Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson/YouTube/PA ImagesMike Tyson fought back tears as he admitted he both missed and was ‘scared’ of the ‘monster’ he used to be.
The former world champion boxer had an incredibly successful career, winning the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) belts, as well as 50 of his 58 fights.
He hung up his gloves and retired in 2005, following 20 years in the ring. 15 years on however, Tyson is still struggling to come to terms with the fact he will never compete again.
The 53-year-old opened up about his career during an interview with fellow legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard on the podcast Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, during which Tyson described himself as being an ‘annihilator’ in his heyday.
He explained:
I know all the warriors. From Charlemagne to Achilles – the number one warrior of all warriors – and then Alexander and Napoleon, I know them all. I read about them all.
I know the art of fighting, I know the art of war. That’s all I’ve ever studied. That’s why I’m so feared, that’s why they feared me when I was in the ring. I was an annihilator, that’s all I was born for.
Since retiring, however, Tyson described himself as being ‘nothing’.
Check out the interview here:
The boxer appeared torn on how it felt to have left the ring, and the person he was while competing, behind. He spoke about trying to improve himself, yet still feeling ’empty’ at times.
He continued:
I’m working on being the art of humbleness [sic]. That’s the reason I’m crying, ’cause I’m not that person no more, and I miss him. Sometimes I feel like a b*tch because I don’t want that person to come out … ’cause if he comes out hell is coming with him.
And, it’s not funny at all. It’s not cool like I’m a tough guy. It’s just that I hate that guy, I’m scared of him.
Tyson went on:
That guy’s kind of dead now… but that wasn’t easy. That guy didn’t want to leave. He wasn’t leaving easy. He fought, screamed and cried and scratched all the way until he died, you know?
Tyson remains the youngest fighter to ever win a world heavyweight title after he beat 33-year-old Trevor Berbick in 1986, when he was just 20 years old.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.