Mike Tyson comes clean

'I'm a vicious alcoholic on the verge of dying'

Mike Tyson reveals he's been lying for years about being sober



The former heavyweight champion made the startling revelation while at a press conference to promote ESPN's Friday Night Fights at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York on Friday.

'I'm a bad guy sometimes,' he said. 'I did a lot of bad things, and I want to be forgiven... I wanna change my life, I wanna live a different life now. I wanna live my sober life.

'I don't wanna die. I’m on the verge of dying, because I’m a vicious alcoholic.'

After realizing what he had shared, he paused before adding that he has not consumed alcohol or drugs in six days, which he called 'a miracle'.

'I've been lying to everybody else that think I was sober, but I'm not,' he admitted. 'This is my sixth day. I'm never gonna use again.'

Tyson's struggle with alcohol and drugs has been well documented; he has been in and out of rehab three times.

He has also admitted that around five years ago he was contemplating suicide and overdosing - just before his four-year-old daughter Exodus died on May 26, 2009 when she was strangled by a cord while playing on a treadmill. He said that the tragedy served as a wake up call.

'I didn't think I'd be here much longer,' Tyson said. 'I was planning on killing myself. I was overdosing every night. I couldn't believe it - that I was waking up. Living life is different for me.

I had to change my life. It's been hell, but I'm happy to be alive.'

In an interview with Nightline in July 2012, Tyson claimed he had been sober for three years.

'I'm just constantly working on turning. It doesn’t happen overnight,' Tyson said in the interview.

'I may have a good few years in me but it's still not out of me. You still have to work consistently. Every moment of the day you have to work because your demons always - that's who you are.'

His comments on Friday came as he spoke about trying to make amends with Teddy Atlas, his former trainer whom he famously fell out with in the early 1980s.

Tyson said he knew Atlas was going to be at the Fight Night Fights event and described how he initially struggled with how he would handle seeing him again.

I didn't have a good thought in mind about that at first, because I'm negative and I'm dark,' Tyson said. 'And I wanna do bad stuff. I wanna hang out in this neighborhood alone [pointing to his head].

'That's dangerous to hang out in this neighborhood alone up here, right? It wants to kill everything. It wants to kill me, too.'

He added of Atlas: 'He has to know this is sincere. I don't wanna fight you no more. I was wrong. I'm sorry.'

Last month, Tyson announced he's teaming with director Spike Lee to bring Tyson's one-man Broadway stage show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, to HBO later this year.

Tyson said it reflects his life's journey from Brooklyn street tough guy to happily married father, and credits his wife for his foray into promoting.

'I'm incredibly grateful to HBO for partnering with me and for believing in my story,' Tyson said. 'It is an honor and a privilege to be working with them to bring my one-man show, 'Undisputed Truth,' to live on the television screen.'

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Genuinely admitting it is the first step. Wish him a full recovery...

 

He can tell all the lies he wants as long as it doesn't affect me directly or indirectly.


I got to admit that I felt bad for him when he lost his kid.

 

When humans engage in an activity that produces a lot of brain trauma for many years or sudden brain trauma from war and car accidents, science has not found an effective treatment to relieve pain, and as a result, many athletes, military personnel, etcetera use and abuse alcohol, street drugs, and prescription drugs, in order to self-medicate. Cus D'Amato's, Don King's, and others who in charge of Mike Tyson personal health, messed up Mike Tyson's life.

Junior Seau, Muhammad Ali, Dave Duerson, Derek Boogaard, Meldrick Taylor, and Wade Belak are some athletes who committed suicide or have neurological disorders, as result of playing sports.

Unfortunately, this trend will continue, because our society craves violence and the dramatic in life and sports.

 

You do realize that these boxers could say no to boxing.

 

I used to train professional boxers and mixed martial arts fighters. I AGREE!!! All athletes could say "No!"; however, many athletes, especially minority athletes come from a poor and troubled background. When you are poor with little or no education, and you have the gift of great athletic talent, the temptation and appeal of professional sports is too great to resist. Many athletes from wealthy and middle class backgrounds cannot resist the appeal of professional sports.

This is also explains why over eighty percent of professional athletes will have financial issues, after they retire.

 

It is hard to understand how they can see that. I'm sure they are surrounded with people who didn't make it. Boxing isn't basketball. Even if you make it, the rewards don't make up for the damage done.

 

As an example, Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Sonny Liston, Ruben Hurricane Carter were four of the meanest boxers in the sport. All were hungry and poor bullies in their poor black rural area or city. All had discipline issues and confrontations with the law. All became champions, except for Carter, who was the best out of all the above. All had/have problems with alcohol and drugs, except Foreman. All had problems with women! This why I used to tell my male athletes "Never Chase Pussy!" For George Foreman, his story has a different ending. What else could they do, as a 'decent occupation'?

I stated the above to demonstrate, as Mark Twain stated "Common Sense is not common". Archangel does not have the mindset of a poor and starving bully and criminal. Archangel has been exposed to a different way of life and thinking.

 

Very interesting POV's, Arb1. I wondered if he has any form of concussion, but then he didn't get hit much, did he. Enjoying reading your experiences and/or informative contributions on the site so far, btw.

 

Ms. Bliss, Thank you for your kind words.
In most sports, if suffered a severe trauma to the head, you can remove yourself the game, without suffering a defeat. Furthermore, combat athletes want to be recognized for their ability withstand pain and punishment. If you are a heavyweight boxer and you have been knocked out, then you have suffered a concussion. Lennox Lewis gave Mike Tyson a beating and a concussion.

 

I certainly enjoyed watching tyson ko his opponents in the ring. When he lost to lewis is when i realized his career was probably done for. I think he realized the same bout around the time when he got that tat on his face.

