Is Tyson's World Tour a promising idea for old champs?

[Kev]

Ok first off, resist the immediate urge to sadclick me and say the whole idea sucks balls but personally I've been thinking about this and I actually think it could be kinda entertaining if former greats followed suit.

Now I don't mean going on a world tour like Tyson but putting on some kind of exhibition events between former greats just to see them in the ring together again, like a Rolling Stones reunion tour or Take That getting back together, (minus Robbie)

What do you guys think of the idea for example of a Legends Show featuring maybe Ray Leonard, Duran, Hagler and Hearns all taking part in a fun tournament and all fighting each other.

Now I know this isn't real boxing, of course not, but something inside of me kind of felt good when Tyson was boxing Sanders at the weekend.

I know it wasn't a 'fight' but in some ways I actually preferred that. Before Tyson's fate was bound up in the result, as it would be for any ex champ coming back for real, but in this style of event you can just enjoy seeing an olf favourite again without having to worry about them getting hurt, or embarrasing themselves.

You see I have my boxing hero's like all of you do but unlike say in music and cinema where you can enjoy somebodys talents almost up until they die in boxing it's just a fleeting moment then they are gone.

Ultimately what I'm asking is do fighters entertain us soley for their great sporting achievements when they were at their peak or can their mere presence delight? It's a performance after all, we still pay old timers to sing their classics from 50 years ago, whether their voice is still upto scratch is less important than actually seeing them actually perform.

I would absolutely love to see little show's put on that reunite old fighters with the fans and with each other.

A Benn Eubank exhibition for a bit of light hearted entertainment and a chance for some real nostalgia.

I got to thinking about this, and I don't know if I'm crazy but I would actually prefer this to some 'real' fightcards, at the very least it would be a nice chance to relive old memories and to see some of our sporting greats in action again.

Does anyone agree, or am I alone in this?

[DaxxKahn]

I agree and don't. Actually if you look at the records of some champions from 1900-1925 you can see they have exabition bouts on their record.
I kind of like the idea of an old timers card. As long as they are not fully blown out (Have you seen Duran lately LOL)....Maybe as a charity event.

The Tson thing is just sad. Pitiful actualy. Look at how far this man has fallen. This guy was destined to be the all time most successful guy in the sport. If he stayed on the right path. Hell I will say since it seems like the media has forgotten about it. If he stayed with rooney and Jacobs/Cayton connection. He would have been long retired. Most likely broke Marcianos record and gone down as possible the greatest HW in history. But no he had to be a screw up.
He is now a side show people pay to see what he will do next. Not to see him box. Exabitions? 241lbs. Corrie T-Rex Sanders in headgear. IMO one step above begging for money.

[Violent Demise]

The idea sucks. And here's #136

[Cortez The Killer]

George Foreman didn't need a world tour and he was an old champ. He did it the REAL way.

I always have had a soft spot for Tyson, but I would be very disappointed if "world tours" after a boxer's career is over became the norm. And, not many fighters, and arguably NO heaveyweights were more exciting than Tyson..so i think it's the exception that he's able to do one successfully (If it's even considered successful, I havent followed it at all). I think for many ex-champs having a "world tour" would bomb and be a failure. Only very few elite fighters would be able to attract an audience for such a thing.

[Kev]

George Foreman didn't need a world tour and he was an old champ. He did it the REAL way.

I always have had a soft spot for Tyson, but I would be very disappointed if "world tours" after a boxer's career is over became the norm. And, not many fighters, and arguably NO heaveyweights were more exciting than Tyson..so i think it's the exception that he's able to do one successfully (If it's even considered successful, I havent followed it at all). I think for many ex-champs having a "world tour" would bomb and be a failure. Only very few elite fighters would be able to attract an audience for such a thing.

I agree that no boxers should have a PPV world tour but live exhibition events featuring our favourite hero's from the past I think would be a great idea.

Forget about it being real boxing, the question I'm asking is whether a boxer's appreciation lies solely in his being able to compete at a world level, or if like musicians, actors and other entertainers their true appeal lies within the man himself?

So for example a Benn Eubank exhibition fight would certainly not be a real event and I wouldn#t want it to be so. But to see them in the ring again, just sparring even, brings back some nostalgic feelings which allow for a very entertaining evening.

Don't get me wrong I don't want to see PPV world tours popping up but imagine if Benn and Eubank did a national UK tour fighting a 4 round exhibition in cities throughout the country, and not just big venues but little cities like Southampton, Plymouth, Leicester etc couldn't that be an interesting event?

Just for the opportunity to see them both in the ring together again, and this time without the hostility of real fighting would result in a nice enjoyable feel good night out I think.

I guess it ultimately depends on whether you regard your boxing hero's as 'entertainers' or not.

Personally though I'd rather watch Roberto Duran punch a heavybag for 20 minutes in his current condition than go to a pop concert. I'm talking as a live event here, obviously I wouldnt download a video of Duran punching a heavybag but you know what I mean!

