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After the Death of his 4-year-old Daughter, Mike Tyson could use a few champions in his Corner
Mike Tyson recently experienced the worst tragedy of his life. On May 26, his 4-year-old daughter Exodus died from injuries sustained after her neck became entangled in a cord attached to a treadmill.
In this moment, Tyson needs respected black sports figures to join him in his corner. Tony Dungy should talk to him about dealing with the loss of a child. Jim Brown should inspire him to turn a negative situation into a positive one by mentoring a troubled teen. Muhammad Ali should pray with him. Sports legends and other notables should send their condolences to help him mend during this troubled time.
Tyson may often wonder what his life would have been like had he not been blessed with such a devastating right hook. At the age of 20, Tyson’s superior boxing skills made him one of the most electrifying athletes in history and the youngest heavyweight boxing champion ever. However, the excellence that Tyson displayed in the ring was frequently offset by the difficulties that he faced in his personal life.
Before the age of 26, Tyson went through a divorce with his wife, actress Robin Givens, endured the death of his boxing mentor (Cus D’Amoto), and was sentenced to six years in prison for rape. Once he returned to boxing after being incarcerated for three years, he was ostracized for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear during a fight in 1997. In 2003 he filed for bankruptcy after mismanaging nearly $300 million.
The New York Times recently reported that Tyson has been sober for 15 months after years of drug and alcohol abuse. For the sake of Tyson’s future, the sports community should embrace him so that he won’t return to the destructive vices of the past.–amir shaw
