Jan 29 - Showtime 10:00
pm
Mike Tyson vs. Julius Francis
Here we go again with the saga of Aluminum Mikey's rise to the top.
Is he still a credible heavyweight contender? Does he have a chance? Are his best days
behind him? The answers are Yes, Yes - and maybe.
We embark on Chapter 4 in the boxing career of Mikey.
In his first run, he was the youngest man to acquire a HW championship belt Nov 22, 1986
in a 2 round stoppage of Trevor Berbick (WBC). His next fight in March 87, he went the
distance with James Smith to win the WBA belt (this is the fight James held on to Mike for
12 rounds and since was nicknamed "Bonecrusher" Smith). In May of the same year
he stopped Pinklon Thomas in 6 then went on the go the distance with Tony Tucker to win
the IBF in Aug 87 which made Mikey the Heavy Weight UNDISPUTED World Champion. So from Aug
87 until Feb 90 Mike was the baddest man on the planet, defending his title 6 times and
stopping everyone who was a threat. EVERYONE! this includes Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes,
Tony Tubbs, Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno and Carl Williams. All KNOWN dangerous heavies,
all stopped inside the distance. Then came the fateful Feb 90 night in Tokyo, when
unheralded and 40-1 underdog Buster Douglas stopped Mikey in 10. Following that major
upset, he finished the year with 2 first round KO's, the rape thing surfaced, he fought 2
epic battles with Donovan Razor Ruddock (2 wins for Mike - 7th rd KO and 12 rd distance)
then was incarcerated, ending Chapter One.
Chapter Two begins in Aug 95 with a first round DQ win against an over matched and
mentally challenged Peter McNeeley. He stops Buster Mathis Jr. in 6 rounds in Dec 95 to
end the year. The Tyson frenzy has begun! In Mar 96 he scores his first belt (WBC) from a
terrified Frank Bruno via a 3rd round TKO, Then the following Sep, he stops an equally
terrified Bruce Seldon in 1 round. The Tyson Express is in full gear, then the train is
derailed by the former world champion and seemingly washed up Evander Holyfield who stops
the frustrated Mikey in 11 rounds on Nov 9, 1996. In the Holyfield rematch the following
year, Mikey is DQ'd and suspended from boxing a year for biting Evander's ears. This
closed Chapter 2.
Chapter Three starts with Mikey being suspended during 1998, then in his first match after
the suspension in Jan 1999, stops former champ Frans Botha in 5 rounds. Really in 1 punch,
because the ring rust showed as Frans was piling up the points prior to the stoppage.
Mikey gets popped assaulting a couple of senior citizens following an automobile fender
bender, and goes back to jail most of 99 for that assault.
This Ends Chapter Three.
Chapter Four is Mikey's latest comeback. Out of jail for the Geritol assault, he fights
former Cruiser Champ Orlin Norris in Oct of last year. Mike opens with his vintage style.
He was ducking punches, displayed some decent head movement, sustained a good body attack
and was putting together some thunderous combinations, when a late hit at the bell had
Orlin quit on his stool. This was a simple arm hook and wasn't thrown with much leverage
but STUNNED Orlin bad! I watched his fall several times, and after the knockdown, he never
limps once or complains about his leg until later. Perhaps he was so dazed he was feeling
no pain. Even on the walk back to the locker room following the fight he walked, once
again, unaided and with no limp. I question this injury. I believe Orlin quit and chose
not to continue and wanted to get paid the easy way. Oh he was paid. There was a big
controversy, a hearing and Mikey was paid to. Now Chapter Four continues this Saturday in
England against Julius Francis.
Julius has always been no more than a club fighter. Of his 7 loses, 4 were by KO. In every
situation when faced with a power puncher, Julius folds. John Ruiz exposed this in Julius'
7th pro fight when he stopped Julius in 4 rounds in May 94. Julius has lost a bout in
every year since, and was last KO'd by my HW favorite, Vitali Klitschko in Apr 98. The
perfect opponent for Mikey! Not only that, of his 21 wins, only 11 KO's . . . no power AND
weak chinned. How delightful. Sure he's the British HW Champ, but make no mistake about it
. . .he's a tomato can set up for Mikey to knock down.
