Dear Readers,

Don’t know a jab from a job? Don’t know the difference between a Philly shell and a Philly cheesesteak? Don’t worry! You too can enjoy the proposed return to the ring of Mike Tyson and Roy Jones, Jr. It’ll be a spectacle for sure. I’m not sure if the schedule exhibition match is truly an attempt to return to the ring, or if it is for money and publicity, though I expect that is the case. It matters not if you are a student of the sweet science of bruising or if you prefer more genteel pursuits such as baseball, one thing I think the country can agree on is that a large number of us will be tuned in on September 12 to watch them go eight rounds. As a lifelong devotee of the pugilistic art, I’ll be watching for sure.

I was seven when Tyson fought his first professional bout in 1985. Those of us who were kids in the late 80s have a lot of Tyson memories. His name was all over the place, including on the great Nintendo Game, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out. A lot of kids really looked up to him. Though I saw his fights like most of the country back then, my favorite boxer was actually Marvelous Marvin Hagler. His fight with Hitman Hearns in April of 1985 was the greatest fight of all time, in my opinion, other than Ward vs. Gatti 1. You can see the Hagler fight here and you can see Ward fight Gatti here.

I certainly think that a lot of us Gen X types will watch this more for the nostalgia it brings rather than expecting to see a good fight. With both men in the 50s, I share some concerns for their health in the ring with George Foreman who has asked them to reconsider their plans. However, if they are going to fight, rest assured that I am going to watch. (But since it is on pay per view, I’ll have to get permission from The Redhead, but she’s a fight fan too, so that won’t pose a problem). Though I do think that people use the word “historic” a little too freely, Sept. 12, 2020 will unquestionably be a historic night.

One that I hope you’ll share with millions of fans around the world when we tune in to watch.

L.H.