On the night Tupac Shakur was killed, he attended a Mike Tyson fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
With the Los Angeles Times' package today on the death of Tupac Shakur, it gives us the opportunity to revisit the relationship between Tyson and Tupac.
Ringside is typically swollen with celebrities on the night of a big fight. Particularly those in the heavyweight division and even more so when Tyson was on top of the bill. Tyson was the epitome of so many rap lyrics, it was hard for the entertainers to stay away.
Louis Gossett Jr., Charlie Sheen, Reggie Jackson, Run-DMC, Stacey Augmon and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were just some of the celebs on hand for the modern equivalent of sending out a Christian to the lions. Tyson was the lion, Bruce Seldon, his opponent, was in the role of the sacrificial Christian.
Tyson scored a knockout at 1:49 of the first round. The singing of the National Anthem lasted 41 seconds longer than the actual fight.
But as boxing cards go, it was a good one. The Tyson fight was no surprise, but world champions Terry Norris and Felix Trinidad fought on the undercard. And so did Christy Martin, who was quickly putting women’s boxing on the map.
It was Tyson’s fourth fight since being released from prison after serving three years for the rape of a Miss Black America beauty pageant contestant. It’s been reported that Tyson and Tupac corresponded with letters while Tyson was incarcerated.
But Tupac’s reason for being at the Tyson-Seldon fight went beyond friendship, fandom or morbid curiosity. Tyson’s walk to the ring was always accompanied by rap music. For a long time, Public Enemy was the heavyweight champion’s music of choice. But on this night, it was Tupac. The rapper had written a song, “Wrote the Glory,” that Tyson played during his entrance. (Tyson had also entered the ring for other fights to the Tupac song -- "Ambitionz az a Ridah.")
This video posted on YouTube is described as Tupac and Tyson after the Seldon fight. It’s not. Tupac is in a tux and that contradicts the video footage shown of the brawl (below) in the hotel lobby. This is of Tupac congratulating Tyson after a different fight:
This is a YouTube video of Tupac waiting for Tyson after the Seldon fight:
As Tupac left the Tyson-Seldon fight, he and his entourage were involved in an altercation with another group of young men. No one knows the circumstances of how this fight started, but it’s not the first time that a heroic boxer, moments after vanquishing an opponent, has inspired violence in the those young men who had just witnessed the legalized carnage. Watching a fight gets the adrenaline flowing and somehow the confidence that resides in the fists of a Mike Tyson is transferred upon his followers. It’s their time to be brave.
Here is a YouTube video of the brawl that was caught by hotel security cameras:
A few hours later, Tupac was shot while driving with Suge Knight on the Las Vegas strip and died several days later. Tyson was supposed to meet Tupac later at a victory party at a local night club.
Here is YouTube video of Tyson knocking out Seldon:
-- CASSIDY