Mike Tyson at 58: A legacy of triumphs and controversies
Mike Tyson is undoubtedly one of the legends of boxing. He has also often sparked various scandals. On Sunday, June 30th, the legendary boxer turned 58 years old.
Mike Tyson is a unique character, and his problems began as early as the '90s. Let us recall that in 1991 Tyson was accused of raping Desiree Washington, with whom he spent the morning in a hotel room.
The American boxer never admitted to the crime, but the court didn't believe him, and the athlete ended up behind bars. After three years, he was released from prison for good behaviour.
The legendary boxer openly admits to smoking marijuana. Recently, in an interview, he stated that he has been doing it his entire life, even... before stepping into the ring.
It happened before the bout with Andrzej Gołota. - It didn't affect me, but it affected Gołota - Tyson confessed on the "Dan Patrick Show," then burst into laughter.
Tyson caused a scandal in the ring
27 years ago in Las Vegas, Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear. It was the third round of their rematch (Holyfield won the first one), when Tyson launched a frenzied attack. Holyfield withstood the onslaught, and after a moment, delivered a precise punch with his left hand.
There was a clinch, from which "The Real Deal" broke free and started to jump wildly with anger, holding his ear.
The referee stopped the fight and penalised Tyson by taking away points, and shocked fans worldwide saw replayed footage of the incident. It turned out that "Iron Mike" simply... bit off a piece of his opponent's ear.
It was his second such behaviour during this fight. In the break before the fourth round, he was finally disqualified, and the footage was broadcasted on all the TV networks worldwide.
How does Tyson view his behaviour today? - It was really a crazy time in my life, and I was a madman. Fortunately, I learned to distinguish right from wrong in time. Back then, I wanted to win that fight so badly that nothing else mattered - recalled the controversial boxer, for whom it was the beginning of the end of his career.
