KK Unpacks Netflix Disaster: Tyson Vs. Paul

Special treat for TKC readers that I didn't realize until a few moments ago . . .

SPECIAL THANKS TO KK!!! WE ASKED FOR HIS TAKE AND DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO TREAT US TO EXPERT KANSAS CITY SPORTS TALKER PERSPECTIVE!!!

Rather than sharing links on this one. We think KK's take stands above the rest and offers a local connection and he even delves into the Netflix drama angle.

Here's the word and a PERFECT weekend think piece . . . 

Kevin Kietzman: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

I think they actually got a little lucky that Netflix screwed up so bad or more people would be complaining at the total lack of action in the main event.  The undercard had some real boxing, some total theater and some slop.  The main even hype and intro, of course, was longer than the fight but not more interesting.  This was not a great heavyweight fight in the tradition of what was once a national pastime.  We have moved on to UFC and other combat sports and boxing has been pushed to the back burner.  It's too hard for most people to score a fight or understand how a fight is scored and they actually called boxing the "sweet science" of sports.  To me, this was code for the promoters will do whatever they want and fix outcomes so they could make more money with the next fight.

Fans want knockouts, or at least knockdowns to decide who won a fight.  This Tyson fight didn't have a single thing a Tyson fan would want to see.  He never attacked, was clearly hell bent on just making it 8 rounds without going to the hospital and cashing his check.  Tyson did that.  

Paul could have gone in more aggressively but once he landed a few punches in the first 30 seconds of three rounds in a row, he knew he had won the fight.  He wasn't even trying to go in and knock Tyson out.  Now, it was real boxing.  Paul hit Tyson multiple times with really nice shots that would have dropped you or me, but he never really went for the boxing kill.  Hey, if he stepped in, tried, and missed.... Tyson could have landed one.  I truly believe Tyson can take a punch better than Paul and the kid knows that.  He had it won, didn't want to get hit and now will  go pick out some other old fighter to make money against.  Jake Paul is no great boxer.  He's  a promoter, entertainer and showman.  He's a former Disney kid that dances to "Call Me Maybe" and learned how to box a little.  It's America and we love showmen.  Tyson's show in his glory days was raw violence, an animal/human that nobody makes it three rounds with.  It was real and it was a spectacle.

Today, if you want the real fights and the real knockout violence... it's UFC or nothing.

Would I want to see George Brett face a You Tuber with an 88 mph fastball today to see what happens?  No.  But boxing is somehow different.  There have been plenty of old man fights that are total jokes and they don't even hit each other.  This wasn't that.  There were some hits.  But it was clear Paul and Tyson had some sort of agreement as this thing went on.  The last 10 seconds looked really bad as Paul bowed and Tyson tried to shake his hand.  

Americans like to be entertained and seem to have an endless amount of money to spend on just about any event that sells beer.  This was all that.  I try not to be that "get off my lawn" guy so I accept this for what it was and I'm not angry it was sub par.  You kind of have to expect that with a 58 year old athlete in any sport.  
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