Tomorrow, it will be 23 years since Mike Tyson destroyed Michael Spinks in 91 seconds to win the lineal championship. Many fans feel that Tyson was at his absolute peak in this brief encounter. That may be true, but this fight marks the beginning of the end. In my eyes, his demolition of Michael Spinks was a bittersweet victory.

In the mid to late 1980s, you didn't want Mike Tyson staring at you from across the ring. He not only knocked people out within seconds, but he did it in such a brutal fashion. There were other sluggers who scored devastating knockouts before Tyson--people like George Foreman, Sonny Liston, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, etc--but none of them routinely brutalized people the way young Tyson did. He was the second coming of Jack Dempsey, who, like Tyson, was a relatively small man with a reputation for demolishing his foes within seconds, no matter how big or skilled they were.

By the time Tyson got around to Spinks, he had already unified all three of the heavyweight championships and was the most feared man on the planet. It might be amusing today, but some experts back then thought that Spinks may have been the one guy who stood a chance of beating Iron Mike. Tyson's former trainer Teddy Atlas reportedly went on record picking Spinks to pull off an upset.

Michael Spinks was scared to death. He was one of many Tyson opponents who was beaten long before he ever climbed in the ring. Moments before the fight, you could see on his face that he was a nervous wreck as he plodded around the ring like a zombie in a trance. Meanwhile, Tyson came to the ring looking like a warrior. No theme music, no robe, not even socks. (Another influence from his hero, Jack Dempsey) 

A little over a minute into the fight, Spinks fell to a knee after suffering a crucial right hook to the ribs from a ferocious Tyson. He took the standing eight count, and apparently decided to get revenge. Just after the count, he threw a right hand at Tyson, who slipped the punch and countered with a thunderous right hand that landed right on the chin. Spinks fell on his back and was counted out by the referee. The crowd noise was deafening.

This was another example of what made Tyson so special and appealing to the public. With the exception of Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks was the best name on Tyson's resume. This was the fight that confirmed Mike Tyson as The Man on the heavyweight scene. Lennox Lewis didn't turn pro until the following year. Evander Holyfield was not yet a heavyweight, and Riddick Bowe was still a novice. The era was all Tyson's. But as I said before, this was a bittersweet victory.

Just after the fight, trainer Kevin Rooney was fired. It's a shame too, because Rooney and Tyson were an unstoppable force together. It's no coincidence that after Rooney's exit, Tyson's skills began to unravel. He stopped moving his head, he lost his accuracy, and gradually stopped throwing combinations and working the body. He fell in love with his power, and his training habits suffered. By 1989, all of Cus D'Amato's people were out, and Don King's people were in. For those who were in denial about Tyson's decline, they should have been awakened when Tyson was hurt and buckled by Frank Bruno the following year. The cat finally hopped out of the bag when Tyson got humiliated and knocked out by a journeyman heavyweight named James Buster Douglas in 1990. 

For all these reasons, I have mixed feelings about this fight. It was a massacre, and I'll admit that it was one of Tyson's best performances. But it signals the beginning of the end because nothing went right in Tyson's life after this fight. I'd like to compare it to Michael Jackson's Thriller album. Yes, it was the peak of M.J.'s popularity, and many people say it was the singer at his best. But it changed his life forever, and he could only go downhill from there. This fight could be considered Mike Tyson's "Thriller."

I feel nervous for David Tua. He's the only fighter I've actually found myself praying for during a fight. He's due to have a much anticipated rematch with Monte Barrett in August, and I feel a bit uneasy about it.

David Tua is a notorious heavy-handed slugger with the hardest left hook in recent boxing history. In fact, I'd say that Tua has the best left hook since Mike Tyson, whose style he attempts to emulate. The Tuaman launched a comeback in 2009, knocking out Shane Cameron in two rounds. Then he got a relatively close decision win over Friday Ahunanya on March 31, 2010.

