If there’s one man who knows about boxing and sideshows, it’s Mike Tyson.
The man who was once known as the baddest man on the planet certainly saw his share of ups and downs and absurdities in his boxing career. This included everything from first round knockouts and a heavyweight championship to trying to bite off the ear of a competitor and threatening to eat the yet-to-be-born children of another.
Tyson, who has somehow transformed himself into something of a comedic pop culture icon, appeared on the Pardon My Take podcast and talked about the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. Let’s just say Tyson was less than optimistic about McGregor’s chances in spite of the fact that his odds for the fight are actually getting shorter. In fact, he couldn’t believe that Mayweather would agree to a fight against Mayweather where he only gets to use his hands.
The transcript is via the Washington Post:
“McGregor is going to get killed boxing,” Tyson said on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “I got mad because I thought they were going to use MMA rules against boxing because that’s what it’s all about: Can the boxer beat the MMA guy? McConor [sic] put his dumba– in a position where he’s going to get knocked out because this guy’s been doing this all his life since he was a baby. McConor [sic] can’t kick and grab and stuff so he won’t stand much of a chance.”
Tyson went on to say he’d have agreed to let McGregor kick and use his legs if he were fighting him.
“McGregor,” he said, “took the biggest sucker rules in the history of boxing.”
People can try to rationalize how McGregor could stand a chance against Mayweather, but Tyson is 1000% correct. The fact that McGregor is going to step into ring against maybe the most accomplished boxer of his generation in his first professional fight has got to be one of the biggest mismatches in the history of the sport. Sure, boxing and MMA have some similarities in that the goal of both is to hit people, but they are completely different disciplines. It’s like asking an NFL quarterback to step on the mound and pitch Game 7 of the World Series. (I know, I know… Tim Tebow…)
Of course, the bonus for McGregor is the publicity he’s getting and the money both he and Mayweather will make, which will probably make up for whatever actual result transpires. But if Mayweather does finish off McGregor in a matter of seconds, the only ones feeling like suckers will be the ones who splashed a bunch of cash to see it.
[Washington Post/Pardon My Take]
