For seven-and-a-half rounds, the world witnessed the final decimation of a so-called icon last week. 

Mike Tyson was more like aluminum than his moniker “Iron’ as Lennox Lewis hammered away at the 36-year-old former champion. 

It was what I had hoped for. 

To make absolutely sure there was no doubt among those who still put their belief in someone so undeserving of their precious faith, Lewis used his left hand to pepper Tyson every time there was even a hint that he would try to get close. 

Hitting was difficult enough — biting would be virtually impossible.

For me the punishment for Mike Tyson’s betrayal of boxing, his fans, and himself was being carried out with every single repetitious pelt.

I have spent too much of my support time on the other side of the cheering section, rooting for the salvation of a person who at times seems beyond redemption. 

I also made the mistake of confusing talent and potential with reputation and persona. 

The four are separate entities, often jumbled together by admirers.

Whether it’s running, fighting, singing, acting or whatever, we’d like to think that if a person can do that one thing well, that greatness runs throughout their whole personality.  

We have discovered over and over and over again that with Mike Tyson it does not.

I have heard caller after caller on different radio stations talking about how they support Mike.

 “Mike is my man, ” they say. “People just don’t understand Mike. Mike is gonna show everyone.”

While I don’t question the sincerity of those who exhibit that kind of loyalty, to me it flies in the face of what most might consider common sense.

I have heard the same sentiment this week expressed for R&B star R Kelly, who was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography. 

The Grammy award winning singer is accused of having sex with under-age girls on a video tape circulating all over communities of color, and throughout the country. 

Fellow stars and fans have expressed their support, which is cool since this is supposed to be a country where one is innocent until proven guilty. 

But only rarely do you hear anyone expressing empathy for the alleged victims.

The same thing happened during the Sean “Puffy” Combs shooting trial that ended with his acquittal and 10 years in prison for his protégé Shyne Barrow.

Three people were hurt in that incident with one woman almost losing her eye.  But you didn’t hear people say, “ Keep your head up girl”.

The tape that got R Kelly in trouble is powerful, but there is a question as to whether it is actually him on the tape. 

So it will be up to a jury to decide if it is and if he deserves to go to prison for 15 years.

If it is Kelly, and he knowingly had sex with a minor, he should be treated no differently than any other adult who was entrusted with the care of a minor and failed to live up to their custodial obligations to society.

The reality is that a great person is not measured by talent or potential but what that person actually does with it. 

If they use that talent to serve itself, then they are great at what they do and that is that.

They deserve no other special accolades from humanity because, in the end, they are human just like you and me – with the same frailties and weaknesses everyone is susceptible to. 

As we have seen in recent months, no one is exempt from coming up short. Even those who have pledged their service to God can become infected by flawed thinking and inappropriate behavior.

The fall from grace that some icons experience is a lesson for us all.

— Gary Anthony Ramsay is a weekend anchor
and journalist on the all-news
cable station NY1 and along-time resident of Queens.