Boxing: Tyson era drawing to a close

As June 8 draws near, a heavyweight championship bout is the central focus in the sporting world for the first time in years.

It is a contest that has been discussed, speculated upon, built up and torn down, and it will finally coming to fruition at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee.

Lennox Lewis will defend his world heavyweight championship against the former undisputed heavyweight champion, and former WBA Titleholder, Mike Tyson, in a contest that will play a powerful role in determining boxing's future and whether it will survive as a major attraction and legitimate force in the sporting world.

There was a time in this country when a world heavyweight championship bout stopped the clock.

Newspapers would be filled with intensive commentary in the weeks before the bout. Baseball, football, basketball, hockey, virtually all rival sporting events took a distant back seat to the upcoming title bout.

The world heavyweight title was the most recognized championship in the world and those of us who can remember an even routine Muhammad Ali title defense, such as his 12th round TKO over Karl Mildenberger in 1966 or 1967, or seventh round stoppage over Zora Folley at the Garden, will attest to the fact that the aura of attention, and awe bestowed upon the Heavyweight Champion of the World dwarfed other sporting events.

The approaching Lewis-Tyson clash holds the same element of fascination, yet for all the wrong reasons.

It is not to suggest that Lewis, a durable titleholder with flashes of brilliance and near greatness, holds any degree of magnetism or enormous regard as a sports figure.

He has been, with the exception of Evander Holyfield, the leading heavyweight of his generation and has beaten the best his era has to offer.

Yet his two violent knockout defeats at the hands of second rate heavyweights, Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, have forever robbed him at any chance of the recognition, and place in history, afforded Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Larry Holmes and Rocky Marciano.

It is, unfortunately, Tyson who is the magnet.

Tyson is the attraction and sadly still maintains a powerful, inexplicable grip on the average sports fan who would readily agree that he is a psychologically unstable, violent man who has brought disgrace to boxing and has contributed mightily to its decline over the past decade.

Yet the persona of Iron Mike the invincible, "The Baddest Man On The Planet" endures, far beyond the scope of his accomplishments within the four square.

Tyson was a borderline great fighter in the middle and late 1980s.

A dominant heavyweight in the wake of Holmes twenty championship defenses, he steamrolled through an anemic field of heavyweights.

Knockouts over Carl "The Truth" William, Tony Tubbs and a long over the hill Holmes established his credentials, quite prematurely, as one of the greatest heavyweight titleholders of all time.

That all ended in Tokyo, Japan in January 1990.

Tyson's battering at the hands of a prepared, confident Buster Douglas and his subsequent descent into an Indiana prison cell on a rape charge forever established Tyson as a detriment to boxing, and to sports.

Yet, his myth endured -- the myth of Tyson the unstoppable force destined to regain his rightful place as champion.

Yes, upon returning he did stop Frank Bruno and briefly regain the WBC heavyweight title, yet Mike Tyson has not defeated a formidable, legitimate ranked heavyweight contender since his pair of triumphs over Donovan "Razor" Ruddick 11 years ago.

That is how long it's been, and yet the myth endures and maintains a powerful, mysterious hold in the opinion among boxing fans.

A Tyson victory over Lewis would irreparably damage a sport that has been groping its way back to respectability over the past three years.

Another Tyson reign, splattered with the profanity and permanent rage deeply imbedded inside the former champion would leave the greatest title in the history of sports in splinters.

However, a sober evaluation of Tyson-Lewis finds little hope for a Tyson triumph.

The adulation bestowed upon Tyson by his zealous legion of fans is not mirrored by fact.

Lewis is a formidable champion with an array of sharpened fistic tools and an undisputed record of having prevailed against the finest heavyweights of his generation.

He redeemed his two defeats and with a sharper focus and dedication to preparation could have been undefeated to this date, an accomplishment that would have certified his claim to greatness.

Tyson is 36 years old and since his return from incarceration in 1995, he hasn't distinguished himself.

Certainly most of his potent punching power is intact and his intimidation skills are as potent as hitherto.

However, it is difficult to look at any Tyson victory in this span and be overly impressed.

He was losing to Frans Botha before administering a KO-right to end that affair.

Victories over Orlin Norris and Lou Savarese weren't tests by any measure.

His title losing TKO loss to Holyfield was convincing, and the same outcome was assured when Tyson relieved the champion of a piece of his ear, permanently cementing his reputation as a disturbed, violent man who poses the potential for danger inside and out of the ring.

If the heavyweight division wasn't starved for balanced, formidable contendership from top to bottom Tyson wouldn't hold the stature he does. Certainly the Mike Tyson of 2002 would have had real problems with the cream of the heavyweight crop of the early 1970s.

Ron Lyle, Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena and Earnie Shavers -- those guys didn't blink, and "fear struck out" in the face of ability, when they climbed into the four square.

Lewis will keep Tyson on the end of his jab, while Tyson will rush at the Briton and try to blast his way inside.

Lewis can punch with authority and his straight right hand off of the jab will jar Tyson's head back repeatedly.

It won't take many rounds of eating Lewis' jab for the frustration, and rage, to manifest itself.

With Tyson anything is possible and the more Lewis controls Tyson, and inflicts damage upon Tyson, an explosion could take place, one that could inflict irreparable damage upon the Sweet Science.

Tyson will be in shape.

To totally discount his chances would be foolish.

Lewis' Achilles heel has always been his chin, and the Tyson punch could relieve the Briton of his championship if he is careless.

Lewis certainly will be prepared, and Tyson is not capable to going to war in any other fashion than he has been accustomed over the past two decades.

There are going to be no surprises in the Tyson arsenal, unless he accepts his near certain defeat with grace.

Look for a bruising encounter in the early rounds.

Lewis will have difficulty fending off Tyson at times and will absorb punishment to the head and body. Yet he will establish the jab and gain control, probably within three rounds.

As Tyson's face begins to lump up and the rounds slip away he will revert to form and fight with desperation.

Lewis must keep his composure, use his power, and show Tyson he can hit him and hurt him.

Look for the former champion to visit the canvas by the fifth round, and several times thereafter.

It won't be a walk in the park for Lewis yet, a bruising 10th round TKO will keep the heavyweight championship in Britain and ensure that boxing's gradual recovery will continue without Tyson's crippling shadow.

Tyson is viewed as a serious threat to Lewis, but it is on the merit of who he was, not who he is!