If Duran was fighting a 4 round exhibition with Tommy Hearns in my home town next weekend I would want tickets, and that's what I'm talking about, not a television event , rather attending a live event.

I think such live exhibitions could prove popular as say an alternative to a night out a comedy club for example.

[ross]

A Benn Eubank exhibition for a bit of light hearted entertainment and a chance for some real nostalgia.

I dont think it would remain light hearted for loong, these Two know exactly how to make each other react

I think Mike is one of the only fighters active or not that could make some thing like this a success, as we all know Mike draws crowds whatever, boxing fans or not, its Mike Tyson

[Cortez The Killer]

George Foreman didn't need a world tour and he was an old champ. He did it the REAL way.

I always have had a soft spot for Tyson, but I would be very disappointed if "world tours" after a boxer's career is over became the norm. And, not many fighters, and arguably NO heaveyweights were more exciting than Tyson..so i think it's the exception that he's able to do one successfully (If it's even considered successful, I havent followed it at all). I think for many ex-champs having a "world tour" would bomb and be a failure. Only very few elite fighters would be able to attract an audience for such a thing.

I agree that no boxers should have a PPV world tour but live exhibition events featuring our favourite hero's from the past I think would be a great idea.

Forget about it being real boxing, the question I'm asking is whether a boxer's appreciation lies solely in his being able to compete at a world level, or if like musicians, actors and other entertainers their true appeal lies within the man himself?

So for example a Benn Eubank exhibition fight would certainly not be a real event and I wouldn#t want it to be so. But to see them in the ring again, just sparring even, brings back some nostalgic feelings which allow for a very entertaining evening.

Don't get me wrong I don't want to see PPV world tours popping up but imagine if Benn and Eubank did a national UK tour fighting a 4 round exhibition in cities throughout the country, and not just big venues but little cities like Southampton, Plymouth, Leicester etc couldn't that be an interesting event?

Just for the opportunity to see them both in the ring together again, and this time without the hostility of real fighting would result in a nice enjoyable feel good night out I think.

I guess it ultimately depends on whether you regard your boxing hero's as 'entertainers' or not.

Personally though I'd rather watch Roberto Duran punch a heavybag for 20 minutes in his current condition than go to a pop concert. I'm talking as a live event here, obviously I wouldnt download a video of Duran punching a heavybag but you know what I mean!

If Duran was fighting a 4 round exhibition with Tommy Hearns in my home town next weekend I would want tickets, and that's what I'm talking about, not a television event , rather attending a live event.

I think such live exhibitions could prove popular as say an alternative to a night out a comedy club for example.

Hahaha, can't wait to see that on PPV: Duran punching Heavybag for 20 minutes...LIVE from Duran's basement!

Forget about it being real boxing, the question I'm asking is whether a boxer's appreciation lies solely in his being able to compete at a world level, or if like musicians, actors and other entertainers their true appeal lies within the man himself?

I know what you mean and that sentence of yours put it well. I guess it really depends on the fans, the fighter, and why the fans liked the fighter. It's hard to compare a sport like boxing with musicians, actors, etc. Though there are fighters who I feel fond of, it's mostly the intangibles of the sport I like: heart, the competition, the need to perform at such a high level, etc. I think a lot of people feel the same way..if you are going to pay to see someone fight....you want to see them FIGHT. Or at least I do. I can think of a few exceptions, but they would all be considered legends and all of which I would just be happy to meet. I'd be more interested in meeting a lot of ex-fighters than seeing them give a performance that isn't going to compare to what they used to do. I don't think "World Tour" type events would work at all. Maybe if there were legends involved...like your example of Duran, or Leonard than I think it would be worth seeing as well. It's the kind of thing I would only be interested in seeing in person, certainly not PPV.

Still, like I said I dont think it would be a good idea. I think overall such a thing would be very unsuccessful for 99.9 % of former champs..and a lot of people might just see it as a money making scheme. But boxing fans are used to that.

I really think that Tyson was the one fighter that a world-tour could have/did work for. People are going to be fascinated with him for a long time.


You made some good points for it bilbo and had me giving it more consideration than I thought I wouldve, but I think most of the public would view it as a scam and even legends like Duran would have trouble selling tickets for such a thing (other than certain areas). I think the idea of hacing the world tour on ppv is pushing it; but like I think it was you who said a few weeks ago about Tyson's world tour: it gives people a chance to see him perform who never would have been able to otherwise and I'm sure it's more than worth the money to them.

[cjm2681]

im gonna go out on a limb here and agree with bilbo. i would like to see the old guys put on a show.

hagler in there with leonard again goofing around would be great to see. i wouldnt pay for it but if espn classic made a show of it or something once a month i would definitely watch.

[Wacko3205]

A long time ago I was talking about a seniors tour...I think that they should do it.

Tyson's World Tour...not so sure about that.

