After his release from prison in March 1995, Mike Tyson resigned with promoter Don King, despite a host of promoters wooing him. On August 19, 1995, I was in Las Vegas when Mike easily disposed of Peter ‘Hurricane’ McNeeley in 91 seconds. Four months later, he took on Buster Mathis Jr. at the Spectrum in South Philadelphia. The December 16, 1995 bout would be the last live broadcast of a fight on free television, but I was on vacation in Vegas at the time to watch it. Tyson struggled for three rounds with the chubby Mathis, before knocking him down and out late in the third.
On March 16, 1996, Tyson signed to meet the WBC Heavyweight Champion Frank Bruno, who he had knocked out 7 years earlier. I saw the bout live on closed-circuit at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, since I had flown out to meet my parents for a few days on their annual trip there. Bruno was so scared on his ring walk that night, that he must have made the sign of the cross about 15 times, praying that God would help him. Unfortunately for the Brit, God Almighty is in the soul-saving business, not the boxing business and Mike easily railroaded him in three rounds. I made about $700 on the fight since I bet the under prop, making me happy I had made a few bucks.
Having regained the heavyweight title again, he set his sights on the WBA champion Bruce Seldon, and agreed to fight him on September 7, 1996 at the MGM Grand in Vegas. I told people before the fight that Seldon should wear yellow trunks into the ring, because he was going to be so scared, he would be peeing himself. When you watch the first round knockout, Seldon took a dive and was never hit from a telling blow. To me, it’s the most cowardly performance I’ve ever seen from a so-called heavyweight champion.
After the pathetic display, a press conference was held announcing “Finally. November 9, 1996. Tyson vs. Holyfield” After two failed attempts for the two men to meet, they would finally meet in the ring. I was fortunate enough to purchase a $600 ticket to the bout, and flew to Vegas to see it live. The odds for the bout opened at 25-1 in favor of Tyson after the Seldon debacle, but had dropped to about 9-1 in November. I truly believed in my heart that Evander had what it took to stop Tyson, and bet on him to prove it.
When Evander knocked Mike down in the sixth, and finished him in the 11th round, it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen live. It remains the greatest sporting event I ever had the privilege to see in person, and the memories still resonate in my mind today. It also began the end of Mike Tyson’s career, and ended the myth of ‘Iron Mike’ to me for good.
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