By Mark Havey: Even non-boxing fans seem to recall the spiraling turmoil that followed Mike Tyson’s reign over the heavyweight division. Arrests for assaulting his wife Robin Givens and boxer Mitch Green, a ban for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear, Shaming the sport when he sunk his teeth into the leg of Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson seemed intent on self destruction.
Tyson even found himself in jail for rape. I’m not convinced he was guilty.
But Iron Mike seems to be a reformed man. His Broadway show, Undisputed Truth, has been a huge success. The man admired by so many sits on stage in front of a live audience and talks about his life and past troubles. I’m sure his struggling bank balance plays a huge role in the venture, but it must be nice for him to lay himself bare and show he is very human. There is a lot of comedy in involved in his talks. He makes fun of things that would have once caused an uncontainable eruption of rage.
It’s apparent he has come a long way, which as a huge fan is nice to see. His tweets are often messages of goodwill to suffering people. I’m still shocked every time I read one. It’s as if there has been two Mike Tyson’s.
In a way, there has. Once he could have given children night terrors, now he seems to have undergone a spiritual rehabilitation. He was once the best paid athlete of his time, the most feared fighter on the planet. And now he has little money, but is at peace with himself. One thing is for sure, money has never attracted anything but trouble for Mike, it certainly never made him happy.
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