I have a large amount of...errrrrmmmmmm...NO LIKEE for Tyson.

I suppose that he needs the money & blah blah blah...but Tyson, IWO, is bad for the sport & he's got no love for it...I don't know...I guess in the end...I guess I just don't dig on Tyson.

That being said...a senior's tour would be nice.

Set rules, 4 rounds, maybe even head gear...depending on the players.

[cjm2681]

yeah im all for it i still would want to see big george and holmes do it for real! so a seniors league with 4 rds sounds good to me. then again i also find it entertaining to watch two retards in a drooling contest so my opinion may not be the best for this topic

[Kev]

Thanks for the input guys, it's nice to see some people taking time to really think about the issue rather than just ridiculing it.

Think of the idea as a kind of An Audience With..... type of event.

Imagine this if you....

Say Frazier Foreman, Noreton, Holmes etc (Ali would probably be too ill to appear sadly) it would be a live event on tour at relatively modest venues easily accessible to fans who wanted to get tickets.

You would turn up for the show say at 7 pm, there could be a highlights reel shown of some of their famous fight footage, then legends would be introduced, a few friendly fights with some sparring and light hearted ring banter, then maybe followed with a Q & A session if they wern't too knackered.

Personally I think it would be an awesome night out, a chance to see for real some of the greatest fighters who ever lived and relive their greatest moments with them.

I think that in this sense fans are detached from hero's more than say singers or entertainers who they can easily see perform live if they wanted to.

If such an event was for charity then it would be even better.

As far as Tyson's world tour I can see how it is easy to be critical but I actually think it's not a bad idea.

I feel that Mike has obviously had a wild 20 years experiencing a rollercoaster of extreme highs and lows that probably none of us could ever begin to imagine.

If this tour can somehow act as a kind of catharsis for Mike and help him improve his public image as well as his self image then I'm 100% all for it.

And as I said in another thread if Tyson came to my town to spar I would be there like a shot. Not because I want him to implode like other posters have mentioned but rather because I have followed Mike's career since I was a boy. Staying up to listen live on the radio when he fought Frank Bruno is my earliest memory of boxing even if I wanted to Frank to win!

You see as a boxing fan for over 20 years there are some fighters Tyson, Eubank, Benn, Bruno etc that I grew up with.

Hell Bruno was even popular in pantomine such was his appeal to the British public, how great would it be to see him in the ring live fighting an exhibition rematch with Lewis or Joe Bugner?!

It's not really about the fights, it's the opportunity to see your hero's close up in person, doing what they were once so famous for.

It's also a nice experience to see fighters, just to know that they are well and doing ok.

I mean how is Joe Frazier doing nowadays, I havn't a clue? I know he had some rundown gym where he trained young street kids but I don't know if he's still doing it.

What about Carmen Bassilio, Henry Cooper, Marvin Hagler, Ken Norton etc, I don't know what any of them are doing now?

When you consider that famous fighters are legends forever (well hundred years or so at least) it seems a shame if we never get to see them in the ring again, old foes reunited before they die. A sad fact but true nonetheless. Think how important a documentary Champions Forever will become once Ali has gone, seeing as that was probably the last and to my knowledge the only time all of these fighters got publicly reunited.

I really think exhibition events could have enormous potential if handled correctly.

I don't mean PPV world tours as a way to make quick cash but as nostalgic events and an opportunity to see old fighters who had fierce rivalries reunited and friends woudl be an awesome feel good spectacle!


Anyway I have blabbered on, coolclicks to everyone who posted, violent demise I've sadclicked you not because I wanted to but merely because if I coolclicked you after you sc me you would take that as being very gay so a sc it is

[Wacko3205]

Anyway I have blabbered on, coolclicks to everyone who posted...

Good blabbering.

back for what I already applauded as good thoughts.

Again, I think that the idea of it is a good concept for fighters that are just outside of their game & age range...you could even throw in the wild cards...the "save them from their selfers" so to speak...Joe Mesi being a prime candidate.

Anywho...I think that it should come off...it'd be good for the fighters to keep them active & good for the fans.

violent demise I've sadclicked you not because I wanted to but merely because if I coolclicked you after you sc me you would take that as being very gay so a sc it is

Cover up your poop chute...for you have played right into his hands...

[Kev]

Anyway I have blabbered on, coolclicks to everyone who posted...

Good blabbering.

back for what I already applauded as good thoughts.

Again, I think that the idea of it is a good concept for fighters that are just outside of their game & age range...you could even throw in the wild cards...the "save them from their selfers" so to speak...Joe Mesi being a prime candidate.

Anywho...I think that it should come off...it'd be good for the fighters to keep them active & good for the fans.

violent demise I've sadclicked you not because I wanted to but merely because if I coolclicked you after you sc me you would take that as being very gay so a sc it is

Cover up your poop chute...for you have played right into his hands...

Ha yeah I realise that, let him bring it, I can take it