If Tyson were the champion anywhere between 1935-1965, would it have set back Civil Rights?

Question

This is not a racist question. It is more about "Black Representitives" of the era. I am part black, my grampa was full. Don't give me any crap, I know the stories of those days. But if Tyson were champ sometime in that era, would he have made blacks looks bad azz, or made them come across as savages. How would that effect boxing and American life if at all?

Answer 1

a very thoughtful and deep queston ric! i am not sure the tyson we all know and, some of us, love would've been allowed to rise to a postion of prominence during these eras of which you speak. his thug lifestyle could've effectively placed him on the radar of the mob, which would mean he would've risen to some level of prestige and fame, but i honestly can't see him throwing a fight which was commonplace...if even someone as prideful as lamotta could be forced into this web of deception, i know they would've approached tyson at some point

having said that, in the more legitimate realm, i can't see anyone from 1935-1955 that really could have given tyson much of a run for his money, given his size/weight, speed, defence, and combinations, except louis. i see tyson and louis mixing it up - he may very well have given louis the arch nemesis he never truly had(hold on guys - ali had frazier; robinson had lamotta; leonard had hearns and duran, etc.) that would have further defined his career. personally, i see tyson wiping the floor w/louis, but it would have been an awesome series of fights

tyson could have easily ruled the 50's, if not for the mob, bec he would've easily demolished marciano, walcott, charles, and patterson. personally, i think rock's braintrust would've had nothing to do w/him and he would've been relegated to langford status(a "coulda been" of sorts).

..and no on to the 60's and the era of "the greatest!" what a transcendent matchup this would've been. tyson would probably have been the only one to give ali any competition, back then, ali ran on the pure instinctual genius of his natural talent. tyson's style would've posed quite a challenge, matchin his speed w/ali's. of course, ali would've excelled, but it would've been ali's first great rivalry before the dawn of the classic 70's.

as for tyson's effect on civil rights, i cannot say this would've helped the cause. if you assume that cus would've survived, he, and only he, might've been able to contain the beast within, but mike might've set back civil rights, significantly, and been a throwback to the johnson era with his extra-curricular activities(the street brawls, the chasing women; etc.).

now, this is not an indictment of mike....understand, the great boxers, like tyson, represent(in fact - are a product of) their eras and really don't fit well into other eras. can anyone imagine the docile louis in the 60's/70's? an outspoken ali in the 30's/40's? the brazen johnson in the 30's/40's? so, consider that.

once again, a thoughtful, multi-layered question, ric!

Answer 2

First of all I don't know that Tyson would have been champion in that era. He might have gotten Patterson, but I don't know about the others. Tyson would have been controlled by the mob like a lot of fighters were. He wouldn't be the same man. Even if he was, there still would have been a Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson, and Muhammad Ali to balance him out. I think both Louis and Ali would have destroyed Tyson. Let alone Marciano and others. I don't think it would have had much of an effect. If he did bite someone else, maybe they would have bitten back? Maybe nowadays the fighters would be required to wear earguards. :)

Answer 3

I really think all the previous answers are great! Black Panther's reply is very well thought out and insightful.

I do not think that Tyson would have had much of an impact on Civil Rights one way or the other. Assuming he lived his life in that period the same as he has done; he would have been in jail for a very long time. When (if) he was paroled had he continued to do then as he has done, he would have been put away and never heard from again.

Answer 4

He would not have been a good representative of your race period. The guy is an animal and he deserves a cage. If he was white he would have made us look bad. I don't put down a race because of one bad *** like tyson but take a look what he does in the modern age he makes the entire human race look bad, he makes the sport of boxing bad and yet boxing commissions think its a good idea to give him a liscence so he could fight. Look how many chances people have given him and he's still a total nut bar. Like I said he makes the human race look uncivilized not just the black people.

Answer 5

If it were back then, I think Tyson would have been a different person. Blacks back then didnt have as much rights. He wouldnt have gotten away with the beginning of his crap to get as far as the end of it. I like tyson as a boxer. I think when he first started out he was truly great. He messed himself up when he went with don king. It didnt take going back to make him look bad. With his actions he made the black people look bad today. Even though I still say he didnt rape that girl. He just put himself in bad positions for people to take advantage of him.

Answer 6

if mike had been a champ in those times it would have just been a testament to those that said blacks were stupid savages...his rather unintelligent rants would get a lot of radio play, by the then conservative media (he probably would have gotten shot or hung for saying something stupid)...and his career would have no effect on life in america what so ever...remember now, there was a very unpopular black champion early in the 1900s...