by A.P.
When Mike Tyson was in his prime, he was described as “the baddest man on the planet.” A heavyweight boxing champion who thrashed his opponents into submission so quickly, many of them never even got to experience a seat on the corner stool — they were in and out of the ring in less than three minutes.
He was ferocious and his beatings could be savage; Tyson’s fists moved so fast that “Iron Mike” struck fear into his opponents long before they stepped through the ropes and, even now, 15 years after his last fight as a professional, the 54-year-old American maintains a formidable reputation.
A man who frequently courted controversy both inside and outside of the ring, the former world heavyweight champion could be described as many things, but it seems rather unusual to call him “a dance partner,” which is how Roy Jones Jr. referred to his compatriot ahead of their exhibition fight in Los Angeles on Saturday.
“I’m happy, I get to see what it’s like to be in the ring with Mike Tyson before I die,” Jones told CNN. “I’ll get the best wishes of my life.”
For the 51-year-old Jones, this is almost a story of unrequited love, a date — at last — with the fighter that got away.
