The Shade in Boxing! Tyson on Floyd

I'm not really a sports fan but I am a fan of boxing. I think it was ingrained in me while growing up because my father was a professional heavyweight boxer and he would watch countless hours of fights. He still does. I remember my mother showing me an autograph of Mohammad Ali every year saying he signed this for you so I'm going to save it for you. I couldn't tell you where that autograph is now but my mother probably still holds on to it. Anyway I have a love - hate relationship with the sport. I truly believe that boxers are half crazy. It's a trait that I don't think they realize they have themselves. Maybe it's their overly aggressive nature but the only way that I can explain it is they're rationalization of thinking is just "different" and I've known a few boxers. Now though what I thought of as crazy when I was a kid, comes off to my children as comical in my father. Due to his age it's diluted a bit but my kids and those who visit my house think my father is FUNNY! He's not trying to be comical though, it's just his outspoken and very candid nature. He tends to have no filter or very little filter because coming up he was very "yea I said it... now WTF can you do about it?". When I was little visiting boxing gyms, they were all very much like my father in this way. It's best described as loud and very masculine. I think this is why you always see boxers with a crowd of men. I'm sure those circles are hilarious.

Unless you've been living under a rock, then you're well aware of the fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao tomorrow. In anticipation of this fight, a reporter ran into Mike Tyson and he asked him about the fight. The most interesting part of this little run in was Mike Tyson's response to Mayweather's comment on him being the greatest. Boy oh boy did I see the switch go off in Mike when he started talking about that comment. That is a display of the little differences that I was referring to. You may not have caught it but he had to remove himself from the conversation because it brought about emotions for him. Notice how he just walks away at the end. Believe me... that conversation kept going in his mind. Him walking away was the diffusing of the dialog that was going on in his head at the time. I could go on and on about boxers and their personality traits, but lets get into the discussion about Mayweather's comment. I believe that you have to think you're the greatest. It doesn't take away from the talent and the appreciation you have for the person but you have to believe you're the greatest at your craft. If you really study a craft and it's your life then you must think of yourself as the greatest. If not then you're still striving to be the greatest but each of us should be lucky enough to find a passion such as this. For the sport itself, I think Floyd had done an excellent job of keeping people interested in boxing. He's the current face of the sport but I'm not a fan of his personally. So I have to add for the record I agree with Mike. However I do think Floyd is good but and I that he's kept the industry thriving for the last few years but he's not better than Ali. Besides, it's like comparing apples to oranges. They were in two different weight classes and to me that matters. I personally think Mike Tyson was better as a boxer than Mayweather. I know you want to see an actual fight when watching because you've paid for it and you want to see the skill and technique of the boxer to get the most for your money but for boxers, it's about the KO and there was no one faster at that KO than Mike. When you box, you live for the KO. It's like the cherry on a sundae.

Ok... enough of my ranting. Watch the clips and let us know your thoughts on the topic?  

Here is the conversation that caused all the debate.

Lennox Lewis on the comment

Thomas Hearns comments on the topic too.