Even though I’d covered most of his significant bouts at that point, it’s still not every day that Mike Tyson calls you at home so I was suspicious. Tyson’s voice was frequently imitated, and comedians used to make fun of his lisp and the higher pitch to his voice than his size suggested.
Tyson only fought three more times. After losing to Danny Williams via knockout in July 2004, he faced Kevin McBride just under a year later. A journeyman fighter from Ireland, McBride was considered a heavy underdog and offered only $150,000 for the bout. He responded to taunts from Tyson by saying “when I hit you on the chin, you’re going to take the whole of Ireland.” McBride backed up the talk by winning via technical knockout in the sixth round.
It had been difficult to schedule this fight. Both men were contractually bound to different promoters and cable television companies. Tyson had attacked and bitten Lewis during a press conference, which also had a dampening effect. Tyson’s legal problems caused him to be denied a boxing license by the sanctioning bodies of the U.S. states that usually hold major boxing matches (such as Nevada). It had been so long since Tyson had fought a boxer of his own calibre that no one knew the level of his skills. The question was settled when Lewis twice knocked Tyson to the canvas during the course of the fight before knocking him out in the eighth round.
No parent should ever go through the unimaginable task of burying a child. However, regardless of how famous someone might be, it doesn’t shield them from experiencing such a heartbreaking tragedy. More than a few celebrities have dealt with the death of their children on the public stage. Sol Xochitl and Mike Tyson were in such a place, but fortunately, they had an opportunity to receive support from their fans and followers.
YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA – SEPTEMBER 6, 2018: American professional boxer mike tyson talks about his life Tyson during a press conference following a boxing masterclass for RCC Boxing Promotions boxers and children at the Martial Arts Academy established by the Russian Copper Company. Donat Sorokin/TASS (Photo by Donat SorokinTASS via Getty Images)
In the world of sports, wisdom, and life lessons often transcend the boundaries of the field or the ring, offering profound insights into the human condition. One such piece of wisdom comes from the legendary boxer, Mike Tyson, who once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” This seemingly simple statement carries a profound message about life, resilience, and the nature of planning.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as “torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine.” Givens also described Tyson as “manic depressive” – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson, with the two officially separating on February 14, 1989.
Vidur is an ACE-certified personal trainer, writer, and editor at FitnessVolt.com. He has been lifting since 2007 and loves sharing his hard-earned knowledge and passion for strength sports with anyone who lends him an ear. An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros. Vidur’s work has appeared in leading publications such as BarBend and Generation Iron.
After winning his first 19 pro fights by knockout and individually unifying the WBA, WBC and IBF titles at the age of 20, Tyson proceeded to establish himself as one of boxing’s most devastating punchers, disposing of much of the sport’s top heavyweights in short order.
“When you were watching him knocking out opponents and them flying through the air, it didn’t look mythical—it looked real,” says Jim Lampley, the former HBO boxing commentator who is now a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a contributor to PPV.com. “This kid was like nothing we had ever seen before. Mike became a cultural phenomenon from the get-go.”
Now 54, Mike Tyson has changed. While he returns to the ring after a 15-year hiatus on Saturday to fight Roy Jones Jr, he is also a solid actor, does one-man shows on stage and has a cartoon bearing his name on TV. As well as running his weekly Hotboxin’ podcast, he’s also the owner of the Tyson Ranch, a 40-acre estate 100kms north of Los Angeles that specialises in the growth of cannabis. In fact, having branched out into so many different projects it’s easy to ask: who is Mike Tyson in 2020?
Here are 35 life lessons that you should learn early on in life. Read them, contemplate them, and apply them. And as you do, be mindful of the fact that change takes time, so allow yourself all the time you need to grow.
Within a few years, it was gone, and he declared bankruptcy, mainly due to his many addictions and reckless spending. He had hit rock-bottom, sifting his way through a mountain of debt, when, seemingly out of nowhere, he started an acting career and the comeback began.