During the 1980s, Mike Tyson gained notoriety for expeditiously knocking out opponents and striking fear in the hearts of any man who dared to step into the ring with him. However, his life outside the ring has been as polarizing as his boxing career.
When Tyson was 16, his mother died and his boxing trainer and mentor, Cus D’Amato, passed away a few years later. He was humiliated on national TV by his first wife, Robin Givens, who called him abusive and labeled him a manic-depressive during an interview with Barbara Waters. Months after losing his heavyweight title to James Buster Douglas in 1990, he was convicted of rape and served three years in prison. Tyson has squandered a $400 million fortune and heavily abused drugs and alcohol. But the boxing great’s most harrowing loss occurred four months ago when his 4-year-old daughter, Exodus, died tragically in her own home.
Tyson recently appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” where he openly discussed his rise to fortune, his failures, and the death of his 4-year-old daughter. After the interview, Oprah told Tyson, “I was so impressed with what you were able to reveal about yourself. It feels like it’s more than about you — it really is a study in humanity.”
That’s why Tyson’s story is so intriguing. His life represents what we both desire and fear. We all aspire to be successful and rewarded for our achievements. However, we are terrified of possibly experiencing traumatic situations that could have long-lasting emotional effects. Tyson has attained fame and fortune and managed to survive his worst fears. So when he talks about what he’s been through, the grief in his voice forces us to listen. Unashamed, he displays his flaws and harps on his imperfections as if he is crying for help. As he articulates his deepest regrets, we feel for him because we understand that his story is poignant and it shows how far a human can fall. And we will continue watching Tyson because we are curious to see if he can continue to find ways to get back up. –amir shaw
