posted June 10, 2005 at 12:35 EST in Other Articles

We want to believe he can do it

He’s over the hill, past his prime, ready to be put out to pasture. He’s disappointed us time and again, been mismanaged and fought without heart. Indeed, Mike Tyson has not been a serious contender in the heavyweight division since the 90’s. But, with all of the money stolen from him, all of the money he’s had to allot for legal fees and the perennial alimony to be paid out; this man is desperate. Usually, desperation breeds tremendous fighting. However, in the case of Tyson, we’ve gotten our hopes up so many times that we are reluctant to look forward to one of his fights.

The last memory I have of Iron Mike was him begging Lennox Lewis for a rematch after getting the snot beat out of him. It was a pathetic sight, something that isn’t becoming for a former champion. Sure, he’s fought and won since then. But, it’s just very difficult to shake a disturbing image like that. In the 1980’s, Mike Tyson was king of the world, the “Baddest Man on the Planet.” These days, he’s just the worst dressed at a basketball game. He’s pretty much ready to join next season’s cast of the Surreal Life, the VH1 reality show that has six “has beens” living together.

All of that aside, here we go again. Tyson is back in the ring on June 11 in Washington, D.C. against some jobber named Kevin McBride. This thrilling matchup promises to be as exciting as Tyson against Peter McNeeley. And so the decision becomes whether or not to watch. Here at BetUS.com, we offer you the choice of betting on the fight. Personally, I think the curiosity factor far outweighs not watching it. Mike Tyson will always command an audience and June 11 will be no exception. The question then isn’t whether to watch or not, it becomes who to bet on.