Tua's comeback hit a bump in July 2010 when he climbed in the ring with Monte Barrett-- a limited, 40 year-old journeyman fighter on the verge of retirement. Most fans expected a quick Tua knockout, but Barrett surprised everyone by surviving David's early assault. He even dropped David in the 12th round, becoming the first fighter to knock Tua down. Unbelievable. 

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Tua on the ground. For the first time in his career, those thick Samoan legs failed him. He was trading with Monte on the inside when he was caught by surprise with an uppercut that sent him sprawling to the canvas. Tua survived the count, but I'd never seen him hurt like that. Up to that point, the fight was close--David dominated the early rounds. Later in the bout, Monte got brave when he realized he could survive Tua's bombs, and began to punch more. However, Tua wasn't the only one to touch the canvas in the 12th round; Barrett was thrown to the mat by Tua, who was penalized a point. The fight was declared a draw, with many fans feeling that Monte was robbed. The fight was close, but I think Tua lost by at least two rounds.

Tua's most recent fight could be good or bad, depending on how you view it. Last March, he fought Demetrice King, a wobbly journeyman fighter with a pitiful record. In the fight, Tua showcased some real boxing skill. He was jabbing, working the body, and throwing uppercuts--his hands were constantly busy. I was delighted to see this. Here's why.

After his controversial loss to Ike Ibeabuchi in 1997, Tua became a one-trick pony, relying on knocking his foes out cold with a left hook. He gradually abandoned body punching and other techniques; he became all about the left hook. This is what cost him in his world title shot against Lennox Lewis in 2000. Lewis is cocky, but he was right when he said "It takes more than a left hook and a haircut to beat Lennox Lewis." In the fight, Tua plodded forward, looking to end things with one monster left hook. He didn't work the body, he didn't throw many uppercuts, he didn't cut the ring, no combinations...nothing. I feel cheated because this is a fight that Tua could have won. All he had to do was throw more punches. 

Joe Frazier knew how to set up his vaunted left hook. Sometimes he'd throw it in combinations so his opponents didn't see it coming. David Tua should take note. 

While David looked good against Demetrice King a few months ago, he didn't knock him out. That worries me. I think his power is fading. He hasn't had a knockout since 2009. His chin also has some cracks in it, evidenced by the fact that Monte Barrett decked him. Though Tua is improving his boxing skills, his power and chin are well on the decline. For these reasons, he'd get killed against the Klitschko brothers. If he fights the way he did against King, then his best chance to win a title would be to fight Evander Holyfield. Both fighters are horribly washed up, but I think Tua's punch would be too much for an old, fragile fighter like Holyfield. It's the only fight I'd like to see in the current heavyweight divison, and it'll only happen if Tua gets by Monte Barrett.

I have to be honest-- I think Monte Barrett is going to win this rematch, probably by knockout. Monte is not a good fighter, but he made Tua look awful. He knows how to handle Tua in the ring. He knows that Tua can't knock him out, and he realizes that he has the punching power to floor him. Barrett has a psychological edge here. Making things worse is that Tua sometimes submits once the pressure is turned on.(See his disappointing fights with Lennox Lewis and Chris Bryd.) I predict that Barrett is gonna come out and plan to detour David with his long jab and his crushing uppercuts on the inside. He's going to come out firing and moving.

There are two outcomes--Tua will win by decision or less likely by knockout, and then go on to face Holyfield and possibly win a world title. (Finally) Or, Tua will get outboxed and/or knocked out by Monte Barrett, leading to both men retiring. Tua will be 40 years old later this year. I'd like to see him at least win one heavyweight championship. It's now or never.

That's not the only big fight of the summer, though. WBA champion David Haye will get his biggest test yet when he climbs in the ring with Wladimir Klitschko. I'm predicting a win for Klitschko, and I have my reasons.