Expect just that. Mikey will start fast and expose a little ring rust as demonstrated by
those monster air combo's. Then he'll get his range and timing together and stop this bum
inside the first 4 heats. Mikey's looking past this fight because they have negotiated a
possible matchup with Lou Savarese this Mar and there's rumors floating that Lewis is
talking about a fight with Mikey in which each would make 41 Million!!
Mikey is a cashcow still. Believe it.
Would he last against some of the younger heavies like David Tua, John Ruiz, Ike Ibeabachi
or Michael Grant or either Klitschko brothers? That remains to be seen.
Is Mikey still a dominate force in the HW division? Use this dismantling as a gauge.
Tyson inside 4
Joe Calzaghe vs. David Starie
This will prove to be the most entertaining bout of this card. Both are about at the same
level in their career, but I believe one person has the edge, and that's Joe. Joe captured
the WBO super mw crown via a unanimous decision to Chris Eubanks in Oct 97. He has
defended the title 4 times, going the distance in his last 2 defenses. He hasn't
registered a KO since his second defense in Apr 98. This is his American television debut,
and I expect him to put together a good show for us.
David is a contender who has always been at the threshold title contention. In his only
loss, he was stopped by unheralded Dean Francis in 6 rounds in Jul 97. Since then he has
reeled off 8 wins, five inside the distance. All against less than stellar opponents. He
makes a tremendous step up in opposition against Joe, and I expect him to rise to the
occasion. . . for a while. Expect pretty solid early rounds but Joe's heavy hands,
blinding speed and southpaw stance will add to the demise of David. Joe needs to get
inside and not allow David to fight from the outside. Joe needs to utilize the body attack
to remove David's range, then go in for the kill. I expect Joe to mount an aggressive and
sustained attack. He'll be on David like Mike Tyson at a beauty pageant =)
Joe can stop you in the first, or the last round. I see him stopping David inside 9 tough
fought rounds.
Calzaghe inside 9
In Retrospect:
Mike Tyson vs. Julius Francis
Exactly as expected! We saw a glimpse of the Mickey of old. He displayed good
head movement, ducked punches well, sustained a substantial body attack and threw
thunderous combinations. Some ring rust was displayed as expected, but those body shots
were hard and well placed. In reviewing the last knock down, it was well noted that the
last R uppercut thrown prior to Julius kissing the canvass did NOT connect. It seemed
shaky at best, and seemed Francis was taking a dive. Further scrutiny of the last exchange
proved the first shot that landed was a vicious right hook to the body (out of camera
view), then the L hook overhead and R uppercut cut that all miss their intended mark.
Julius was dropped the last time by a bodyshot.
The best knock down was the 2nd one in round 1. That L hook to the temple that sent Julius
down could of ended the fight, and would of stopped a lesser heavy weight. Julius did
display some heart, and was trying to be competitive. His only mistake was trying to stand
toe to toe with Mikey. Bad mistake.
This does make a statement to WBO HW champ Vitali Klitschko though. It took the 6'7"
Vitali 4 rounds to stop Julius. Mikey steps up to the plate and drops him twice in 1 and 3
times in round 2. Mikey IS rated #1 by the WBO. Hmmmm.
Lou Savarese is expected to be Tyson's next challenge some time in Mar or Apr. This will
lend credence to Tyson's validity as a viable contender if he stops the journeyman Lou
expeditiously. Then perhaps another tune up, then Lewis.
Who ever Tyson fights next, you can bet it will be an over-hyped mega buck fight!
Joe Calzaghe vs. David Starie
Almost as expected. I never realized that these two were friends, and from what I
saw, they fought just as they were. Joe never went after David with vigor and there were
moments in the clinches that both were whispering and smiling. Unbelievable!!!
This didn't prove to the U.S. boxing fans his dominance at 168 lbs, but you can bet his
next outing will prove this to be fact. I'll keep an eye on the Welch banger.
