MIKE TYSON: THE INTERVIEW

Pep Cipriano has his questions answered by ‘Iron Mike’ Tyson who recently appeared in Peterborough.

It’s not often I get to interview one of my heroes. You normally only get one chance of posing questions to someone like Mike Tyson, so I put together some of the most challenging questions I know boxing fans alike have always wanted answers to.

Frustratingly he didn’t answer the majority of them but focused instead on providing responses to the ones he felt most comfortable with. Nor did he agree to pose nose-to-nose and in a boxing stance with me for our photograph, or indeed look at the camera. They say you should never interview your heroes and now I know why!

But meeting intimidating ‘Iron Mike’ was still fascinating and it wouldn’t have been possible without Boxing Promotions Limited, in association with Smackdown Boxing Gym in Hampton. These guys brought An Evening with the Baddest Man on the Planet to Peterborough – the EXEC exhibition centre at the East of England Showground to be precise.

Hosted by boxing pundit Steve Bunce, more than 1,300 people turned out to hear what one of the most exciting and controversial heavyweight boxers of all time had to say about his life in and out of boxing.

Tyson became the youngest ever (aged 20) World Heavyweight Champion in 1986 with a second round knockout of Trevor Berbick. His outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination, power, timing and defensive abilities – taught by his mentor Cus D’Amato -made him one of the all time greats.

However, as with all great fighters, Tyson’s career began to slowly deteriorate (the death of D’Amato and an unstable personal life combined) and many would agree his finest years were between 1986 and 1988 despite two wins in 1989 (one against Frank Bruno) before his defeat to Buster Douglas in 1990.

I began with a question that every boxing fan knows the answer to…

Do you think you’d have ever been heavyweight champion of the world had you not met Cus D’Amato?

“Never. I think I am an idiot and Cus always knew how to work with fighters who had special needs. He was blessed with a skill to convey his genius to fighters with no patience and discipline.”

What made him so special and what made you trust and believe in him?
”He was very interested in me and desperate to see me succeed. I loved my new family structure (Cus took Tyson under his wing and moved him into his home) and I felt if I couldn’t succeed then I wouldn’t be able to stay with him. That was my motivation. One day Cus said if I kept acting up in school I would have to leave him. I fell on the floor crying – it was the first time he saw me cry – and begged him to not put me out. He didn’t but the threat was there unless I tried harder at school.”

You knocked out Trevor Berbick to win the heavyweight title. Can you remember what was going through your mind minutes before the opening bell?
”I wanted to make Cus happy and told myself that Cus was going to have his second heavyweight champion that night. I really believed this was my real family and I just wanted to make Cus proud of me.”

Which fight would you say was your best and why?

“I think Buster Douglas was my best fight because I took a good beating. In the boxing world that I came from, taking a beating like I did was merit in itself. Even when Muhammad Ali fought Larry Holmes people were in awe of Ali’s pain threshold. It was unimaginable. If that fight was never stopped, Ali would have continued until his death.”

Who was your toughest opponent?

“Probably Evander Holyfield.”

Do you remember whom you beat when you said: “How dare these boxers challenge me with their primitive skills? It makes me angry. They’re just as good as dead.”

“It was Carl ‘The Truth’ Williams. I let my ego cloud my judgment, which led me to say those things. I now deeply regret making that statement. I just wanted to be famous. I told my mother at her grave that when the Tyson name is mentioned people wouldn’t think about Cecily Tyson. I sparred with Williams when he was preparing to fight Holmes. Carl helped prepare me for life in the boxing ring and I should have said complimentary things and thanked him for giving me a chance by sparring with him. Guys like Holmes didn’t want to spar with me because I was just a kid.”

How does it feel to be one of the best boxers ever – and to be one of the most recognised people in the world? You’ll leave behind quite a legacy!
”I don’t look at it that way. I look at my life as being unexamined. The majority of great people are not good people. If I had a choice I would rather be a good person then a great person. Not many books are written about good people, just great people. A good person could give someone mercy, not many great people would give mercy. Mercy antagonises a great man’s macho-ism or ego. A great man would ask for mercy because he doesn’t give it. A good man does not ask for mercy because he gives and therefore, expects it.”

Who would you name as the three best heavyweights of all time and why?

“I would say Ali, Holmes and I think Rocky Marciano was extremely underrated. Marciano had fast hands but never got any credit for it. He was probably the most underrated heavyweight of all time. His skills were overlooked and I can count on one hand the number of black eyes he received. His boxing skills surpassed his 49 and 0 record.”

Of all the historic heavyweights, which one would you say your style was most similar to?

“I would say a Jack Dempsey and Sonny Liston combination of styles. I actually named my style of boxing after these two fighters. They both projected evil in the ring. They were both ominous fighters.”

Which other boxers, retired or active, outside of the heavyweight division do you most admire?

“Julio Cesar Chavez is one of my top five all time greatest fighters – a great fighter deprived of the proper greatness he deserved. They should erect a statue of him in downtown Mexico City instead of the one that’s currently there of some winged horse. He brought more pride to the country than any Mexican president, including Pancho Villa, the great revolutionist Emiliano Zapata and painter Diego Rivera. He definitely had more heart and courage than all of them combined.

“Roberto Duran is my hero. Duran is the quintessential Mike Tyson idol. Duran had the sophisticated boxing skills of a Panamanian and the ferocity and toughness of a Mexican. In 1980, while in reform school, I watched the re-run of the Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard fight. I was about 14 years old and knew right then to dedicate my life to boxing. It was like a high stake street fight. I felt the hate and envy they had for each other. It was Duran’s experience that won him that fight. I also admired Pernell Whitaker and Jeff Fenech. They had no fear and would fight anyone.”
What does it take to be a champion and what advice would you give to someone aspiring to be one?

“I’d say deprive yourself of everything that tastes and feels good. The only pleasure that should be allowed is in the gym and the ring. The art of discipline should be studied and mastered. My definition of discipline is doing what you hate to do but doing it like you love every second of it.”

What motivates you today?

“Passion for life. I’m trying to be a decent person in life and society. Being able to support and help others besides just my family and friends. If I have a healthy life then I will have a healthy death.”

What’s the plan for Mike Tyson for the rest of 2010 and beyond?

“To try and be a student in the art of humbleness.”

Boxing fever continues on Saturday September 11 with 13 bouts of semi-professional boxing including an eagerly awaited clash between local lads Paddy Wright and Russ Bates. For details and tickets call 01733 311549.

Pep Cipriano

Photos: Terry Harris – images not to be reproduced in any form eslewhere without prior permission.