Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson a bore – Katie Taylor – Armanda Serrano a barnburner

I’d like to say I stopped watching the broadcast after the enthralling Katie Taylor and Armanda Serrano Pier Sixer.

But I’d be lying.

The hype had worked. I groaned to friends who asked me about the fight. Mike Tyson is 58 freaking years old, I said.

We as a country have always loved nostalgia, especially with athletes. We want to see the older ones turn back the clock. But what could a man of close to sixty possibly have left?

Not a helluva a lot.

But there I was, watching Tyson make his way to the ring.

Not like the fighter he once was, but an older man with bad knees. I should have turned the TV off then, but I didn’t.

His opponent was Jake Paul, who had built his name through YouTube and various fights that some people seemed to care about.

The first round wasn’t bad. Tyson likely nicked it. But that was it. His ancient knees creaked. His reflexes have dulled. Some of his patented moves appeared, but they were slower and labored.

I watched for two more rounds and finally turned it off. I heard some of the crowd booed near the end of the fight. Not good, but the Kool-Aid had tasted good on the way to the travesty.

And that’s what it was, a travesty.

Two other fights on the card were barnburners.

Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos went to war for 12 rounds. Ramos, fittingly from Gettysburg, PA, came close to going down in round one and was on his back a few minutes later. He dusted himself off and made adjustments.

Barrios was cruising until round six. Ramos caught him with a punch that he admittedly didn’t see.

Any fighter will tell you those are the worst kind.

Barrios stumbled and went down. He pulled himself up but spent most of the next six rounds eating right hands. He battled, but Ramos did well.

The decision was a draw that felt right.

Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano thrilled boxing fans in 2022. Taylor was judged the winner.

Could their rematch thrill again?

Hell yes.

The two warriors went at it for 10 more rounds Saturday night.

Serrano, the aggressor, against Taylor, the mover with faster hands.

Their styles made the fight. Serrano was relentless – even more aggressive than their first fight. She wobbled Taylor in the opening round with a big left.

Taylor, looking ragged at times, battled back. Her grit and heart are second to none. Serrano matched her, especially after an accidental headbutt opened up a wicked cut over her left eye.

Back and forth came the punches – Serrano landing more, while Taylor connected at a higher percentage.

The judges liked Taylor’s precision. Many of the 70,000 fans in attendance in Texas didn’t agree.

“I knew it if went to the judges, it was going to be a little shady,” she said after the fight.

Serrano and her team accused Taylor of fighting dirty.

Taylor answered their accusations.

“It’s a rough sport,” Taylor said. “Sometimes you get head clashes. This is a fight game.”

It is a fight – and Taylor and Serrano produced another great one.