CLEVELAND - Mike Tyson was once a cocky and malicious prizefighter who dominated the heavyweight segment of professional boxing. Nowadays, he is a grateful and contrite father and husband with a keen sense of wisdom that eluded him in his prime.Who would have ever thought that possible?
Tyson, 43 appeared on Oprah Winfrey's venerable talk show yesterday and showed a side of himself that the world has never seen in the 23 years since he became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. Speaking candidly and often wistfully to Winfrey, the iconic Tyson said he grew up in an abusive household and touched on a wide range of topics, including his world renowned and often controversial fighting career and his personal life, past and present.
Recounting his amateur years, Tyson grew very emotional while discussing Cus D'Amato, his mentor and former trainer who died in 1985. According to Tyson, D'Amato indoctrinated him with the idea that Muhammad Ali is the only unstoppable man in boxing history. Tyson bought into that opinion and, from age 12 to 19 had already been studying and researching all the great fighters from the 1890's up until the 1980's.
He also revealed that he was an overweight child and as a result, had an inferiority complex. Since then, he says he "won't back down from a fight or start one."
Oprah delved into Tyson's acclaimed boxing career and extracted very interesting information about his fighting mentality during his prime of the late 1980's and early 1990's. Tyson said he was consumed with fear before every fight, but once he entered the ring, the fear went away. This is fascinating to me largely because he was known then as "Iron Mike," the baddest man on the planet, yet he had certain insecurities within himself that he never allowed to surface publicly.
The former champ discussed his tempestuous marriage to actress Robin Givens, whom he wed in 1988 but divorced a year later. In between, in September 1988, the couple sat for a famous interview with Barbara Walters during which Givens did nearly all of the talking. Tyson, just 22 years old at the time sat stoically and responded to almost nothing she said to Walters. He told Winfrey yesterday that he didn't know why he didn't [refute] anything Givens said.
It was during that 1988 interview that Givens famously labeled Tyson "manic depressive" and said he was emotionally abusive. Tyson told Oprah that he wanted to "sock her" after hearing Givens' words to Walters. When Oprah pressed him about his alleged abuse, Tyson said it was a mutual thing, and that Givens wasn't an easy push over. He went on to say that he "felt a sense of abandonment" after their acrimonious divorce but can't remember if they've spoken since then because it was "so long ago."
Tyson also revealed a narcissistic side to himself. During the height of his popularity, he would think to himself: 'how dare they even wanna challenge me?' while on his way to the ring for a fight. He said he wanted to be "seen like a peacock" and felt that "nobody could do [what he did] better." Apparently, he bought into the massive hype and hysteria that he received and began thinking of himself as a "god."
That overconfidence and hubris may have birthed his decline.
Tyson, completely unassailable in his sport during his first four years as a pro, shockingly lost to heavy underdog Buster Douglas in Tokyo in February 1990. His perfect, 37-0 record was forever blemished and though stunning, it was seen as a fluke at the time. Indeed, the 24-year old tiger of toughness got back on track and won his next four bouts until his next stumbling block. In the summer of 1991, Tyson was charged with raping Desiree Washington, who had been named "Miss Black Rhode Island." In another stunning February moment, he was convicted in 1992 of the alleged crime and sent to prison.
Tyson suffered through one of the most defiant periods of his life during his incarceration. He said that prison is a "place with no boundaries" and revealed that he'd lost his faith in God. "Even though you have restrictions, you lose moral fiber," he told Winfrey.
His release in March 1995 was met with much publicity and anticipation as was his comeback fight in August. Tyson easily dismantled his first four opponents after his prison stint, earning the WBA heavyweight title on September 7, 1996, the night that rap star Tupac Shakur was fatally shot after attending the fight. Adversity struck again when Tyson met Evander Holyfield, a fight that had been heavily anticipated for years. Tyson stunningly lost that match as well as their June 1997 rematch which became infamous when Holyfield was twice bitten on the ears by a vicious Tyson.
Tyson apologized shortly thereafter to Holyfield, but admitted to Oprah yesterday that it "wasn't sincere" and that he never felt guilty about it until now. He also revealed that he was mad that Holyfield was "such a great fighter" and would apologize sincerely to him now if he ever saw Holyfield.
Tyson didn't fight again until two years later, but for the rest of his career, his fights became mindless sideshows plagued by mishaps and unprofessionalism. He lost three of his final four contests and unceremoniously retired after a putrid showing against Kevin McBride in 2005.
These days, the Tyson of yesteryear is virtually non-existent. The well-documented vitriolic arrogance of his past has been replaced with calm reflection and insatiable happiness in his present. He married his wife Kiki back in June and is the father of several children. Though he has a nine month-old daughter, he is haunted by the death of his daughter Exodus earlier this year. He got very choked up while discussing her death from a "freak accident" and is adamant about not wanting to know the "truth" about how she died.
Very sad watching that.
One of the more riveting moments of the interview was when Tyson talked about his out-of-control and tremendously lavish spending habits of his heyday. He earned around $400 million in his career, and stunningly squandered it all on a preposterous life of raging excess. "I felt like I had to either live on top of the world, or the bottom of the ocean," he declared. He also said he's never been faithful to any woman until now and used to be a shameless drug abuser who would take drug dealers' money and then taunt them about it. Oprah told him that he was lucky to be alive after pulling stunts like those and he agreed, then said he feels "so embarrassed" for his decades of destructive and irresponsible behavior.
Tyson says that nowadays, the "only things that matter to [him] is [his babies]."
Tyson's wife Kiki disclosed that she's known him since she was 15. Oprah asked her if she's at all leery or bothered by Tyson's infamous and masochistic past. Mrs. Tyson said that his "wild days" were before her and that she evaluates him based on how he treats her. She claims that all she sees is a lighthearted, great father. It was funny to watch Oprah go after her a little as she asked Kiki if she's in denial, to which the young woman denied.
Earlier this year, a new documentary surfaced of the legendary fighter's life called Tyson. In it, the former champ is very reflective and more sedate that we've ever seen him publicly, until yesterday that is. Oprah said that, while watching the film, she saw a "human being" as opposed to the barbaric animal that he's been portrayed in the media as for over two decades. "I was moved by Mike saying, 'I just want a better life' [in the flick]."
Me personally, I was very struck by Tyson's humility and the wisdom he has gleaned as a result of his experiences. He's a much better man than he ever was before and the beauty of it is, he's allowed his mistakes to empower and improve him.
That makes him a champion all over again.
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