First of all, Haye has never fought anyone in the league of Wladimir before. He's conquered awkward giants like Nikolay Valuev, but the Klitschkos are the best on the scene now. They're huge and they train hard. Stamina is never an issue for them, and, like Lennox Lewis, they move moderately well for men their size. More importantly, Wladimir has Emmanuel Steward in his corner. Steward is the best trainer of the last 20 years, in my opinion. He has brilliant strategies, enjoying success with Evander Holyfield and Tommy Hearns. But his biggest success was guiding the career of Lennox Lewis; the two were the perfect team--a modern version of Jack Blackburn and Joe Louis. Emmanuel has been repeating his success with the Klitschko brothers in recent years. 

To cut it short, I think Klitschko will use his reach and experience to outbox and outmaneuver the smaller Haye, and then knock him out later. Manny Steward will find a weakness and have his fighter exploit it when the time is perfect. David Haye has a great punch and could crack Klitschko's average chin, but I honestly don't think he has the skills to do so. I doubt Wladimir will put himself at risk. But...it would be nice if Haye wins. If that happens, then we could be on our way to having an undisputed champion. 

I was inspired to write this blog by a fellow APSU alumni who blogged on her site about how some professionals look down on freelancers. I'll link you to her blog at the bottom of this one.

Let me tell you something about freelance--it opens doors. In my experience, it opened many. A week after graduating from APSU in August of 2009, I got my first freelance job. I was hired by Business Clarksville Magazine. They were a new company, so they couldn't afford to put me on straight salary or hire me as staff, but I was freelance, getting paid per article. A year later, The Tennessee Tribune hired me for freelance. (I became staff in less than a month) Last December, I wrote some freelance articles for The Tri-State Defender. In doing all of this freelance work, my resume exploded in a little over a year. 

Some people like freelance and others don't. In my opinion, here are the pros and cons.

                                Pros

*It's real work. You're getting paid. 

*The more your name is in the byline, the better. Whether you're a journalist or a photographer, every story you write or picture you take gets your name out there. Every little bit of exposure counts.

*You can put freelance work on your resume or portfolio. 

*Some people never get staff positions and make their living by freelancing. If you can get enough freelancing gigs, you may be set.

*You can work from your own home. I live in Clarksville, but two of the publications I write for are in Memphis and Nashville. Rather than making trips out there, I generally interview my sources over the phone, write my articles, and email them to my editors. 

*If you work from home, you can make your own schedule.


                              Cons

*Depending on the company you freelance for, payment may be uncertain. I've talked to several people who have had the unfortunate experience of waiting months to get paid. Not every place is like this, of course. But you should discuss payments up front so that there's no surprises.

*No benefits or insurance

To be honest, those are the only two drawbacks. If you get the opportunity to freelance somewhere, go for it. It may seem like a small gig, but it gives you exposure, experience, and feeds your resume. 

And, here's a secret. Employers will sometimes view your freelance work as an audition. If you do impressive work and keep knockin' em dead, you'll increase your chances of becoming staff. Or, they may give you so many assignments that you'll eventually become financially set on freelance alone. So when you're freelancing, always give it your best shot.

Freelance has done great by me. When I graduated from college, the economy was at its worst. Newspapers and magazines weren't hiring staff, but were sometimes open to freelancers. At the moment, I write for the The Tennessee Tribune the most because I'm staff there. I'm getting married next week, and we'll likely be moving to Nashville and getting our first house. So I'm slacking up on freelancing at the moment. (I honestly don't have the time to write additional articles for anyone else right now). After we move to Nashville later this summer and get settled, I'll become a shameless self-promoter again, sending my website URL to different publications in Tennessee and elsewhere. 

Even though The Tennessee Tribune keeps me busy, I'm still going to freelance elsewhere. It's additional money and exposure. It's going to aide me in my transition from being a Tennessee journalist to a national journalist. Even after I retire, I still may write freelance pieces from time to time. I love writing that much. 
My advice to any upcoming journalist or photojournalist is to freelance.

