Mike Tyson ?

If you were to meet Mike Tyson you would swear he’s the nicest guy in the world. Spend a bit more time around him and he will display the ability to suddenly switch into the scariest, most violent, most intimidating guy imaginable. He’s a bit like a snake – you can like him but you have to be wary.
His whole life and his personality is a bit of car crash.
In boxing terms at his peak, which was a hell of a long time ago, he was the ultimate banger. He physically and mentally destroyed everyone in front of him until someone came along who didn’t buy into the hype and wasn’t going to back down. Then he fell apart and just showed himself as the typical schoolyard bully. But by then he had become a byword for mayhem – he was the guy to beat and the guy you chose if you wanted an example of a bogeyman

quote:

Originally posted by jcs_smith:
If you were to meet Mike Tyson you would swear he’s the nicest guy in the world. Spend a bit more time around him and he will display the ability to suddenly switch into the scariest, most violent, most intimidating guy imaginable. He’s a bit like a snake – you can like him but you have to be wary.

In other words, a psychopath.

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Originally posted by Malky:
In other words, a psychopath.

Yes in the case of poor impulse control but I'm not convinced he shows the other side - lack of empathy and conscience.

Yeah, you're probably right. I feel a degree of sympathy for Tyson. His violent, thuggish tendencies were exploited by scum who became very rich whilst he was left to deal with fame and a great deal of money which he obviously had no idea how to handle. Remember, there was a time in the 80's when no one could live with him. With better management, he could have had all that power and aggression channeled into becoming one of the true greats instead of the pathetic figure he is today.

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Originally posted by Malky:
violent, thuggish tendencies were exploited by scum who became very rich .

That would be pro boxing then, which only exists because people pay to watch it.

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That would be pro boxing then, which only exists because people pay to watch it.

True, but it also offers a way for American black youth to escape the ghetto. To come back to Charlie's original point, it is utterly barbaric but it obviously pushes buttons somewhere in the psyche which leads to people finding two human beings beating the hell out of each other insidiously fascinating.

I don't agree about it being barbaric.It has rules and a science to it. Most fights are won on points not because one boxer can't continue.
Barbaric would be killing a defenceless animal for the fun of it, especially if it's drawn out like foxhunting

Over the years i've found my attitude to boxing has changed frpm the former (Rockingdoc) to the latter (jcs_smith). Years of reading papers with pages and pages of mindless assaults have brought me to the conclusion that some people just like to fight and 2000 years of so called civillisation have only marginally diluted this(gladiators-boxers).It's an old argument I know but if boxing were not licensed it would continue underground (dog fighting, badger baiting) and as in the case of the latter two examples would be there merely to feed the bloodlust of the troglodytes. Let's have boxing I say... does'nt mean I want to watch it though

I think it's barbaric but agree there seems to be some sort of primeval urge for some people to watch generally uneducated, poor people attempt to bash each other's brains out. Banning it would drive it underground so the best way to control it is to license it.

I've attended one boxing match in my life and that was 35 years ago. My mate and I sat in the front row of a Scottish Universities competition and my opinion changed completely after that. Hearing the dull but sometimes squeaky thud of the punches, boxers gasping in pain, watching the blood, sweat and snot flying across the ring, and worst of all looking straight into the eyes of a man who obviously didn't know who or where he was, were all quite sickening.

I met a guy who said that most of Mike's behaviour is related to his brain injuries.

The guy is a head injury recovery specialist so I spose he's to be believed.

I've seen early fights of Tyson and he was no savage to start with.

Gotta look after the cauliflower and scone.

I don't think Mike's a 'psychopath' from the medical standpoint - those guys don't need boxing to start them off...

Watch mixed martial arts fights if you want a good show, and if you want a reasonably clear conscience.

I believe the UFC has never had a fighter killed - when a fight is obviously going lopsided the ref jumps in and calls a stoppage win.

It's good to see the fighters are (reasonably) intact at the end of fights.

I suppose it's immoral to enjoy a good boxing match. I've done worse things in my life, though, so sod it.


Let's face it, we've all wondered what it would be like to get in a ring and pummel another person whilst being pummeled in return. A little sick, but probably pretty common.


Charlie

i would agree that iron mike probably didn't start out too deranged. but he is now, w/ substance abuse issues to boot ... but i saw him beat bruno (english, yes?), and it was almost comical how terrified bruno looked. not much of a fight.

i grew up w/ a military pop who watched the fights every friday night. at this point, though, i would generally have to pass, given the stomach-churning nature of taking multiple cranial blows. however, for some reason i don't understand, there is an appeal.

has anyone followed the boxing career of the actor mickey rourke? quite a nutty story.

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Originally posted by fidelio:
has anyone followed the boxing career of the actor mickey rourke? quite a nutty story.

I haven't. Could you tell us a little about it, Fidelio ?

well, i don't have all the details, but mickey had a rather successful hollywood acting career under his belt, and in his thirties dumped it to go on the semi-pro boxing circuit. fought quite a few fights, and i assume took plenty of punches. came back to acting after years away being a "real" tough guy. here is a fellow who apparently succumbed to that fight siren a few of us mentioned. he does look a little rough around the edges these days, too ....