[ad_1]
Mike Tyson says his record run to the top of world heavyweight boxing came too early in life when he was overwhelmed by “emotional vampires.”
Tyson is returning to boxing at the age of 54 in an exhibition fight with Roy Jones Jr on Saturday.
There has been intrigue about what to expect and how the man who became the youngest heavyweight champion in history, at age 20, will perform.
“I think Roy can handle being slapped a bit,” Tyson said.
“It’s going to be very hot in that kitchen.”
Talking to Eddie Hearn’s ‘No Passion No Point’ podcast on BBC Sounds, Tyson seemed cheerful in his threats to Jones and the likelihood of a serious fight breaking out between the pair is dwindling as the event draws near.
The body sanctioning the exhibition has stated that both fighters will wear 12 oz gloves, the eight rounds will last two minutes instead of three and that the pair “I shouldn’t go for a knockout.”
It would appear that the event is in place to satisfy the curiosity of seeing Tyson in the ring against former four-weight world champion Jones, 51, rather than offering a platform for anyone to pursue future fights in the sport.
It has provided a space for Tyson’s past to be reviewed, including his 1986 world title victory, his imprisonment for rape six years later, and the financial and drug problems that were well documented later in life.
“The best moment of my life was probably right before I won the title,” Tyson told Hearn.
“When I won the title it got tough. It wasn’t the right time for me. I had too many emotional vampires around me.”
‘I can protect myself now’
On Hearn’s podcast, the boxing promoter talks to people in popular culture about the key qualities needed to be successful.
Tyson, who says he started fighting when a group of men tried to steal the pigeons he collected as a child, has long defended the guidance he received from Cus D’Amato.
He believes his coach offered him timely direction in life, but says it is only in recent years that he has learned to truly control some of the behaviors that formed while growing up in Brownsville, New York.
“That boy is always in me” added Tyson. “Now I know how to treat him, how to protect him. I wasn’t protecting him when he went to jail and all this crazy stuff.
“The best thing that can happen to any young man or woman is to have a diligent role model who cares about them. Feelings have to be mutual. Your goal has to be to make them happy, to be the man they need you to be.
“Think about where I would be without boxing. I don’t even want to think about where I would be without this beautiful sport.
“I live responsibly, being present. That’s what it’s all about now for me.”
- This weekend, watch 13 matches of the FA Cup second round on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app. Find out more here.