Here is a link to my friend Tinea's blog.
https://mathispayne.wordpress.com/

This is the process I generally go through. Every journalist has his or her own techniques to tackling a story. But I'm going to walk you through the process for an upcoming article I'm about to work on. You're going to be with me every step of the way, and you'll witness how an idea becomes a front page article in a weekly newspaper. 

                          Assignment:

On the night of May 28, I got an email from the publisher of The Tennessee Tribune, Rosetta Miller-Perry. She told me to interview the owner of the Old Timer Fish & Pits BBQ restaurant in Nashville, TN. She said that she forgot his name, but the owner is a Reverend, and his business has been open for 15 years. The restaurant's phone number was included in the email. I know the kinds of articles that Mrs. Perry likes. I've been working for her so long that she doesn't even have to tell me what angle to pursue. In this case, she wants a bio of the Reverend and a detailed profile of the restaurant. No problem. (Note: Sometimes assignments are given to me, but there are also times when I pick my own. It varies)

It was a little after 9 pm when I got her email. Since it was a Saturday night, I figured the restaurant was still open. I organized a few questions and got my digital voice recorder ready. I called and got the manager, who told me that the owner wouldn't be in until Tuesday at 10 am. Not a bad blow. This gives me a few days to construct a nice assortment of questions. My deadline isn't until Sunday night anyway. So I'd have several days to write this thing and get it perfect. 

While I had her on the phone, I asked the manager a few things about the restaurant for the article. I discovered that the owner's name is Howard Owens. She also told me that they have the best fish sandwiches and ribs in town. Mmmmm. There's a good quote. She gave me her name,(Lisa)and I waited for Tuesday to roll around. God is good: I already have a few good quotes for my story, long before the big interview with the owner, who is the biggest source I need for this article. 

After hanging up from my brief interview with the Lisa, my wife-to-be laughed at me. She witnessed the entire call and can't take me seriously when I'm doing my job. Maybe it's my high voice, or the fact that I act silly so much that she can't fathom it when I'm actually serious. We laughed about it, and held out until Tuesday morning.

                           Interview:

I did some research during the weekend about both the owner and his restaurant. I didn't find much--the only thing that struck me was the discovery that he and one of his employees were robbed at gunpoint in the restaurant last year. The surveillance footage of the incident was also available online. I wasn't happy to hear about the robbery, but I couldn't ignore it. It would be an exciting anecdote for my story. What happened during the robbery? When did it happen? Are the employees still traumatized a year later? These are questions I have to ask, and things that the readers want to know.

Well, Memorial Day came and went, and now it's Tuesday. I called at 10 am, and Mr. Owens picked up the phone. He sounded busy, but also happy to speak with me. Maybe he wasn't busy, but a lot of black men have deep, stern baritone speaking voices. They often sound intimidating when they're just talking naturally. Unfortunately, I don't have this gift. 

I broke the ice by asking about The Tennessee Tribune's publisher, Mrs. Perry. (The woman knows everybody in Nashville somehow)Naturally, he knew her and said they were great friends.
I knew he was a pastor, so I asked about that. From there, the questions continued.

*Give me a short bio of yourself

*Give me the history of your restaurant

*How many locations does your restaurant have?

*Does your BBQ restaurant have any special deals or prices?

*How did you (and your staff) recover from the robbery?

*Tell me about your trademark fish sandwiches and other specialties?

These are just some of the questions I asked him. I gathered that he's from Nashville, his restaurant has been open for 15 years, he received counseling regarding the robbery, and other facts. He wasn't very loquacious--his answers were generally limited to no more than two sentences--but he did give me enough to write a great piece on him. He loosened up a lot by the end of the interview. Before hanging up, he told me that he would bring a picture by the Tribune's office for us to run with the article. (Sometimes we'll have photographers take pics, and other times we'll let the source contribute their own picture.) 

