Ask The Champ: Mike Tyson Answers Boxing, Family, and Career Questions
Compiled by “Bad” Brad Berkwitt
Mike,
Where do you see yourself professionally in 10 years? (Broadcasting, movies, etc.)
Marshall
Marshall,
I would like for Garry Jonas and I to have the number one boxing promotion company in the world featuring exciting young fighters. Promoting these fighters would be an honor for Garry and me.
Iron MIKE TYSON,
Nobody is badder than you sir! Please come back to boxing and knockout Wlad Klitschko. Seriously though buddy, if you were in your prime today, how do you see a fight with Wlad and you going?
Stick and Move Stan
Stan,
In my prime, the only fighter who would beat me would be Ali. The heavyweights today are much too easy to hit.
Mike T.
How do I really know you answered my question and “Bad” Brad didn’t answer it for you? Here is my question. Had Roy Jones jr not priced himself out against you in 03 when he won the title from Ruiz and had the balls to defend against you, how do you think the fight would have gone? I hope the REAL MIKE TYSON ANSWERS THIS QUESTION!
EL D.
El D.
I can’t imagine Roy ever signing a contract to fight me even in 2003. It’s one thing for him to fight other heavyweights at that time – it’s a completely different matter if he walked into the ring to fight me – even in 2003.
Mr Tyson,
Long time fan and truly admire the family side of you after all those wild years you talked about in your book. What is a normal day in the life of Mr and Mrs Tyson when the cameras are not on?
Tamara B.
Tamara,
We get up about 5AM and exercise. Milan and Rocco get up about 7 and we all have breakfast. Then the rest of the day I am on the phone doing interviews and Kiki is scheduling events, signings, book tours, and One Man Shows.
Mike,
Huge fan of yours since the Berbick win. I have read so much about the tattoo on your face, but wanted to know what your real motive was behind it and if you could do it over, would you have not put it on your face?
Thanks so much for answering my question.
Joey A.
Joey,
During the period I got the tattoo all my guys thought it was cool. I did not have any wise people surrounding me. All I know – if Cus was around at that time he would have not been in favor of me getting the tattoo – and I am putting that mildly.
Mike,
What was your most regretful decision in your boxing career? If you could have a rematch with any of your old foes, who would it be?
Carlos H.
Carlos,
Marrying Robin Givens and being conned by Don King are the two biggest mistakes of my life. I would have loved to fight all my opponents after the Spinks fight again – but without the horrible King, Horne and Holloway con men involved.
Mike,
Your performance in The Hangover’ movies was priceless. You seemed to generally have a lot of fun doing them and it seemed to have brought out your comedic skills along with your one man show, ‘Undisputed Truth’ by Spike Lee. Are there other projects we can look forward to such as those you are working on?
Eric F.
Eric,
I am working on a movie on my life. That’s a tough project. How do I know? Just take a look at another boxing movie, “Ali.” The movie had a famous director in Michael Mann, a sensational actor in Will Smith, AND it was about one of the most famous and recognizable people of all time, Muhammad Ali. The film was boring and the boxing office revenue was poor. I would like a movie about me to leave people and critics saying, “Wow, that was great. I have got to see that again!”
I also remember the documentary James Toback did on me back in 2008. That wasn’t even good enough to make it into theaters. It went right to DVD. I would love my film to be as exciting as sports films like Hoosiers, Rudy, Remember the Titans and Rocky. It will be a challenge but I am up for it.
Mike,
In your fight with Tyrell Biggs, whom you dominated, were you surprised of how much better you were than him? Do you still hear from Biggs?
Rodney W.
Rodney,
I was not surprised. I did want to put a beating on him for the years that he was placed on a pedestal as the amateur heavyweight star in the 80’s and I was seated in the back of the bus. My only mistake that night was my post fight comments about him. Those were not nice.
Mike,
How do you think your career would have gone if you had kept Kevin Rooney on as your trainer? Also were there ever plans for you to fight Riddick Bowe?
Peter S.
The problem was not the absence of Kevin Rooney. It was the ADDITION of the scum that surrounded me: King, Horne, Holloway and the other “hanger’s-on.” King was brilliant at putting me back into street punk mentality. All you boxing fans remember me in 1985-1988 doing commercials in TV, being hired as a spokesperson for the NYC Police Department, FBI and DEA. All those beautiful things were gone because of King. I was emotionally shot – knowing that I went from being looked at as a hero to being a bum. That emotional pain is what destroyed me in and out of the ring.
And, by the way I never fired Kevin Rooney. King was brilliant once again. Without my permission King made up a bogus press release saying I fired Kevin. Unfortunately, I was not strong enough to dump King and keep Kevin.There were never any plans for me to fight Bowe.
Mike,
You are considered to be one of boxing’s greatest historians. Have you ever considered writing a book on great fighters of the past?
Lou E.
Lou,
I have never thought of doing that. What I still love to do though is watch videos of these legendary greats. It still gives me thrills to see them again and again. Those men were FIGHTERS!
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