…Mike Tyson Never Stood a Chance
1. With his father walking out on the family when he was two, Tyson’s childhood was marked by unhappiness and abuse. His reputation as a fighter got him kicked out of junior high school, only to pass through a series of juvenile detention centres. Mugging and purse snatching his way through New York, he was arrested 38 times by the time he was 13.
2. Having recognized his pure fighting skills, Cus D’Amato removed Tyson from reform school to train him full time, and later became his legal guardian. From that point on, Tyson was molded into the form of a prize pugilist, with few other life skills to speak of.
3. Don King. Considered the ultimate boxing promoter by some, he leveraged his position to become the head of an unregulated boxing environment. As he did with most of his boxers, Tyson received little legal protection from King, who manipulated his power much to the detriment of those he was promoting.
4. What happens when you give a young kid with little experience outside of boxing a whole pile of money? Nothing but trouble – and ultimately bankruptcy. With money separating Tyson and his minders, Tyson couldn’t help but find himself in harm’s way. Despite having earned over $300 million during his career, Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003 and recently served a 24-hour sentence for drug possession and DUI.
5. Holding the Heavyweight title for nearly 13 years and once pegged as the most recognized athlete (and physically powerful man) in the world, Tyson probably developed something of a God complex, thinking he was indestructible. You couldn’t really get farther from the truth and he always was a deeply troubled and abusive kid trapped inside a man’s body.