Well, I've interviewed the manager and the owner. I've got enough info for my upcoming article. Now it's time to write!!

                     Writing The Article:

Now for the creative part--writing the article. I approach each article differently, but my outline never changes. 

Step 1) Preparation 

The first thing I do is playback the interview at least twice. I jot down things that are beneficial to the story. For example, Mr. Owen gave me the address of his restaurant. That's going in. He also said that his shop has the best fish sandwiches in the country. Good quote. He discussed the safety precautions following the robbery, explaining that these days, no one wearing a hood is allowed through the doors. He told be the awards that his shop won, etc. You get the picture. I basically highlight all of the important things from the interview and type them into a blank microsoft document. This list looks random and probably makes no sense, but I piece everything together a bit later and develop a narrative. In doing this, I quote him directly in some sentences. In others, I paraphrase and reword what he says. That's basically what an article is; a combination of direct quotes from your sources, and the writer's own creative story-telling techniques.

Step 2) Writing

Today is June 1, 2011. The article is finished and ready to go. Here is an excerpt.

Last year, a disturbing event took place that shook up Owen and his employees. A little after 8:30 a.m. on March 6, 2010, a masked robber emerged from the trees in the parking lot. Once inside the restaurant, he took an employee hostage with a gun and ordered him to shout for the owner. Thinking fast, Owen grabbed a gun and left his office to investigate. Startled at the sight of the criminal, Owen toppled over backward, crashing through a nearby table. He hit his head during the fall, but did not drop his weapon. With Owen down, the robber remained in control. “He said 'count to 60. If you don't count to 60, I'll kill both of you,'” Owen explained. The masked thief took money and fled the scene. Owen needed five staples to patch up his wound from the fall, and received counseling.

The reflective owner says that although the traumatic experience took place over a year ago, the memory is still haunting. “It hasn't been forgotten,” Owen said. As a result of the robbery, there are now signs on the door that instruct customers to remove their hoods before entering the restaurant. “If you don't remove the hood, we won't serve you,” Owen said. “We still have complete video surveillance and alarm systems.” 

Two months after the robbery, Nashville was flooded. Although O.T.P.F.B was not affected by the natural disaster, they regularly served the families of flood victims and contractors. “We did serve a lot of the flood victims during that time,” said Owen.

There you go. Sounds interesting, huh? Of course, this is a sample of the article from the mid-way point. Before getting to the robbery, I had to set up a lead, which introduces the readers to the owner, Howard Owens, the manager, Lisa Coure, and the restaurant itself. I have to briefly tell you some things about Owen's history, and what kind of specialties his establishment has to offer. Here is the opening paragraph, which immediately informs you what this particular story will be about.

Old Timers Fish and Pit Barbeque is a popular Nashville restaurant renowned for their trademark fish sandwiches and tasty ribs. Reverend Howard Owen is the proud owner of the establishment, which has been in business for 15 years.
“We stay constantly busy,” said Lisa Coure, the manager. “We have the best fish sandwiches and ribs in town.” Smiling, Owen was quick to correct her: “We have the best fish sandwiches in the country!” he said.

That is my lead, which explains how this particular restaurant differs from others. In this case, it's the fish sandwiches. From this point, I go into more detail on Howard Owen's upbringing. He's from Nashville. He graduated from Pearl High, etc. After that, I dwell further into the restaurant. Prices, food choices, etc. 

Then I dip into the robbery situation, which, in my opinion, gives the story a spice that it wouldn't have otherwise. Profiling a restaurant is cool, but people like to hear about robberies. It's an anecdote that the reader doesn't expect. Besides, not every restaurant you read about in a newspaper has been robbed at gunpoint. You don't hear about a pastor drawing a gun on a robber often, either. It's terrible, and I hate that it happened to them, but the robbery gives this article a little more flavor. In fact, probably as much flavor as the BBQ sauce offered by Old Timers Fish and Pit BBQ. 

