The problem was the big screens at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. They showed the matches of times gone by, when Mike Tyson gave everyone very little chance of survival. A problem, because already when he took the ring walk it immediately became clear that there was nothing left of that myth. He faded, even the tattoo of Che Guevara on his left side faded, the memory faded too. Jake Paul, a young YouTuber (31 younger), won on points: clearly, after 8 dull rounds, devoid of boxing sense. Right verdict: Tyson for the first two rounds (2′ and with huge gloves to reduce risks) he even thought for a few moments of reviving ancient glories, but soon the law of time took over. He hadn’t won for 21 years, hadn’t fought for 19, he finished out of breath and luckily Jake Paul respected him: the YouTuber is a mediocre boxer, but he’s a young and active boxer. “I was sincerely worried for Tyson when I understood, speaking with some American technicians, that the two were serious. Luckily Paul didn’t push to the max, but if he now wants a match against a real boxer who is in the rankings, I’m ready to face him even in a week’s time.” Guido Vianello, the constantly rising Roman heavyweight, tells us immediately.
(afp)
A huge round of dollars
Looking at the 8 rounds, one would say that he has lost boxing. In reality this is not the case, given that boxing is something else. That’s what for example two extraordinary girls, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, they showed in that same ring in a super lightweight world championship that will be remembered for years. Tyson-Paul was instead an immense circus full of money. A 300 million dollar round: 40 of them were taken by the YouTuber, around twenty ended up in Iron Mike’s bank account. However, an evening not to be underestimated for other aspects, first of all the arrival of Netflix for an event of this kind.
Friends at the bedside of the legend
By the way, problems were reported on the streaming platform, which had to manage the huge influx of spectators for the event. Yes, the witnesses of this melancholy sunset were an avalanche. Eighty thousand were in the stadium, many illustrious people at ringside. There was Evander Holyfield, against whom Tyson had lost himself by cutting off his ear, there was Lennox Lewis, the one against whom he understood that for real boxing it was all over. Arriving in Texas as if at the bedside of an old friend, because in boxing when you step out of the ring grit gives way to feeling.
Tyson: “I had to show something only to myself”
Tyson tried to reinvent himself by challenging a big boy who was more comfortable with the rules of the show (arriving in the ring in a car that looked like a comic was an anthological one) than with boxing technique. Money aside, he got nothing out of it. It was enough for Jake Paul to make him tired for a couple of minutes, then he started working with the jab and took home the match without any risk, with the nice final gesture of bowing towards the old champion. “America is rising again,” Paul said after the match. It could be a reference to the victory of Donald Trump, who he had endorsed. Tyson for his part said: “I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, but only to myself.” It is not certain that he succeeded.
Jake Paul arriving in the ring in a car. At his side is his brother Logan
Katie Taylor beats Amanda Serrano in the world championship which will go down in history
As mentioned, the memorable event of the evening was the women’s super lightweight world championship, where the label of match of the century did not prove to be an exaggeration. Katie Taylor confirmed herself as champion by beating Amanda Serrano on points in the rematch of the match, also won by the Irishman, which had filled Madison Square Garden. Match of rare intensity seen by the three judges in the same way (95-94 on all cards). Taylor constantly looked for the short distance, showing off a speed of execution not at all tarnished by his 38 years and a very long career. Serrano, for his part, looked more for power. The Irishman was in trouble in the first round, when a left hook from the Puerto Rican left her wobbling. Then the match balanced out, going in alternating phases and without a second of banality.
A left from Katie Taylor hits Serrano in the face
Serrano fought from the fourth round with a wound to the eyebrow arch – caused by an involuntary headbutt – which gradually opened up to become impressive. It must be said that in Europe any match, even a male one, in such situations would have been suspended. A penalty point for the head leaning dangerously forward, inflicted by the referee on Taylor in the eighth round could have had an impact, even psychologically, on the final. Instead, the girl from Bray showed moral qualities that were already known, with the last two rounds fought openly and which brought the whole stadium to their feet.
Casamonica makes a good impression against Bahdi
He fought too Armando Casamonicathe Furia del Quadraro, defeated on points by the Canadian Lucas Bahdi. The Roman fared rather well, so much so that the verdict for Bahdi was not unanimous. In fact, one of the 3 judges gave it a draw (95-95). A defeat to be accepted without drama, because by accepting the challenge Casamonica has raised the bar enormously: Bahdi in fact before now had won 15 of the 17 matches played by knockout.
