No, Mike Tyson Will Not Be Speaking At The GOP Convention
By: Sean Crose
“Iron Mike Tyson was not asked to speak at the Convention,” Donald Trump tweeted late Tuesday night, “though I’m sure he would do a good job if he was. The media makes everything up!”
And so there we have it. Mike Tyson will not, I repeat, will not, be speaking on Donald Trump’s behalf at the Republican Presidential Convention this summer. The internet went wild on Tuesday after a Bloomberg report ran which claimed team Trump had wanted Tyson to speak for their man. Sure enough, having a convicted rapist on stage in Cleveland (where the convention will be held) next month would be a strange thing, to put it mildly (in fairness, Tyson has long argued his innocence).
Trump, however, has claimed Tyson is a supporter of his run for president. What’s more, the two men have a history together. Many people don’t know – or have forgotten – that Trump was a major player in the fight game back in Tyson’ s heyday. Add all this to the fact that both men are outspoken, larger than life characters, and it doesn’t seem THAT outrageous that Tyson might publicly push for Trump’s presidential bid.
Again, however, Trump himself has now made it perfectly clear that Tyson won’t be speaking in Cleveland. Sure enough, team Tyson claims it’s never even spoken to the Trump camp about the convention…which essentially means that’s the end of that. Indeed, this all seems to be a case of wishful thinking. The image of Mike Tyson, the guy once known as the baddest man on the planet, being part of a presidential campaign is just too appealing for the online Mafia not to run with. Hence, a ridiculous rumor run wild.
To be sure, the public perception of Tyson has changed over the years. While it’s doubtful anyone alive at the time will forget about the chomping of Evander Holyfield’s ear, a new generation has been weaned on a tongue in cheek tough guy, someone who is perhaps more comedian than feared competitor. That’s undoubtedly good for Tyson, who now unquestionably stands as the world’s most famous (former or current) fighter now that Muhammad Ali has passed. It doesn’t necessarily mean Iron Mike is ready to enter the world of politics, however, or that he’d even want to.
For, rough as it is, the boxing world probably doesn’t hold a candle to the cutthroat arena that is the modern political landscape.