After the robbery portion, I move on another traumatic experience that affected nearly everyone in Nashville last year...the flood. Fortunately, Owen's shop was not affected, but this doesn't give me much to work with. However, the owner was quick to note that they fed many of the flood victims during that time. 

At this point, there really isn't anything else to go on. So far in the piece, I wrote about key elements of Owen's personal life, the distinguishing characteristics of the restaurant, the robbery, and the flood. Owens didn't talk much during the interview--He's a man of few words. The story looks great, but you can always add more. I always tell my sources to talk as long as they like during the interview. The more they talk, the bigger and more detailed of an article I can write. Either Owen was busy or just not a big talker. (Although it's hard to picture a Reverend who doesn't talk much.)

I called the restaurant earlier today, hoping to talk to another manager or employee to get a little more information or thoughts on the restaurant or Owen. I wanted to extend the article by at least a paragraph. The jerk who answered the phone was rude and said he was busy. Hey, sometimes people are rude to journalists and you have to take it on the chin. Regardless of whether I talk to another source at the BBQ joint or not, I've got a solid story here. It might be front page. I had no choice but to wrap up the piece, which ends with the restaurant's address, phone number, and a quote from Owen. I normally don't start or end my articles with a quote, but I do it occasionally for dramatic effect. 

On that note, now you can probably see what I mean when I said earlier that I approach every story differently, but my outline never changes. Every article is different. Different people, subjects, circumstances, locations, everything. No two stories are alike, not even follow-ups. (I always take a different angle when I write a follow-up. I never re-write.) 

And, you saw how graceful I move from subject to subject within my stories. I begin with a lead that introduces the main subject(s). Then, I may go into some bio information. Then I'll talk about something else. From there, it'll lead to a new paragraph that opens up a new situation. See what I mean? In this story, we went from the introductory lead, to Owen's bio, to the restaurant's accomplishments and food choices, then the robbery, then the flood, and then we're about done. Every paragraph leads to a new revelation. 

The story is done, but I'll keep looking it over and I might tweak it a bit before submitting it on Sunday. Hopefully Owen will drop off a picture to the Tribune in time for my deadline, but I doubt it. The story won't run until a picture is submitted. If Owen waits an entire month to bring a pic, then the article will most likely be put off for an entire month!!! (GASPS and SHUDDERS)

                            June 9, 2011  

Well, it's publication time!! The story went to press today. As I predicted earlier, it was front page, along with another story I wrote. Here is the finished product (which is exactly the way I wrote it, as you can see. My stories rarely get edited.)

There ya go, kiddies. If you read this whole thing, you were with me every step of the way, from the moment I got the assignment, through a week and a half later when it was published as front page news. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this.

Have a DuggerDay =)

Today, it has been nine years since Lennox Lewis humiliated and brutalized Mike Tyson. I remember it well. It was June 8, 2002. The fight took place in my hometown of Memphis, TN. The entire city was buzzing about this fight, and celebrities were crawling all over town. I was in the 11th grade, and had some friends over to watch the fight live. My parents and sister watched the fight as well. It was the first (and only) fight party I've thrown.

                                                                   Predictions:

Everyone around me was betting on a Tyson win, and I was no different. Here was my reasoning.

1) Then, as now, I had my concerns about the chin of Lennox Lewis. In April of the previous year, a right hand from Hasim Rahman shattered Lennox Lewis and took his Undisputed Championship. Rahman is no Mike Tyson, but he knocked Lewis goofy. Lennox also suffered a one-punch knockout loss to Oliver McCall in 1994. McCall and Rahman are not knockout artists--they're generally held in light regard as fighters. Lewis avenged his losses to them, but the fact remained--Lewis could be knocked out at any given moment.

2) Though he wasn't the sensational beast that he had been in the 1980s, Mike Tyson was still dangerous. He still put the behinds in  arena seats. He maintained his explosive power and speed, but was no longer throwing combinations or using his trademark defense. After prison, he had lost his punching accuracy. He now plodded forward, looking to end things with one big punch. And, it's been proven twice that one punch is all you need to beat Lennox Lewis.

