If all goes well in the HBO-backed heavyweight tournament, Tyson and Spinks will meet sometime next year for the purpose of giving the world just one heavyweight titleholder. Until then, Spinks has a pass. After that, Tyson would have to meet the winner of a WBA title fight between Tim Witherspoon and Tony Tubbs, which will be held early this winter. He hits people and they fall down, and if he tenderly picks them up and dusts them off afterward, well, no gladiator is perfect. People are drawn to watch him battle as they were to watch Ted Williams slam home runs or Jimmy Brown smash over linebackers.
Pure power is box office.
That has turned out to be optimistic, but only by a fraction. Few of those fans came to see Spinks knock out what's his name. Since turning pro 18 months ago, he has fought 27 times, a heroic pace to be sure. There is no missing it. From the moment Tyson enters the ring, glaring at his opponent with a malevolence that no one could mistake for acting, his desire to start hitting someone is palpable.