 

Eh, who cares? I'll reserve my sympathy for people who aren't abusive sex offenders.

 

I don't know if I believe he actually did it. Incarceration doesn't always equal guilt.

 

I dont think he or pac were guilty.

 

Me neither. After seeing how that disgusting piece of shit lied.on.dude.in LA and.took away years of his.life.plus.stealing a million dollars from the.tax payers I don't just take anyone's word for it anymore.

 

Iron Mike has had one of the most difficult, horrible lives of anyone. I wish him peace and health and that he can conquer his demons and eventually find healing.

 

Doesn't matter what you believe, he is guilty in the eyes of the law. Mike Tyson is a convicted rapist. That should mean something, but because he is good at punching people while wearing gloves we give him a pass. If he was Kenny from the carwash he would be castigated in society, and rightly so, but because he is a celebrity all is forgiven and we're meant to feel sorry for him. Awww poor Mike!!! Where was his empathy when he was subjecting an 18-year old girl to the ultimate violation of a woman's bodily autonomy? Where? Oh. Yeah, fuck him.

Same shit with Roman Polanski, Chris Brown, Charlie Sheen, Tupac, Sean Penn. Fuck them all.

Talent shouldn't mitigate guilt.

So, what are you saying? Because one woman lied, all women are liars? So unless the rapist admits it (which let's be real, he probably won't), even if he is convicted in court, you are assuming that the woman is lying?

No wonder most women never report their assaults. No wonder so many sexually violent men are walking free. No wonder these fucking creeps go on to assault woman after woman with impunity.

Yes, people who lie about rape are bad. However, this is a massive minority. False reports of rape are no more common than false reports of any other crime. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/13/rape-investigations-belief-false-accusations

Women are not falsely reporting rape on unprecedented scales; what is happening on an unprecedented scale is men actually raping and abusing women - and getting away with it. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/h...-in-us-survey-report-sexual-assault.html?_r=0

But nah, there's no outrage about that for you, is there?

Damn, let's free the guy who raped me because he didn't admit it, huh? Fuck it, if only Ted Bundy was still alive we could free him too. Let's just pardon all men because women are fucking vindictive, lying bitches, yeah?

Everyone is fucking Miss Marple on the internet. You don't even realise how your words impact on survivors of rape - which no doubt there are countless on this forum.

SMH.

I forgot this place hated women. :smt012

 

Dial it back LS I have on more than one occasion expressed my outrage for what happened to you but that doesn't mean I have to agree with every rape conviction. Someone posted a story about this guy:http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/03/us/georgia-football-player-exonerated

Dude was convicted for rape and served five years for a rape he didn't commit. Five fucking years and the label of a rapist because some piece of shit blatantly lied and stole tax payer money in a civil suit.
I'm not saying this is the story of all rapist I honestly think the vast majority of them did the crimes they were accused of, convicted or not, but there are situations like Mike Tyson and Tupac where I don't think really did it. There are legions of people out there willing to lie to get a pay day.

Btw please go somewhere with that divisionist nonsense nobody in here hates women just because they don't agree with a conviction. What ever happened to open discussion?

 

LS, I don't think anyone is saying that they condone rape. Far from it. I find it horrible, offensive and those that are guilty should be punished to the highest extent of the law. That being said, we are also, by nature of who we are, acutely aware of the inherent unfairness of the criminal justice system and the all-too-common railroading to a guilty verdict of suspects who may or may not be innocent. What some of the speakers are conveying is, I think, a concern that, given the circumstances and evidence, a deep skepticism that he is in fact, guilty. And that being said, I am in favor of harsh punishment for anyone who rapes anyone. There is no excuse for it. Period.

 

You are drawing waaay too many assumptions, no one has empathy for rapists they all should get life in prison. I remember some specifics from the case that revealed that he was not guilty.

 

Ms. Liquid Sword,
You are child of my CREATOR; therefore, your gender, race, religion, etcetera has no significance to me. I love you!

I will not argue, whether or not Mr. Tyson is guilty of rape. In the US, the more convictions a state has for domestic violence, the more funding and resources the US government will provide to that state, with the intention of assisting combating domestic violence and crime. Female on female domestic violence falls into this category, unfortunately. I can only refer to the US statistics that state female on female domestic violence is increasing, while incidences of male/female rape has been on a steady decline for twenty years; yet, this truth does not get the female vote for politicians in the US. I am referring to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation statistic, which are the statistics the US government uses to determine criminal trends in this country. Please refer to www.fbi.gov

Ms. Liquid Sword, I do not doubt your references. I have no contention with you or 'women'. My contention is with my country, politicians, religious organizations, and academia who lie and promote their selfish agenda, thereby destroying families, men, and women, whether that person is male or female.

Once again, I can only refer to the US. Female on male domestic violence occurs, as frequently as male on female domestic violence. Men do not report domestic violence, due a stigma attached with reporting this type of domestic violence.

In the US, the conviction rate for any non-white collar crime is much higher for black males and minorities, than for white males. In the US, conviction rates for black athletes in domestic violence, palimony, and child support issues are much higher, than for white males. The National Football League; The National Basketball League, and Major League Baseball are well aware of these numbers; therefore, athletes are counseled before they can begin training and playing with a professional team. Also, domestic intervention assistance is provided for athletes in the aforementioned sports.

Either Rudolf Hess or Joseph Goebbels stated if the state can separate the males from females, wives, and children, thereby making females and children dependent on the state, the state can control the people. I am in no way minimizing the horrors of rape or sexual assault; yet, the powers that be want males and females to be in contention, because there is profit and power in chaos.

May holy blessings and protection be bestowed on Mr. Tyson and Desiree Washington. I am sure Ms. Washington has suffered and is suffering for her decision, whether she lied or told the truth.