MIKE Tyson’s attempt at a comeback as a professional boxer, two decades after hanging up his gloves, may not have gone to plan.
But at least he had a plan; one which made him US$20 million richer and for a while gave him a sense of purpose.
By his own admission, Tyson was coasting through life, until he was presented with this opportunity to fight 27-year-old YouTuber, Paul Jake.
For those who thought an inter-generational match up between a wannabe and a has-been would be farcical, in stepped Netflix to push the matter through.
The result, fat purses for the fighters — US$20 million for Tyson and double that for Jake. What should have been a sideshow wound up becoming the main event as Netflix milked the opportunity to throw in stronger fights — especially the bloody Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano bust up — into the ring to strengthen the card, while cranking up the hype machine.
Banking On Reputation
Iron Mike Tyson leveraged his reputation to the hilt, jumping back into the ring after a life of taking it easy and building his other businesses — entertainment, cannabis and apparel.
It was less about the money than it was about bookending his life in the ring, which defined his persona.
Preparing for the fight couldn’t have been easy and the promo videos showed aggression and movement that suggested he still had it in him. Angry proclamations of “I’m not going to lose” and slapping Jake at the weigh-in added drama, short of chewing out Jake’s ear.
Rusty In The Ring
On the day itself, it was a very subdued rusty Iron Mike Tyson who walked into the arena with a knee brace and a look of disinterest instead of the hunter searching for a kill.
The fading facial tattoos and silver stubble softened any attempt at resurrecting his reputation as a man to be feared.
Even glowering at Jake between rounds appeared forced and the effort seemed to wilt his stamina even further.
In stark contrast to Tyson’s subdued entrance, Jake rode in to much fanfare on a customised green limousine with flames painted on, and sporting shorts estimated to be worth $1 million. He ensured his social media standing wouldn’t suffer even if he potentially took a beating at the hands of the “baddest man in the world”.
Spectacle Without Sparkle
In the end, it was a cagey affair, with Tyson landing just 18 blows to Jake’s 78, in the 10 rounds. Anyone staying up for the fight could have dozed off and not missed much.
Neither boxer emerged damaged, except maybe for Tyson’s reputation, after losing the fight. But the fatigue showed, despite the shorter two-minute rounds as they propped each other up by locking foreheads at the end.
While Jake will continue with his new career as a professional boxer, Tyson refuses to admit defeat and may be coaxed back into the ring for the right price.
Tyson traded heavily on his reputation, which is not a bad thing for anyone in their silver years who has that as an asset.
Consider what skills you might have that could be parlayed for some big bucks to help you coast through the golden years, even if you don’t need the cash (you could opt to become a philanthropist).
Why Did People Watch?
There’s a curiosity about famous people that will continue to attract the attention of the masses.
Even someone who is clearly over the hill, like Tyson, drew a crowd curious to know if he still had it in him to slug it out with a younger man. Is there hope for those in their later years to still have a swing at a hefty pay cheque?
Not to mention the gamblers — from the bookies to the promoters and Netflix, who probably had a field day hoping the sentimental in the audience would back a man based on his reputation.
And they did.
The fight had a ringside audience of 73,000 at the AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys NFL team, and an online viewership on Netflix of 120 million. A business model for Netflix to continue building its dominance, and emerge as the clear winner of the fight.
