A new documentary series from ABC News will explore what propelled boxerMike Tysonto fame — and everything that’s happened since.
“Mike is a complicated individual,” a voiceover says in the exclusive first trailer forMike Tyson: The Knockout.
In the series, Tyson and his contemporaries recount “the climb, the crash and the comeback” of his boxing career, starting with his childhood in Brooklyn, New York.
Tyson, now 54, was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. His first win at 20 made him the youngest player to hold the title.
“Mike Tyson was called the baddest man on the planet because he was the baddest man on the planet,” actress Rosie Perez — who has often been dubbed the “First Lady of Boxing” — says in the trailer.
The four-hour series will also look at Tyson’s personal life, which has been riddled with controversy including accusations from his first wifeRobin Givensthat he was physically abusive.
The Knockout/ABC
Tyson admitted toOprah Winfreyon her show in 2009, “I have socked her before, and she socked me before, as well. It was just that kind of relationship.”
Other points oflegal troublefor Tyson included a 1992 rape conviction for which he served three years in prison,biting off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s earduring a 1997 re-match, a prison stint in 1999 for assaulting two motorists, and again — briefly — in 2007 for possession of cocaine and driving under the influence, and more.
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“In addition to being an inspiring story of the perseverance and hard-won growth of one extraordinary person, Mike Tyson’s life and career are also relevant to the important collective self-reflection finally occurring in America,” saidMike Tyson: The Knockoutexecutive producer Geoffrey Fletcher.
The two-part primetime event also includes ABC News archival footage, and previously unaired interviews with Tyson, himself.
Mike Tyson.ANDRZEJ LANGE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Tyson will also discuss the state of his career now. Last winter, the boxer faced former heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match at Staples Center in Los Angeles — Tyson’s first fight in 15 years. He left the door open for another match after his and Jones Jr.’s ended in a draw.
Hetold PEOPLE ahead of the matchthat in addition to spending time in the gym, he’s worked on his overall mental wellness in recent years.
“I work on trying to be grateful, I really work hard at that. That’s my goal in life,” Tyson said at the time. “It’s almost like reaching my favorite me. Every few years, I get better with the goal of being the best me I can be.”
Mike Tyson: The Knockoutpremieres on May 25, at 8 p.m. EST, with the second installment airing at the same time on June 1 on ABC. It can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu.
source: people.com
