Even though I’d covered most of his significant bouts at that point, it’s still not every day that Mike Tyson calls you at home so I was suspicious. Tyson’s voice was frequently imitated, and comedians used to make fun of his lisp and the higher pitch to his voice than his size suggested.
Former New York Times Reporter E.R. Shipp, who covered the case. “For many women, it was an opportunity for victims of what was called ‘date rape’ or ‘acquaintance rape’ to be taken seriously. For Black people, there were myriad questions about justice for Black men and justice for Black women.”
“I like this fight a lot, two giant heavyweights in a situation where a loss could be the end any hopes of getting to the top of the division. I think Wilder has to be in desperation mode site here. He’s only won a single bout since 2019 and he’ll be 39-years-old in just a couple of months. He has had an incredible career, but I don’t like what I saw in his last bout with Joseph Parker. The legs just were not present and neither was any killer instinct on Deontay’s part. Although Zhang lost his previous bout as well, also to Joseph Parker, I think even at 41-years of age he has a lot of fight left in him. I think he overwhelms the Bronze Bomber en route to a stoppage win halfway through the bout.”
Over the years, he has attended rehab as well as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. His commitment to a sober life has been more successful recently. “For seven years, I didn’t get high, didn’t drink liquor,” Tyson said in 2023. He credits psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana for changing his life and curbing his reliance on alcohol and cocaine.
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That right hook didn’t come out of nowhere, however. It was set up from the opening bell. Joe Joyce claimed that he had worked on errors in this training camp, but when it came down to it, all of his changes seemed to boil down to “move the other way.” And that is just not enough.
Rhodes’ Tyson isn’t the only person who is featured in the teaser. We also see a number of other prominent figures in Tyson’s life. One of the most notable appearances is that of Cus D’Amato, Mike’s boxing manager and trainer. Played by Harvey Keitel (Lansky), D’Amato was instrumental in shaping Tyson into the larger-than-life persona that he would later take on. In the trailer, he encourages Tyson to “embrace your villainy.” We see Russell Hornsby (Fences) as fight promoter Don King, who also had a checkered history within the boxing world. We importantly get a few glimpses of Laura Harrier (Hollywood) portraying Tyson’s first wife Robin Givens, dressed glamorously in a fur-lined jacket and coifed hair, she is a striking figure.
Zhang was highly regarded by American promoters by 2009 but his career stalled between 2009 and 2019 owing to a combination of his duties to Chinese national boxing obligations, mismanagement and accompanying legal issues, and his visa problems. Until Zhang signed with Matchroom Sport USA in 2020 at 37 years of age, he was excluded from boxing’s top ranks.
Perhaps even in the family. At the table, Zhang flashes a picture of his son, who still lives in China and sees his dad a few times a year. His name is Jingze—Mandarin for “respect the rules”—but he is known to Zhang’s U.S. contingent as Zach. Now 14 years old, he’s 6’ 2” and weighs 200 pounds. There’s no doubt where Zach’s size comes from. But asked whether Zach boxes, Zhang shakes his head. Likes school, Zhang says. Studies English. But hates sports. Oof. That’s one no. But there are still more than a billion to go.
“He’s coming at me with a flurry of punches,” Yen said. “I was supposed to block all his punches with Wing Chun techniques. Now, in the Wing Chun techniques, you use your elbow. So, I go at it, maybe have a little power behind it, and I guess I accidentally hit one of his fingers.” Yen then tells the interviewer that he didn’t even realize Tyson was injured until the famous boxer walked onto set with a bandaged finger the next day.
Wilder, rated at No. 9 by The Ring at heavyweight, claimed bronze at the 2008 Olympics before he turned professional and won his first 32 fights inside the distance. He outboxed Bermane Stiverne (UD 12) to win the WBC title and made ten successful defenses.
In 2012, Tyson made his Broadway debut in his one-man show Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth, directed by Spike Lee. Two years later, Tyson’s animated venture Mike Tyson Mysteries, a comical crime-fighting spoof, premiered on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.