Tyson returns to boxing at 54 looking and sounding different
Mike Ty son was in the passenger seat of a black Cadillac Escalade one recent morning, making the 45- mile drive from his home in Southern California to Tyson Ranch, a cannabis company he founded a few years ago.
“I could always use a buck like everybody else can ,'' Tyson told USA TODAY Sports during a phone interview. “This is so much bigger than that.''
What this is: Tyson, the erstwhile "Baddest Man On The Planet ," getting back into the boxing ring at the age of 54.
He is scheduled to fight Roy Jones Jr. in an eight- round exhibition match Saturday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles — more than 15 years after Tyson's last, inglorious fight. On June 11, 2005, he quit before the start of the seventh round against journeyman Kevin McBride.
“My last fight, I didn't want nothing to do with that stuff,'' Tyson said. “I have so much more desire than my last fight."
So what is fueling Tyson's desire now?
“I look at it like I' ve got to test myself ,'' Tyson said .“Isn' t that weird? Why do I have to test myself and constantly push myself?"
Or is it that Ty son, who after the loss to McBride said ," I' m just fighting to pay my bills,'' still needs a buck after making an es timated $685 million in his career?
But there maybe a deeper meaning than money, according to Tyson.
“Why am I who I am, and why do I react the way that I do ?'' he asked. “Why do I think? Why am I on the phone with you saying what I' m saying right now? What is causing me to say that? What's causing me to breathe? What's causing me to want to survive?''
Ty son explained he is“doing research on myself '' in his search for answers in a life full of whys.
Like, why did Tyson, who has struggled with addiction for more than two decades, stop using cocaine less than three years ago?
“I don't use the word amazing too much, but it was really something,'' he said. "No cocaine, no marijuana, nothing."
And why, after Tyson had a boxing ring built at Tyson Ranch, did he often workout three times a day, up to six days a week, during a sixth-month period leading up to his fight Saturday night?
In part, Tysonsugge st ed, because the intense training has given him a high he can't get from cocaine, marijuana or any other drug. But he is not doing this for free.
A league for legends
Ty son and London media executive Sophie Watts, the financier, came up with an idea: The Legends Only League, which would stage events featuring retired superstars such as Tyson who would participate in pay-per-view events. Tyson' s fight with Jones would launch the enterprise.
In explaining the league's genesis, Tyson said he was watching a TV program about Jerry Rice, t he Hall of Fame wide receiver. Tyson said he learned from the program that Rice couldn't find a job in the NFL after the 2004 season with the Seattle Sea hawks because he had lost some of his speed.
“They said just because he's a few seconds off, he can't play no more,'' Tyson said. “And I feel like ,` Are you crazy? He's a few seconds away from his world-class speed and he can't play anymore?'
“I'll bet you right now there's more people that would like to see him at wide receiver than to see the guys that's the wide receiver now for the (Seahawks)."
The idea behind the Legends Only League is to create a platform for Rice and other retired super stars who, like Ty son, want to climb into the ring again – at least metaphorically.
“Imagine a one-onone game with Dennis Rod man and Man of Peace ,'' he said, referring to Met ta World Peace, who won an NBA championship ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010 and now goes by the name Metta Sandiford-Artest. “Imagine those two awesome athletes, those guys playing a game of 21. Who do you think will watch that?
“Can you imagine John McEnroe playing Serena ( Williams) or her sister (Venus Williams)? Holy moly!"
Watts, who is partnering with Tyson, declined to identify other athletes they have spoken to, but she said the Legends Only League has four events scheduled for 2021 and plans to hold six events in 2022 and six more in 2023.
“This is a league for champions to come together and have a story about their life on screen as a special one-off ,'' said Watts, CEO of Eros Innovations, a global venture creation group.
But Tyson isn't necessarily one-and-done.
'I hate being happy'
As his fight against Jones approached, Ty son indulged discuss ion about whom he might fight next. He said he'd be interested in fighting the top contemporary heavy weights, such as Fury, Anthony Joshua and De ont ay Wilder.
But he said it's unlikely those fighters would agree to an exhibition match unless they set aside the priority of maximizing their earning potential. It's unclear how much Ty son and Jones will make, but probably far less than the top heavyweights would generate fighting each other or other boxers in their prime.
“Sometimes in your life you're going to have to face your maker ,'' Tyson said. “Not f rom dying, but just being conscious of him. Does that make any sense? The consciousness of him should make you want to do that ( charitable act).
“What am I really going to do with so much (money )? I' m closer to God than I am to being a billionaire, something like that. What am I going to do when I meet God? What am I going to tell him?''
Tyson and Jones are not giving away their fight.
The pay-per-view fee is $49.99. And the fight has led to business deals.
On Nov. 17, GameOn Technology announced a partnership with Tyson to for the Mike Tyson Bot, an interactive feature with Tyson-related content on Facebook Messenger.
And on Monday, Smart Cups, a company that makes the “first printed beverage," signed on to become the title sponsor of “Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson,'' his podcast.
But Tyson knows that no amount of money can give him peace of mind – something that eluded him for many years. Now he has a new problem.
“I hate being happy,'' he said .“I' m happy all the (expletive) time.''
'A great burning desire'
Tyson reflected on his growth since he was a troubled kid growing up in Brooklyn and then at 19 became the youngest heavyweight champion in history.
Told people were terrified of him back then, Tyson replied ,“I was afraid of me too. No, really. How do you think that feels?"
Now he is far more beloved than feared, highly engaging and approachable, yet still required bylaw to register as a sex offender. In 1992, he was convicted of rape and served almost three years in prison.
Today his top executive assistant is one of his former cell mates, David Barnes.
Tyson lives with his third wife, Ki ki, and their two children–a 12- year-old daughter, Milan, and a 9- yearold son, Morocco. The family splits time between Newport Beach and Henderson, Nevada, outside of Las Vegas.
“I'm just at peace with conducting my responsibilities with my family," said Tyson, who has other children from previous relationships .“This is something that I never did. This is what, 11 years married? Can you believe that?
“I can't live with me for 11 years. How can anyone else live with me for 11 years?"
For his up coming fight, Ty son has brought in Billy White, who, like Tyson, grew up under the tutelage of Cus D'Amato, the late trainer credited with rescuing Tyson from the streets of Brooklyn.
White, who has been helping oversee Tyson's training, said in the spring he got a call from Tyson, who disclosed his plans for a comeback.
“At the same time, we said in unison ,` Cus said age is nothing but a number ,'" White recalled .“We said it together on the phone. So that was pretty cool that we said it unison."
White said he has relished watching Tyson train and noted that Tyson has been waking up between 3 and 4 a.m. most days to run.
“Old school, just like he used to,'' White said. “It' s a great burning desire in him once again.
“It' s amazing to see. It' s beautiful, you know?"