3) I felt even better when Evander Holyfield predicted a Tyson win. He fought both guys, so his opinion was of great value to me. He explained that Tyson will leap off the mat just to land a punch. Evander also stated that Tyson's assault would be too much for Lewis.

                                                                       Styles Make Fights

As a boxing fanatic, I knew what each man needed to do to win. I'd studied their styles enough to know.

What Mike Tyson Must Do: Tyson would need to get inside of Lewis' long reach and pound away. Using his shorter arms, he'd have to get in close and blast away at the body and the head. Tyson is known for his ferocious uppercuts and hooks. Whether he hits you in the head or body, you're most likely going down. With Iron Mike, one punch can put you to sleep, but if he puts a string of punches together, forget about it. The 2002 version of Mike Tyson didn't throw combinations anymore, but as long as he kept throwing punches, he'd increase his chances of a knockout. He should bob and weave to slip Lewis' jab and counter viciously. Cutting the ring and cornering Lewis against the ropes would also work to Tyson's advantage.

What Lennox Lewis Must Do: Lennox Lewis refers to himself as a "Five Dimensional" fighter, classifying himself as a boxer-puncher-mover. He's telling the truth. The guy could box, punch hard, and move moderately well for a man his size. In facing Tyson, Lewis would be best off keeping Tyson at a distance with his long, telephone pole jab. Tyson is only dangerous when he gets inside. Using his jab and reach, Lewis could prevent Tyson from getting close and landing his bombs. Lewis is good enough of a fighter to slug it out toe-to-toe with Mike Tyson, but that puts him at a disadvantage because Tyson would be in range to do some serious damage. A 6'5 man trading with Mike Tyson on the inside is gonna find himself on the canvas sooner than later. 

                                                       Getting the Popcorn and Sodas ready... 

It was an electric night. I remember when Tyson came out to DMX's song, "What's my name!" I was completely hyped. Tyson looked more calm than usual, which was odd because he had been such an aggressive whirlwind earlier in the year to promote this fight. He talked of eating Lennox's kids, and, months earlier, even bit the man's leg at the wild press conference. So, to see a mellow Mike Tyson was a bit strange. At the time, I figured he was just focused. But looking back at the fight all these years later, you can see the insecurity all over his face as he approached the ring. His heart was not in this fight.

Moments later, Lennox Lewis came out looking completely stoic. His song of choice was the laid back "Crazy Baldheads" by the late Bob Marley. The song's reggae groove matched Lewis' relaxed demeanor. There was no emotion on his face--the Heavyweight Champion was focused and ready. He had his long dreads braided neatly into a bun. In addition, his beard and hairline had obviously been trimmed professionally. It looked as if Lewis had just been lined up by Steve Harvey's barber.

There was a team of security personnel in yellow shirts that divided the two heavyweights. Tyson and Lewis stared at each other from across the ring. Lewis showed no fear of Tyson. He looked relaxed, confident, and ready.

The heavyweight champion clearly had the support of the British fans in attendance, but it has to be noted that Tyson was the favorite of the crowd. Everybody came to see "The Baddest Man On The Planet" reclaim his throne.
 

                                                                         The Fight

As predicted, Tyson steamrolled Lewis at the opening bell. He came in low, bobbing and weaving, looking to get inside and counter Lewis with his trademark hooks and uppercuts. He looked similar to the ferocious Mike Tyson of the 1980s; even exchanging jabs with the much taller Lewis. Shortly into the round, Tyson attempted to rush Lewis with a short right hand, but the champion countered with a thunderous uppercut and dazed him. Tyson staggered into the ropes where Lewis pounded on him until they clinched and separated. (pictured above) Tyson was hurt. Despite this, the challenger continued to press Lewis for the remainder of the round, even landing two minor left hooks--one of which staggered Lewis. 

