Mike Tyson learnt the hard way that he no longer had the heart to box, taking a battering from Irishman Kevin McBride before retiring after six rounds in what he dubbed his ring goodbye.
“I can’t do this any more. “I can’t lie to myself,” Tyson stated in Washington. “I can’t do it. I’m not going to embarrass the sport again. This is just my conclusion.
“That is it. It’s complete.”
Tyson’s turbulent 20-year career saw him become the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 before falling into disgrace due to rape and assault charges, as well as a one-year ban for biting Evander Holyfield’s ears.
“I just don’t have it in me,” Tyson admitted.
“I’ve just finished this. I’m not good anymore. I’m not sure I have the stomach for this anymore. I don’t have anything worth fighting for anymore.”
Tyson’s final moments in boxing came late in a wild sixth round, when he head-butted McBride and trapped his opponent’s left arm, raising fears that he might shatter it, as he nearly did South African Francois Botha’s arm.
“I was desperate to win,” Tyson acknowledged. “Man, I’d have done anything.”
Tyson received two points from referee Joe Cortez for the head-butt, which created a cut under McBride’s left eye.
The Irish journeyman rallied and held Tyson on the ropes before shoving him to his back as round six concluded.
Tyson remained sitting for a few moments before reluctantly rising and walking to his corner, never to return, his attempted comeback destroyed.
“I did not want to get up. “I was exhausted,” Tyson admitted.
“It was not in my heart. I was doing it, but I didn’t want to move further. I simply lacked the drive to continue fighting.
“I felt 120 years old.” “I feel like Rip Van Winkle right now.”
In many respects, Tyson recognized that his boxing career had ended the night in Tokyo when Buster Douglas knocked him out in the tenth round to claim the undisputed title.
McBride merely finished the job Douglas had started.
“My career has been over since 1990,” Tyson explained.
“I am not interested in fighting anymore. If I can’t beat him, then I can’t beat anyone. I don’t think I can beat Father Time. I don’t think I have the heart to do it anymore.
“I don’t feel this in my gut anymore. I’m not interested in being beaten up. It’s hard to battle when your heart isn’t in it.
Tyson’s career ended 50-6 when he suffered his third defeat in his final four contests.
In Pride of Ireland, McBride won for the ninth consecutive time with a score of 33-4 and one draw.
“This win was for the pride of Ireland,” McBride stated. “I proved everybody incorrect.”
Tyson stated that he would have fought again if he had won, in part because he owes federal taxes, which would have been settled after a few more planned fights.
“When I have some money, I’ll pay them,” Tyson explained. “If not, I won’t.”
Tyson may not have much money very soon if he accepts a missionary posting, which he has indicated is feasible.
“I want to do something to help someone,” he remarked. “I have to help. I’d like to contribute to something. “If I don’t, I feel emotionally dead.”
Tyson, who turns 39 on June 30, said his goodbyes in his first fight since a fourth-round knockout loss to Britain’s Danny Williams last July.
Two judges had Tyson up 57-55 after six rounds, while the third had McBride up by the same margin.
Tyson started the fourth round with a barrage of damaging punches to McBride’s head and torso, but the astonished Irishman withstood the storm and had Tyson pinned against the ropes late in round five, hitting him with strong inside rights.
Tyson had little left after McBride escaped the fury, akin to the hammering he suffered before biting Holyfield’s ears in a title battle.
McBride, Tyson’s tallest and heaviest opponent, had superior size and reach yet consistently clinched to avoid Tyson’s crushing power punches, attacking in response with uppercuts.
