The End of an Era? Tyson

Good evening to all, tonight I finally had a chance to see what might be the very last Mike Tyson fight ever, sure was sad to see how things turned out for ol' Iron Mike. Through the years of his career, I've experienced moments of pure boxing joy when Tyson had one punch power, a no-nonsense approach and style, and reigned as king of the hill, to moments of near sadness at witnessing the ugly side of boxing when Tyson bit a piece Evander Holyfield's ear off, and when he was seemingly out of control during both professional and personal moments in his life. For all that can be said about Tyson, he is a difficult person to either appreciate or despise, ask anyone and you'll find that most people pick a side. I lean more towards the side of appreciating the boxer for what he gave to the sport, more than taking the easy road and tearing him down for the times when frustration, age, personal / financial problems began to take their toll on his performance and behavior. Anyone who has been involved in a combat sport such as boxing or even martial arts can tell you that the personal mental battle is more difficult to master than any opponent you could ever face, go into a match-up without a clear mind, and problems are sure to follow. Anger, frustration, and despair are the true enemies to anyone engaging in a fight, and that seemed to be the greatest obstacle Mike Tyson faced in all his years. It's disheartening to hear that after all the blood, sweat, and tears, Mike is close to being broke, with so many hands in his pocket following a match that from the millions earned, his take is in the thousands before taxes and living expenses. Tonight I heard a legend, with bowed head, express how he no longer had the heart for boxing, and was simply boxing to support himself and his daughter. On what might have been his final walk to the dressing room, some spectators had the nerve to pelt the man with garbage, I would ask any of them to walk in Mike's shoes for just a short time, but I know that not one of them could meet that challenge. As a boxing fan, I bid a fond farewell to Mike Tyson, and hope the future brings good fortune to him, may God put some good people in his path to give him help and point him in the right direction when needed. If I had a way to pass along a few words to Mike, I'd ask that he polish up his personal life, and put forth the image of someone wishing to be on his best behavior, get a good agent, and charge them with the task of contacting HBO and Showtime for a boxing commentator job. I know I'd tune in to hear what he had to say during the fights, and it would be a way for Mike to remain close to the sport which he loved. Is this the end of an era? I guess only time will tell...... but whatever the outcome, it is one that has been played out numerous times in boxing, a sport where sometimes the participants can't afford to quit and stay on longer than they should.