Tyson's presence a source of pride for Taylor. She knows the risks and wants the reward

Too many conversations around Katie Taylor's legendary career unintentionally strip her agency away. On Friday night in Dallas she will again do things her way

IRON MEETS IRON: Boxers Katie Taylor and Mike Tyson during a press conference, held at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas, USA, ahead of Jake Paul v Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano 2, on November 15th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

The Mike Tyson story has played out publicly. He is constantly conscripted into a television drama or mainstream movie or documentary. One of the better ones is Bruno v Tyson.

It explores the rivalry and relationship between Frank Bruno and Tyson, two heavyweight icons from opposite sides of the Atlantic. Their careers, their 1989 clash, their contrasts. Nice and nasty. The film brings them together, explores the common ground such as their respective stints in psychiatric institutions and mutual respect. Finally, they meet when Tyson opens up his front door.

“We are going to be so many things before the time we die,” said an introspective Tyson.

“Until we die, we figure, this is who I am. We reach that place; this is where I want to be when I leave. Life has been a learning lesson. Life has been re-educating myself.” 

Bruno nodded and smiled. He knew all about it. The things they learned to do.

“Getting rid of the hangers on?” Tyson shrugged in response.

“Those people leave when you have nothing left. You don’t have to get rid of them. You hit rocket bottom and they leave anyway.” 

The scale of what he has experienced and endured was recalled, broken piece by piece. They began to talk about his doomed marriage to Robin Givens. Bruno’s booming laugh rang out at the memory of it, the car crash and cancelled fights. “God made us to learn and remember,” summarised Tyson.

Tyson is the number one draw in Texas this week. Every appearance is met with a cacophony of screams. ‘The Baddest Man in the Planet’ has a gravitational pull. When he leaves the ring at Irving’s Toyota Music Factory after the public workout, a host of fans leave the venue too. This is a new generation, a generation captured by social media personality, actor, musician, rapper, businessman and pro boxer Jake Paul. They are heralded as proof that this is a worthwhile venture.

When Tyson was asked what would he say to people who would argue this sanctioned bout isn’t at the level of professional boxing, he pointed to the crowd: “The people speak for itself.” Paul picked up the same mantle.

“Biggest live gate in US boxing history outside of Las Vegas. Numbers don’t lie. People want to see this. That is an amazing accomplishment. Credit to Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Mike and everyone on the card as well.” 

Enough of the American public have deemed Tyson to be a sufficiently reformed character to be part of the show. He is willing to return at 58 years old, Paul is willing to oppose him, a host of other boxers are willing to support it and millions will watch it.

This is, after all, the same man who served three years in prison after being convicted of rape in 1992. The same man who told his former friend Jose Torres that the best punch he ever threw in his life was at the aforementioned Givens.

“She flew backwards, hitting every wall in the apartment,” he told Torres in his 1989 book, Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson.

Remember and learn. No one involved in Friday night’s farce would condone Tyson’s past convictions. They are seemingly content to grant him another chance, to accept a seriously troubled youth who was undeniably taken advantage of has learned from a wretched history of misconduct and violence. Everyone involved, including Katie Taylor, accepts those flaws.

What are we to make of her involvement in this card? Firstly, it is to understand that she speaks for a place of genuine reverence towards the former heavyweight champion. This is not some preordained script. They have a noticeable relationship. When pressed for a prediction at this week’s press conference, her response was categorical: “You can never bet against a legend. Mike Tyson.” 

Similarly, this week when asked to call the co-main event, ‘Iron Mike’ immediately opted for the Irishwoman. Taylor wears all black in a nod to all-time great Australian Kostya Tszyu. He wore all black in a nod to Tyson. He is channelled in her.

The fight business has a history of peddling absolute travesties. This is not a new development, more an extension of that. For Taylor the stakes were worth it. A purse of over $6 million, a blockbuster stadium contest, a bigger global audience, another level of legacy, that is the allure.

And she chooses to pursue it. Too many conversations around her legendary career unintentionally strip her agency away. Her strength of will is the reason she was able to make an Olympic dream a reality, successfully transition to the pros, set financial and sporting records and persevere while others urged her to retire.

She is used to figures, predominately men, telling her what she should do. Not to box. Not to associate with certain characters. Not to continue. The story of her career is defiance in the face of that.

Covering a Taylor fight week is an increasingly restricted endeavour. There are fewer and fewer opportunities to ask her questions, but in every exchange this week she has made it clear that Tyson’s presence is a source of pride. He is a huge reason why she will take to AT&T Stadium in front of 70,000 spectators and a likely record-breaking global streaming audience in the early hours of Saturday morning Irish time. 

She knows the risks. She wants the reward.