Mike tyson autobiography book review

They say everyone Napoleon meets his Waterloo and for Mike Tyson that was the under-rated challenger Buster Douglas who pulled off one of the greatest shocks in boxing history by knocking out Tyson in Buster Douglas, on the other hand, was superbly conditioned and prepared and fought the fight of his life. Tyson too fought like a warrior but eventually his lack of preparation caught up with him and he was counted out in the 10th round.

Shortly afterwards Tyson was convicted of raping an 18 yr old girl and jailed for an offence which he still denies to this day. Tyson spent the next three years in prison — a far cry from the multi-millionaire playboy lifestyle he was used to leading. It was in prison that Tyson became a Muslim. He had always read a lot in his life and had always had a deep intellectual curiosity.

So for example, even while he was in jail he managed to find ways of having sex with women. And after he was released Muslim Mike Tyson still drank alcohol, snorted cocaine and indulged in many, many sexual orgies. That said, he was still good enough to regain the world title when he defeated Frank Bruno. Along the way Tyson was showing signs of being completely out of control.

Aside from the infamous ear-biting incident against Holyfeld, Tyson would get into numerous street brawls and had law suits pending against him left, right and centre. Meanwhile, his sex addiction was as rampant as ever and he was becoming a serious coke addict. Eventually he would lose virtually all his money. He went into rehab, attended AA meetings and eventually managed to kick the drugs, alcohol and extra-marital sex.

He even went to Mecca to perform his hajj which he describes as an amazing experience. If you think you know all about Mike Tyson, read this book and think again. Whether or not Tyson is a reliable witness to his own life is moot. His tales of prison in the early s during which he says he conducted a sexual affair with his drug therapist owe much to films such as The Shawshank Redemption.

The account of his drug-addled European travels following retirement is, frankly, laughable: a blow-and-hotel-rooms caper that reads like bad Bret Easton Ellis … On the other hand, if only a tenth of what is in here is plain fact, then this is still the most insane and astonishing sports book I have read for years. A walking target for bullies. One day of his mom passed out drunk and unable to walk him to school led to several run-ins with bullies.

The events of that one day led to him meeting some unsavory characters, deciding to permanently ditch school, becoming involved with pigeons, and beginning a life of crime. His introduction to crime and street life should be required reading for parents and anyone working with kids, especially children who are at risk. But peer pressure from guys who might be a few years older in age though not that far ahead with regards to maturity can lead to kids doing things they might not on their own.

Tyson was eight years old when he started rolling around with this crew of older kids and playing with pigeons. Here are these kids who are poor but desire nice clothes, jewelry, and other material possessions. Many of the adults in the neighborhood who are working honest jobs also have a side hustle some of which were illegal. Lacking financial stability and having low self-esteem, they try to build themselves up with material possessions.

Tyson was a kid with raggedy clothes and a limited understanding of personal hygiene. An older kid who was more knowledgeable about street life rescued him after he committed an especially embarrassing faux pas. This kid took him under his wing and in addition to pointers on hygiene also introduced him to buying clothes and burglaries. The opportunity to make money, although illegally, allowed him to buy clothes, food, and other things that boosted his ego and gave him some sense of self-esteem.

This is part of why kids in so many poor areas became heavily involved with selling drugs during the s.

Mike tyson autobiography book review

People get tired of struggling, having no food in the house, and wearing old off-brand clothing. Being young and unable to delay gratification as well as not considering the possible long-term consequences of death or imprisonment, they take chances. People adapt to circumstances and as these kids get older, their crimes become more serious as do the penalties.

Some are fortunate to turn their lives around but for others, they begin the cycle of going in and out of prison as adults. In previous years, adult Tyson had a reputation for being quite vulgar and incredibly disrespectful with his language. He had some trouble learning and functioning in class and was placed in special education classes as a result.

Over three or four years, he got into all kinds of criminal mischief and ended up with a lengthy rap sheet. But he was still being bullied due to his fear and unwillingness to fight. That all changed when he stood up to a bully who ripped the head off of one of his pigeons and a crowd formed around them. In other environments, he would have been ostracized for his antisocial behavior and would have likely made adjustments.

But instead, he gained a rep and respect among his peers in the neighborhood who were living equally violent and criminal lives. Their reaction helped to normalize his behavior and things only got worse when he started being sent to juvenile correction facilities. Yet, it was during a stint at Spofford that he saw a film about and met Muhammad Ali which sparked his aspirations to be like Ali.

You might say it was destiny and his time in juvenile halls rescued him from Brownsville. At a time when Tyson wanted unconditional love, he felt like his mother gave up on him. Someone to provide a positive example of possibilities for what he could be. Meanwhile, his father was barely present and played no meaningful role in his upbringing.

Yet, Tyson carries a lot of hurt and resentment with regards to his mother while not having nearly the same level of expectations or culpability for his father. That being said, Tyson needed discipline at that point in his life but not in the form that his mom was administering. As a large person beating a small child, you teach them intimidation and domination rather than discipline.

In the case of Mrs. Tyson, she began physically disciplining him as a small child and it continued as he got older. Those beatings escalated over time and became just as much about his mom venting her frustration as it was about her trying to correct him. Regardless, the roller-coaster relationship between these two alone is worth the price of admission.

Even the baby in the first "Hangover" movie, where Tyson had a small role, knows about his drug issues. Such things may have been symptomatic of his sex addiction but not confirmatory. The sex addiction added another self-imposed hurdle in front of Tyson, but it's the amount of drugs he consumed that makes his accomplishments even more spectacular.

The late Burt Sugar one of boxing's most revered historians already puts Tyson among the best fighters of all time. Maybe the right question is whether he would have made it all. When Tyson was on his third rehab attempt, he said he reflected on a fear that many of his famous friends both athlete and layperson who had gone through rehab told him about: what if getting clean took away what made them special?

Maybe a clean Tyson would have been an unknown Tyson. Something the sporting world has not seen since, and may never see again. Your email address will not be published. Share Tweet Pin LinkedIn. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.