Mike Tyson: “I Am Going To Tear His Soul Apart” | E57

My guest today is Mike Tyson, a former heavyweight boxing champion of the world and one of the greatest boxers of all time!  At the age of 20, he became the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title.  He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold WBA, WBC, and IDF titles and a member of the international boxing Hall of Fame.

Mike has appeared in many movies and TV shows.  He is the actor and creator of a one-man Broadway show Undisputed Truth, and the author of the best-selling book of the same name.

Mike is also a very successful entrepreneur and a founder of two cannabis companies, including Tyson 2.0.  He is an incredible person and a dedicated philanthropist through his Mike Tyson’s Care foundation, and the support of other charities including The Make a Wish Foundation and The Special Olympics.

(00:00) Mike’s childhood

• His dad was a pimp, his mom an alcoholic and a sex industry worker
• He was bullied in his childhood ("you can’t run from them, you must confront them")
• Started robbing people to buy food for his pigeons
• A traumatic event with the birds that changed him
• Mike's first fight and from being bullied, to being the bully
• Went pick-pocketing and stealing with his friends
• Started with crime at 11, by the age of 13, he was arrested more than 37 times
• The stealing mentality - nobody else matters
• His mom encouraged him to steal (his goal was to be a professional criminal)

(18:13) Juvenile facilities and Mike’s first steps in boxing

• Watched the movie “The Greatest”, the story of Mohammed Ali
• Transferred to Elwood Cottage
• Mike was always handcuffed in a dangerous environment 
• Met Bobby Stewart who inspired him to finish school and started training him
• At 13, Bobby wanted to take him to the next level - introduced him to Cus D'Amato

 (21:14) Mike’s first mentor - Cus D'Amato

• Relationship with Cus D’Amato (Cus taught him to never give up)
• Cus became a father figure for him
• The time Mike first experienced love
• Cus saw in him the future world champion
• Working out for 6 hours a day while going to school
• Wanted to get kicked out of school, but Cus didn’t allow that
• There is no progress without struggle (study about rats)

(29:32) The beginning of his fighting career

• At 18, a fight with Hector Mercedes - beat him in one round
• Wasn't afraid of losing, but being a bad loser
• Mike's desire to be the world champion consumed him completely
• Became the youngest boxing champion ever
• His mother’s reaction - never got affirmed by her

(34:57) From millions of dollars to bankruptcy

• Started making millions of dollars (became highest paid athlete in the world)
• Went bankrupt being reckless, didn’t know how to manage money as a street kid
• Being rich and going broke multiple times
• Fame and money won’t make you happy
• Become your own alarm system
• The pain is the same at the top and the bottom of the world

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