Will Tyson still be an force in the ring?

By: Tony Scott 

October 9, 2001 

He hasn’t been in the ring in almost exactly a year…He hasn’t officially won a fight in 16 months…He has fought only 5 fights in the last 4 years…He has fought only 33 rounds (and 11 fights) since being released from prison in early 1995. 

Who is “he”??? No other than “Iron” Mike Tyson. 

Mike Tyson (48-3-0-2, 42 KO) is finally getting back in the ring this Saturday night in Copenhagen, Denmark, a fight that will be shown tape-delayed on Showtime at 10 PM EST. So if you don’t want to know who won, stay away from news sources and internet sites Saturday afternoon. 

Tyson’s opponent??? Brian Nielsen (62-1, 43 KO), a very popular Danish fighter, who will most definitely have his hometown fans behind him. 

Tyson, the WBC’s #1 Heavyweight contender, summed up very quickly of how he thinks the fight will go. “I expect to destroy Brian Nielsen.” 

Nielsen obviously expects things to go a bit differently. “I am in the best shape of my life. I am going to beat Tyson. People can think what they want. I have been underestimated for 63 fights. I am used to it.” 

The plan for Tyson is that if he beat Nielsen, he will get the winner of the Hasim Rahman/Lennox Lewis rematch for his first chance at a world title since June of 1997 when he got DQ’d against Evander Holyfield. 

Tyson, though, is saying he is not looking ahead. “My sole focus is on Nielsen. I cannot get distracted or worry about what my next fight may be.” 

Nielsen, who has been criticized for fighting European cream puffs, left Tyson with a message of not over looking the big Dane. “The perception in the United States is that I am a typical European heavyweight and have fought only over-the-hill guys, or nobodies. I was a bronze medallist in the 1992 Olympics and have faced as many good opponents in the pros as most heavyweights.” 

In the past 3 months, Tyson has been accused and questioned about two different sexual abuse accusations. Surely, these distractions won’t help Tyson, but if he wants to be champion again, he must put them aside and focus first on Nielsen and then on challenging for the title early next year. 

On the undercard, Joe Calzaghe (31-0, 26 KO) will defend his WBO Super Middleweight Title against top contender Will McIntyre (31-4-2, 13 KO). The fight will be shown on Showtime as a lead in to the Tyson/Nielsen fight.