This is Mike Tyson. His story will always have an audience.
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Mike Tyson is considered one of the most legendary personalities in the world of sports. Tyson’s aggressive nature and ruthlessness earned him cult status and respect in the hearts of fans all over the world. However, the same adulation was certainly not shared by the opponents, who got subjected to some pretty rough treatment. Tyson was disqualified after biting Evander Holyfield’s ears with one bite notoriously strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. The 54-year-old’s verbal statements were as startling, leaving the masses shocked and stunned by his viewpoints.
“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
If this is not unnerving enough, Tyson followed it up by expressing a desire to “conquer” people and their souls.
“I just have this thing inside me that wants to eat and conquer. Maybe it’s egotistical, but I have it in me. I don’t want to be a tycoon. I just want to conquer people and their souls.”
“I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose because I try to punch the bone into the brain.”
“My power is discombobulatingly devastating. I could feel his muscle tissues collapse under my force. It’s ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm.”
“When I fight someone, I want to break his will. I want to take his manhood. I want to rip out his heart and show it to him.”
The 54-year-old went to the extent of terming himself as a bigger and better fighter than Muhammad Ali and Joe Luis.
“It’s interesting that you put me in the league with those illustrious fighters (Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Johnson), but I’ve proved since my career I’ve surpassed them as far my popularity. I’m the biggest fighter in the history of the sport. If you don’t believe it, check the cash register.”
While Tyson may be accused of having a motor mouth, what cannot be denied is his capabilities and immense talent. The man is hailed as one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time, making his presence felt as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout with 12 of them in the first round. The 54-year-old enjoys the record for being the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title. He is further the first boxer in the heavyweight category to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles.
One of the biggest factors behind Tyson’s supreme dominance was the mind games he played as evident from his remarks ahead of fights against Francois Botha, Razor Ruddock and Lennox Lewis.
“I think I’ll take a bath in his blood.”
“My main objective in the fight is to be a professional but to kill him.”
“March 16th, Mike Tyson [vs.] Razor Ruddock, Razor Ruddock dies. If he doesn’t die, it doesn’t count. If he’s not dead, it doesn’t count.”
“I was gonna rip his heart out. I’m the best ever. I’m the most brutal and vicious, the most ruthless champion there has ever been. No one can stop me. Lennox is a conqueror? No! He’s no Alexander! I’m Alexander! I’m the best ever. I’m Sonny Liston. I’m Jack Dempsey. There’s never been anyone like me. I’m from their cloth. There is no one who can match me. My style is impetuous, my defense is impregnable, and I’m the ferocious. I want his heart! I want to eat his children! Praise be to Allah!”
While Tyson can be rightly slammed for his violent approach and criticised, one of the major factors behind his struggle would also be the absence of a proper childhood. The boxer enjoyed a poor upbringing under a mother who was an alcoholic. The 54-year-old was nicknamed “Dirty Ike” because of his poor personal hygiene. Tyson tolerated it all, preferring to spend his time taking care of his beloved pigeons.
It all changed when a bully ripped the head off one of his beloved pigeons, sparking a wave of violence. What followed was absolute chaos as Tyson became a juvenile criminal, getting arrested more than 30 times, before learning to box at reform school and enjoying the support of legendary trainer Cus D’Amato as a mentor.
While the jury is still out over the controversial figure that Tyson is, what cannot be denied is his influence and the lasting spark that he has left on the world of Sports.