Things looked dangerous for the champion because he was brawling with Mike, but he fought back effectively. Lewis' strategy was apparently to uppercut Tyson whenever he got inside, or clinch and lean on him, smothering his punching space. (Referee Eddie Cotton later penalized him for holding.) Tyson won the round, no doubt because he forced the action. 

During the break, Lewis' trainer, Emmanuel Steward, told the champion to settle down and not fight Tyson's fight. Great advice. Meanwhile, in Tyson's corner, the contender said to his trainer, "Ronnie, I'm hurt." It was the beginning of the end.

Round two began and Lewis adopted a new strategy--he hid behind his long jab and kept Tyson at a distance. After getting struck with another hard uppercut, Tyson relinquished his aggressive assault. From this point on, Lewis had his way. On the few occasions when Tyson got inside, he got smashed with uppercuts. A younger Tyson would have kept pressing Lewis, but the Mike Tyson of 2002 was content taking punishment for 8 rounds. The former champion even told his trainer, Ronnie Shields, that he wanted to quit after the 7th round, but Shields forced him back into the ring for round 8. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Steward was cursing Lewis out in his corner, begging the champion to put Tyson away. (Lewis explained years later that he hurt his right hand, which is why he didn't throw it much in the later rounds).

In the 8th round, Lewis dropped Tyson to a knee with a left uppercut. Shortly after the standing 8 count, Lewis threw his right hand, and Tyson was out. The fallen contender could have gotten up, but you could see in his eyes that he wanted no more. Those who didn't like Tyson thoroughly enjoyed this moment. Mike Tyson took a beating for seven rounds of this fight, and most fans agree that Lewis punished Tyson worse than Evander Holyfield and Buster Douglas did. 
                        

                                                              Final Thoughts:

This was a fight that Tyson could have won, even at this point in his career. He just submitted to Lewis after taking an uppercut in the first round. Iron Mike was still a fast and explosive puncher, but his heart just wasn't in the sport anymore. In fact, I believe that Tyson could have beaten Evander Holyfield in 1996-97. But, Holyfield had a strategy, and Mike didn't. It's as simple as that. Holyfield countered Mike's looping punches and walked him backward. Tyson, on the other hand, was relying on landing one monster punch. Lewis and Holyfield both caught a fading Mike Tyson who became discouraged and vulnerable if he didn't knock you out early.

This was the fight that Tyson needed to win. If he knocked out Lewis, all of his previous losses would have meant zilch. People would say that Iron Mike is the greatest heavyweight of all time when he keeps his head on straight. Not only would Mike have beaten the best heavyweight on the scene, but he would have become a three-time Heavyweight Champion in the process.

As for Lennox Lewis, he too, needed to win this fight for his legacy. He cleaned out the heavyweight division during the 1990s and early 2000s, even unifying the heavyweight championships. But if Tyson had beaten him, he'd never be viewed as an all time great. Lewis was certainly the best of his era, but the fact that he beat washed up versions of Holyfield and Tyson hurts his standing a little. To this day, a lot of American fans don't give Lewis his credit, despite his accomplishments and huge wins over talented competition.

People still debate on who would win between a prime Lewis and a prime Mike Tyson. Lennox Lewis had previously defeated other fighters with Tyson's style. (David Tua, Ray Mercer, Lionel Butler, Tommy Morrison, etc) But to be blunt about it, Tyson is better than each of them. When it comes to countering, defense, aggression, and speed, Tyson was way ahead of the curve. Lennox wouldn't know what hit him, and would find himself asleep for a count of 20. 

I still go back and watch this fight from time to time. The first round is the most exciting. If Tyson had fought at this fast pace for the entire fight, I have no doubt that he would have landed the magic punch he needed to deck Lewis. 

This is a rare snippet from the full, unreleased interview. Listen to Joe's reaction to my "Darth Vader" voice.