Wednesday, August 04, 2004
reviewjournal.com -- Sports: Surgeon bullish on Tyson's kneeThe orthopedic surgeon who operated on Mike Tyson's left knee on Monday estimated the former heavyweight champion would be able to resume training in eight weeks.
Dr. Richard Emerson repaired what he called a complex tear of the lateral meniscus in Tyson's knee, an injury suffered in the first round of Tyson's knockout loss to Danny Williams on Friday at Louisville, Ky. Tyson was leading on all cards when he was stopped at 2:51 of the fourth round by the unheralded Brit.
Emerson said Tyson, 38, faces arduous rehabilitation from "a pretty bad injury." He said Tyson isn't likely to completely regain the leg strength and agility he once had, but said Tyson could recover well enough to box for several more years.
"The knee will never be the same, but it should be good enough for him to get by for the next couple of years," said Emerson, former team doctor of the NBA's Phoenix Suns. "Whether he can get back to boxing with the whole rest of the situation, that's another challenge, but he should be able to recover sufficiently that he'll be able to fight.
"It will be harder, most definitely, for him to do this at 38 than at 28, but he seems to have a good attitude about it. He was discouraged and frustrated by what went on, but he wants to get over it and get on with his career. He seems highly motivated. It wasn't long after the surgery and he was asking when he could start running."
Emerson said he'll perform a strength comparison on Tyson's knees in four to six weeks. Once the left knee's strength is at least 90 percent of the right, Tyson will advance to drills under the supervision of a physical therapist and a boxing trainer to work on agility drills and boxing-related movements.
After several weeks of that type of training, Emerson said, Tyson should be cleared for his regular boxing training. Tyson would need about eight weeks of that regimen to get into fighting shape. That means Tyson would be at least 16 weeks from returning to the ring, which would push his comeback into 2005 if he chooses to continue to fight.
Tyson has declared bankruptcy and is $38 million in debt. Friday's fight was supposed to be the first of seven bouts in a three-year plan that would enable the former champion to pay his creditors.
Dr. Richard Emerson repaired what he called a complex tear of the lateral meniscus in Tyson's knee, an injury suffered in the first round of Tyson's knockout loss to Danny Williams on Friday at Louisville, Ky. Tyson was leading on all cards when he was stopped at 2:51 of the fourth round by the unheralded Brit.
Emerson said Tyson, 38, faces arduous rehabilitation from "a pretty bad injury." He said Tyson isn't likely to completely regain the leg strength and agility he once had, but said Tyson could recover well enough to box for several more years.
"The knee will never be the same, but it should be good enough for him to get by for the next couple of years," said Emerson, former team doctor of the NBA's Phoenix Suns. "Whether he can get back to boxing with the whole rest of the situation, that's another challenge, but he should be able to recover sufficiently that he'll be able to fight.
"It will be harder, most definitely, for him to do this at 38 than at 28, but he seems to have a good attitude about it. He was discouraged and frustrated by what went on, but he wants to get over it and get on with his career. He seems highly motivated. It wasn't long after the surgery and he was asking when he could start running."
Emerson said he'll perform a strength comparison on Tyson's knees in four to six weeks. Once the left knee's strength is at least 90 percent of the right, Tyson will advance to drills under the supervision of a physical therapist and a boxing trainer to work on agility drills and boxing-related movements.
After several weeks of that type of training, Emerson said, Tyson should be cleared for his regular boxing training. Tyson would need about eight weeks of that regimen to get into fighting shape. That means Tyson would be at least 16 weeks from returning to the ring, which would push his comeback into 2005 if he chooses to continue to fight.
Tyson has declared bankruptcy and is $38 million in debt. Friday's fight was supposed to be the first of seven bouts in a three-year plan that would enable the former champion to pay his creditors.
