Mike Tyson | Image: Getty Images/NYPost
Although American former professional boxer Michael Gerard Tyson, better known as Mike Tyson, may have reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion during his career, the former boxing champion recently revealed that he feels “empty” after retiring.
Tyson still holds the record as the youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title after he thrashed Trevor Berbick in 1986 aged 20 years and 4 months. Now, the legend says, “those days are gone. I’m empty. I’m nothing.”
In the latest episode of his podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion interviewed fellow boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. The two men opened up about their lived experiences outside of the ring.
In an emotional outpour, Tyson said, “I know the art of fighting, I know the art of war. That’s all I’ve ever studied. That’s why I’m so feared, that’s why they feared me when I was in the ring. I was an annihilator, that’s all I was born for.
“Now those days are gone. It’s empty, I’m nothing.
“I’m working on being the art of humbleness. That’s the reason I’m crying, ’cause I’m not that person no more, and I miss him.”
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old in 1985. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round.
Tyson is considered one of the best heavyweights of all time. Tyson holds the third-longest unified championship reign in heavyweight history at eight consecutive defences. He currently ranks No. 15 in BoxRec’s ranking of the greatest heavyweight boxers in history.
He was ranked No. 16 on The Ring’s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and No. 1 in the ESPN.com list of “The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History”. Sky Sports described him as “perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring”. He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Now, Mike Tyson says he is afraid of the person he was.
“Sometimes I feel like a b***h because I don’t want that person to come out because if he comes out, hell is coming with him.
“And it’s not funny at all. I sound cool like I’m a tough guy [but] I hate that guy. I’m scared of him.”
