Boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson was astutely aware of everything around him as he entered the ring.
Mike Tyson was known for his ferociousness and cold demeanor as he made his walk to the boxing ring for his heavyweight fights. But Tyson was still bothered by one element of fight night as he mentally prepared to go to battle with some of the most dangerous combatants in the world.
While Tyson has mellowed in his previously stoic demeanor as he approaches age 60, he was a juggernaut during the prime of his boxing career. He’s known for a series of dramatic knockouts during the peak of his powers, including finishes over Trevor Berbick and Larry Holmes.
But despite the intensity he brought to the ring, Tyson was uncomfortable with people having hostile reactions towards him as he looked to put on a show.
Mike Tyson struggled with booing fans at his fights
During a recent episode of the Soder Podcast, comedian Dan Soder revealed a conversation he had with Tyson about fans booing his performances.
“We were talking about doing standup and one person not laughing in the audience. You’re doing well, but there’s two or three people not laughing,” Soder began on Tyson. “And Tyson goes: ‘That always bothered me! I’d walk to the ring and everyone would be cheering me, but someone would be booing me.
“‘It’s a bad neighborhood [in your head] and you’re all by yourself!'”
After some legal troubles in the 1990s, Tyson’s public image was tainted for the tail-end of his career, and he was viciously booed by spectators at his fights. But since retiring, Tyson has become a beloved global icon, and is almost unanimously cheered when he attends UFC fights and boxing events.
Mike Tyson isn’t ruling out a pro boxing return after Jake Paul fight
Tyson returned to the ring against Jake Paul last year in his first professional boxing match since June 2005. He lost to Paul by unanimous decision at 58 years old, one of the oldest to compete in a professional bout.
In the immediate aftermath of the Paul fight, Tyson didn’t rule out another possible return against Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, if they could come to terms. But as of this writing, nothing is in the works for Tyson in the ring.
Before a loss to Buster Douglas in 1990, Tyson won his first 37 professional fights and was the youngest-ever undisputed heavyweight champion. Back-to-back losses to Evander Holyfield in 1996 and 1997 led Tyson to struggle in the final chapters of his career.
Tyson’s road from hero to villain, to beloved icon was a winding road. But despite his serious persona in the ring, outside of it, he still dealt with some insecurity about people who hated him.
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