Mike Tyson admits his inner demons led him to be viol*nt with fans

Reflected on his violent outbursts in the past

Mike Tyson admits his inner demons led him to be violent with fans

Mark J. TerrillAP

As the boxing world eagerly anticipates the showdown between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, the former heavyweight champion has offered a candid glimpse into his tumultuous journey, shedding light on the challenges he faced amidst his meteoric rise to fame.

Tyson, who skyrocketed to prominence as the youngest boxer to capture the world heavyweight champion title, confessed to grappling with the trappings of fame and personal demons.

Video thumbnail

Mike Tyson back in training for Jake Paul fight throwing furious punches

Speaking openly about his struggles, Tyson revealed that the adulation and spotlight that accompanied his boxing success initially proved overwhelming, exacerbating his inner turmoil.

Struggled with self-hate

Acknowledging his battles with “self-hate” and personal issues, Tyson reflected on his violent outbursts, particularly when confronted with unwanted fan interactions.

These confrontations often resulted in legal ramifications, with Tyson embroiled in numerous lawsuits stemming from his volatile behavior.

“At first you want the fame of being a champion but that’s… you have no control then,” Tyson told Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios.

“And that’s when I first started getting in trouble, because sometimes I might be walking the streets, they don’t know my mother died, my brother died, something about my family, I’m hurt and they just jumping in, ‘Hey man, give me a picture. Hey man this. Hey man. I love you. Give me this.’

“I might not be in the mood, so I used to be violent about it. And then, I started getting quite a few lawsuits and I stopped. I’m a glutton for pain, but I stopped. I couldn’t sign anymore checks.”

“What got me into that stuff was self-hate. Not loving myself and taking care [of] myself. But once I got some kind of inclination of showing myself self-love and stuff, things start to change.

“And I’m not talking about love. Love is not buying myself a new mansion, a new car. Love is buying somebody else a mansion. It’s pretty interesting I found that out late in life.”