Ear biting, tattooed face, heavy weight boxer Mike Tyson is surprised that he is still alive and says his past wasn’t pretty. Speaking at a news conference at Cannes film festival, where a documentary of Tyson’s life directed by James Toback is being presented, Tyson said “I’ve lived a wild and strange life.”

Drugs and violence fueled most of Mike’s life and he said:

I’ve used drugs, I’ve had physical altercations with dangerous people, people were angry. I’ve slept with guys’ wives, they wanted to kill me. I’m just happy to be here. It’s just a miracle. I feel good about being here with you.”

The documentary was derived from going through endless hours of fight footage and past interviews and mixing clips of the two together. Producer, Toback shows how the boxer came from a poor upbringing in New York and how he climbed to the top of the boxing world and then his fall back down to the bottom.

Reviews on the movie seem to be leaning towards the good. One review from the trade paper Variety said:

In the course of the film, Tyson moves from someone you might think you’d want to steer clear of to a man you might actually want to meet and speak with, which is a significant accomplishment.”

Tyson was rescued from the streets of Brooklyn when he was younger by veteran trainer Cus D’Amato, who was somehow able to help Tyson take his inner anger and transform that into the most lethal punchers boxing has seen.

Not able to control his powers, Tyson was the youngest boxer at age 20 to take the title of World Heavy Weight Champion and gave up the clout when he was convicted of rape in 1992.

One might think that prison would straighten one’s act out but not for Mike. He came out fierce and showed the world his no holds bar side in 1997 when he took a bite out of Evander Holyfield’s ear and got himself banned from the ring for a full year.

Growing up with a lisp as a child was daunting and the bullying is what made him want to fight back.

Tyson said:

I’ve always analyzed my life. I’ve always been pretty objective about myself, I’ve always been a harsh critic about myself.”

So will you go and see the documentary? Let us know what you think about the softer side that is trying to be portrayed. Either the boxer has turned full circle or his publicist is making darn sure that Mike is showing a more softer side to sell the movie.

 

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