Tyson-McBride Fight Predictions

He’s back! – Which is quite a feat, since he’s hardly been away. Mike Tyson returns to the ring Saturday night in Washington, DC against a big slow Irishman named Kevin McBride. Discussion about Mike returning to form is, at this point, less than beside the point. This bout has nothing to do with boxing and everything to do with spectacle and wishful thinking. Tyson has been on the downside of his career forever, yet he might still have enough to put away The Clones Colossus. How do The Sweet Science writers see it?

Tyson against McBride? If I'm not mistaken, a fighter named Luis Monaco beat McBride and Monaco is the same fighter who lost to Butterbean. Tyson by second round knockout.
Mitch Abramson

They say Peter McNeeley once substituted for McBride against Tyson. I see the fight the same way, no matter which guy is in there.Tyson KO 1.
Robert Cassidy Jr.

I have little interest in this fight, and even less interest in breaking it down. People are saying the point of this fight is if Mike loses, he should retire – I thought that was the point of the Danny Williams fight. So I will say this – if McBride makes it out of the FIRST ROUND, Mike should call it a career. The one prediction I will make is this: after this fight, Tyson will no longer be able to claim Peter McNeeley as the worst Irish heavyweight he's ever faced.
Jake Donovan

Despite his recent history, it's tough to make Tyson the underdog in this fight. Though he might not admit it, this is Tyson's last hurrah if he loses to McBride, and for some crazy reason, I still keep expecting to see flashes of the old Tyson. He wins by KO in the middle rounds.
Rick Folstad

I can't believe a commission actually approved a rematch with Peter McNeeley. The only part of this prediction that goes out on a limb is that I see Tyson being somewhat cautious in the first round. Tyson KO-3.
Tim Graham

Some care went into the opponent selection for Mike Tyson's return to active fighting. Kevin McBride is big, ultra-slow and is willing to run into Iron Mike’s still-powerful punches. One thing that was instrumental to Tyson’s success early in his career was his management’s recognition that the more often he fights the more focused and sharp he gets. Much of Mike’s game is his mental state. Fighting often will boost his confidence and allow him to advance in the rankings – just in time to take another beating against one of the young stallions currently at the top of the heavyweight charts. But, at least fighting often will get him into another big fight. McBride will likely be the first in a string of low-level opponents for Tyson. Should Iron Mike prevail, as expected, he will energize the considerable crowd he can still bring to the arena. Tyson by KO in 2.
JE Grant

I'm going to go with Tyson and hope old age and cunning overcome youth.
Amy Green

Everyone knows how this one is supposed to end, and if Tyson doesn't beat McBride I don't know what “Team Tyson” can do next. Mountain Rivera (played by Anthony Quinn many years ago in the classic boxing movie: “Requiem for a Heavyweight”) is obviously no longer available, so it's now or never for Mr. Tyson. Showing how much his once-potentially unlimited skills have eroded it will still take Tyson four or five rounds before he dispatches of the super-sized, yet super-slow, really nice Irish fella. Mike Tyson TKO winner over Kevin McBride.
Mike Indri

The variables here are McBride's chin and Tyson's conditioning — and if the former doesn't hold up, the latter won't come into play. I don't think I've ever covered a fight whose principals didn't declare themselves to be in the best shape of their lives, but in McBride's case it's probably true, just because he's never trained this extensively for any fight. You don't need a crystal ball to see how this one will go: Tyson will try to knock him out early, and he'll probably do it, but if McBride is still on his feet when the bell rings to start the fourth, all bets are off.
George Kimball

I think Tyson is not much more than a 6 round fighter these days, but that should be enuff based on who he is facing here. I'll admit I haven't seen McBride throw a punch and while being the super heavyweight Olympic representative for your country may mean something, it likely means less when that country is boxing bare Ireland. McBride has been KO'd in each of his 4 losses and 3 of those 4 saw him going out in 5 rounds or less. Tyson can still crack but I'm not sure he reacts with the same fire when he gets hit back. If McBride can punch then all bets are off, but let's not discount the legitimacy of Iron Mike's injury in losing to Danny Williams. Tyson is no threat in the heavyweight division, but neither is McBride. Tyson by stoppage in the 3rd or 4th as he finally connects against his 6'6″ foe.
Joey Knish

No matter how much he might have fallen as a fighter, I can't imagine Tyson finding a way to lose this one. Tyson KO 1.
Bob Mladinich

Last year I made a strong case for Williams beating Tyson; in fact, I insisted that this was a fight Williams SHOULD win rather than just could. That prediction obviously had as much to do with Tyson's regression as Williams' prowess, but now a year on I'd love to find some reasoning for why the big Irish lump can add his name to the growing list of men who've smashed the former champ. But in McBride, the Tyson camp have finally gone low enough on the food chain to find an easy victory for Rusty Mike. Slow, clumsy, with average stamina and little head or foot movement, the giant may as well be wrapped in shiny paper and adorned with a pretty bow. In summary, he's made for Tyson – even the forlorn, peripheral curiosity that masquerades as the Tyson of 1980s we're left with in 2005. I'm not going to question McBride's guts or heart, but the guy was ripped to shreds by DaVarryl Williamson. Tyson is likely to find his customary 3 minutes of stamina is more than sufficient this weekend. Tyson KO1.
David Payne

Saints preserve us, and with apologies to my seven and two-thirds Irish great grandparents, but there is no way I can forecast a victory for The Clones Colossus, even if he is 9-feet-4 and weighs 459 stones. (How would you like to go through life called The Clones Colossus?) The last time Tyson fought a Boston Strongboy it was McNeeley, who failed to make it out of the first round, and while the former champion has fallen on hard times, it is his turn to win on his once-a-year schedule. It will be a horror movie, but Tyson will play the lead role.
Pat Putnam

I only feel sadness about Tyson-McBride…to see Tyson come to this — the most exciting heavyweight since Dempsey… nothing in the balance, just a buck for his name on the marquee. I don't know about McBride (he keeps conjuring up McNeeley) except seeing his name connected to this promotion. He's probably large enough to be impressive when he falls. He's been knocked out four times by lesser punchers than Tyson. If Tyson's knee doesn't give out — and McBride become a track star — Mike should end it with one punch before the end of the first round.
Joe Rein

As for Tyson, I am going to pick an upset. I think Tyson will win on cuts in 5 or 6 rounds. If the Irishman does not cut, it could be another loss for Iron Mike, whose recent form has made his opponents brave.
Ed Schuyler

In a meaningless fight, Tyson wins early.
Greg Smith

The comeback starts again. Mike Tyson was supposed to begin his return last July against Danny Williams but ended up on the canvas in the fourth round. Tyson blew his knee out in the first round of that fight and I think that led to his loss. I predict the knee will hold. Tyson by 1st round KO.
Aaron Tallent