opponent in this fight was lightly regarded British heavyweight Danny Williams, 31-3, 26 KO's. Williams hadn't fought anyone nearly the caliber of "Iron Mike", and 16 months earlier he was TKO'd in the sixth round by Sinan Samil Sam. In the opinion of boxing experts everywhere, he had two chances of defeating Tyson, slim and none. And slim was only if "Iron Mike" didn't show up for the fight.

From the opening bell, Tyson was his usual aggressive self and he landed several times with both left hooks and body punches. He had the good head movement that we've become accustomed to seeing for over the last 20 years, and his jab was working beautifully. Williams was clearly in trouble, and the round was barely half over. But near the end of the round with Roach's game plan working to perfection, Tyson's knee appeared to give out. He managed to finish the round, but something clearly was wrong. He had done severe damage to his knee and this hampered his performance for the rest of the fight. He still managed to win the next two rounds, but Williams kept the pressure on and managed to knock Tyson out in the fourth round with a barrage of unanswered punches. Danny Williams had shocked the world.

By the next morning Tyson couldn't walk, and shortly thereafter, underwent surgery to repair the damage. Now that his body is fixed, the question that needs to be answered is whether Mike Tyson's career can be also? In my opinion, the answer is a resounding YES, and here is why.

Tyson is obviously never going to work a 9 to 5 job like you or I. He has to utilize his skills as a fighter to pay off the enormous debts that he has incurred, and after listening to him talk at recent fights, he seems to be in the right mindset. He is still fundamentally sound and in great shape even at his advanced age for a fighter. Had he not hurt himself in the fight, Danny Williams may not have survived the first round, and he surely would not have gotten through the second. He is a C+ or B- level fighter who was badly exposed in his last fight against Vitali Klitschko. And finally, Mike Tyson is still the most marketable heavyweight in boxing regardless of the fact that he has lost two of his last three fights.

Whether fans love him or hate him, they want to watch him and no other heavyweight gets the boxing world buzzing like Tyson, certainly not John Ruiz, Chris Byrd or Vitali Klitschko. Just take a close look at the current state of the heavyweight division, and you'll see there is no reason why he could not come back and inflict some damage.

On June 20, 2005, "Iron" Mike Tyson is set to return to the ring against the always dangerous TBA opponent. This fight is scheduled to take place in our nations capital, Washington, D.C. A very fitting place for him to begin a comeback of epic proportions, a comeback he badly needs. He will almost certainly never return to being the dominant fighter he was back in his heyday, but anything remotely close is still awfully good.

Source: ringsidereport

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