There’s a lot of negative hype going towards baseball, and I can somewhat understand. But let’s talk about another sport that truly calls for negative hype.

Boxing has become one of the biggest jokes in the sporting world. We all waited for the return of one of the meanest and most soft spoken fighters in history, but Iron Mike Tyson has done nothing to prove he is worthy of a title shot.

He knocked out a freakin’ moron who was in the ring for nothing else but to earn cash. Peter “I cleaned up on the Pizza Hut endorsement” McNeeley is nobody, and he never will be. But of course, Iron Mike is rich.

So Tyson was set to fight on Fox television for the public to see, and what happened? Rumors of limited tickets sold and the Bowe vs. Holyfield fight just down the street caused a concern of the money that would be made, or consequently would not be made.

But wait. Iron Mike got hurt. The poor guy broke a bone in his thumb, or supposedly had it broken for several weeks. How convenient!

And then there’s his promoter. Mr. Haircut himself, Don King. Where is he right now? On trial? It’s about time.

Baseball players have had the image of money-hungry egotists who’d rather rob a kid of milk money than give him an autograph. But what about boxers? We are talking about guys who make millions of dollars for 30 minutes in the ring. In the case of Mike Tyson, 89 seconds in the ring.

The sport of boxing needs an enema. Flush all the crooks out, get the original tough guys who just hate society and take it out on their opponents. Boxing needs a true killer to come in and fight Iron Mike or Riddick Bowe for free, and clean their clocks.

If the sporting world is going to hand boxers millions of dollars, at least make them earn it.

Another problem with the sport is variety. There are about five boxers that are even worth watching. Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson, Ruddick, Morrison and Bruce Seldon are all we have to choose from. Bowe’s a punk; Holyfield is too nice, Tyson is a money hungry ex-con, Morrison wishes he was Tyson, and Seldon just wishes somebody would take him serious.

Yes, I left out George Foreman. He’s old, fat, slow and boring. Maybe he should take his charisma to Hollywood where it could be better utilized.

And then there is the question of who is the champion? I don’t understand why there are 435 world champions. There’s the WBO, WBA, WBF, WBC, IOU, WWF, ASAP or the UFO. OK, so there’s not really that many belts, but there are still too many.

Am I wrong in assuming that if somebody is labeled as the world champion, then shouldn’t that mean that out of all the boxers in the world, the person who is wearing the belt is the best in the word?

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m way out of line, but I don’t think so. Maybe I’ll start my own federation and become a world champion. Then maybe I’ll make millions for losing my belt.

There is one thing that I’m sure of. I’m pretty freakin’ sure boxing sucks. It has gone down the tubes ever since boxers like Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard retired.

But I’m waiting for someone else to step forward and bring it back to where it should be. So if there are any brutal animals out there that really have the desire to hurt someone, get off your duff and go box. The sports needs you. That’s all I have to say.

Chad Calek is a sophomore in journalism from Persia, Iowa. He is the assistant sports editor of the Daily.