Boxer Mike Tyson Pleads Guilty To Drug Possession, DUI Charges

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Sad...

[H2O Man]

1. Yep.

He faces up to 4.5 years of incarceration.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. What A Waste Of Talent

But pressure fighters have a short prime...And then you have all the other stuff...

[H2O Man]

3. A friend

signed him over to Cus D'Amato as a young teen. Another friend had told me early on that although he would eventually win the heavyweight title, that he would self-destruct. Once Cus died, he was lost. The saddest thing is that after boxing, he began to settle down. He has some serious substance abuse issues, but the DA seems to be looking more for a serious prison sentence than for treatment. I do think the DA sounds like a decent guy, and he has said he doesn't take any pleasure in prosecuting this case.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. It's No Wonder He Idolizes Sonny Liston

eom

[H2O Man]

5. There are some things

each had in common. Liston had been in jail as a young man. Also, I remember former light heavyweight champion and RFK friend Jose Torres saying that Liston "was so smart, it wasn't funny." But he was functionally illiterate, and his intelligence did not come across through the media. The same can be said of Tyson.

Sonny was huge at a young age. Mike was in youth facilities well before he grew into a heavyweight. Short kids with lisps do not have an easy time in those facilities. As a result, Mike experienced things that contributed to his rage. In that sense, he had some different problems that Liston.

Both had issues with substance abuse. There is a growing awareness of the increased risks that retired boxers -- even the well-educated ones -- have in regard to specific drugs that trigger certain parts of the brain. Joe Louis, Sonny Liston, and Mike Tyson are but three examples of former champions who had a problem with that white powder.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. You Forgot Sugar Ray Leonard Who Had A Problem With The White Powder

When I read about his addiction problem and the spousal abuse I was shocked as I thought he was one person who had it all together...

[H2O Man]

7. Good call.

I did think of Ray -- the difference is that he has been able to deal with issues of addiction. The three I listed are heavyweight champions who weren't or aren't successful with recovery. Louis is important, because unlike Liston or Tyson, the public loved him.

There are many, many more cases. Some are famous, like Jerry and Mike Quarry, and many more are the guys who never made it big in the ring. They become addicted, and there is a more severe type of damage to the old grey cells that results from the combination of taking punches and then that powder.

When I was a kid, a lot of old "punch drunk" fighters became skid row drunkards. Now, more and more are doing severe damage with cocaine.

I'm glad Ray was able to stop.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. After Ali He Was My Favorite Fighter...

eom

[H2O Man]

9. Ray?

When he fought Randy Milton in Utica, NY (5-13-78), my brother was one of the opponents that the promoters had considered. (After retiring, my brother destroyed himself with cocaine; he went from being a member of mensa international, to being a confused shell of his former self, incapable of self-care.)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. Ray Leonard Was My Second Favorite Fighter Because He Reminded Me Of Ali

eom

[Blackhatjack]

10. I agree sad. But there is blame for the powers that be in charge in professional boxing as well...

Once Cus died, there were few people 'inside' boxing that reached out to Mike in 'his best interests.' There were a couple of managers who tried to deal with Tyson on an arms length 'fair' basis, but there really was no one that Tyson had a personal relationship with and trusted.

However, Don King and other promoters saw Tyson for the cash cow he was, and proceeded to get him indebted to such a degree that they maintained control over his boxing career.

It happens to all too many young boxers with talent.

Two books rip the cover off of professional boxing's dark side. The unauthorized biography of Don King, and George Foreman's first book.

You cannot read these two books and look at boxing the same way again.

As for Mike Tyson.... this was all predictable. Sad...

[H2O Man]

11. Don King

talked Ali into his two last fights (Holmes and Berbick) even though King was aware that scans had indicated the Champ had some serious brain problems.

Jimmy Jacobs and Bill Cayton tried to help Mike after Cus died. Butking warned Mike to be careful of them, because they were white. The truth is that Jacobs and Cayton were two of the most decent people who were ever involved in managing fighters; King is the single worst.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. I Can't Forgive The Folks That Let The Holmes-Ali Fight Come To Pass

And Ali's third wife, Veronica Porsche, has some responsibility for that fiasco...

But, I am sure Ali thought he could pull it off... As an aside , didn't Ali get a clean bill of health from the Mayo Clinic...

[Blackhatjack]

14. Jacobs and Cayton were those I referred to in my post....

However, neither of them were ever able to bridge the personal relationship gap with Tyson and establish trust.

King stepped in and destroyed the relationship that did exist between them.

Some have observed that because Cus and his wife adopted Mike, and were so close to him, it made it difficult for Mike to transfer that sole source of trust to any other individual.

And of course, Mike listened to King and others telling him how great he was and how he did not have to worry about money --big mistake.