Mike Tyson On Preparing To Fight Floyd Mayweather & His Plan To Save The Sport Of Boxing

Summary

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DOUBL3 COVERAGE PODCAST: Mike Tyson On Preparing To Fight Floyd Mayweather & His Plan To Save The Sport Of Boxing

Host: Mystic Zach & N3on
Guest: Mike Tyson
Date: March 20, 2026
Episode: 16

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Episode Overview

In this powerful episode, boxing legend Mike Tyson joins Mystic Zach and N3on live from the first annual Mike Tyson Invitational in Las Vegas. The discussion centers on Tyson’s dedication to revitalizing amateur boxing in America, his reflections on his own childhood and boxing journey, and his vision for the sport’s future—especially in light of recent Olympic setbacks. Tyson also addresses his preparation for a high-profile fight against Floyd Mayweather, the lessons boxing instills beyond the ring, and the vital role of youth development. The tone is passionate, authentic, and driven by Tyson’s desire to empower the next generation, with memorable anecdotes and candid moments throughout.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Birth of the Mike Tyson Invitational and Saving Amateur Boxing

• Inspiration:

  • Tyson shares how a visit to Richard Steele's gym and witnessing the passion of local kids inspired him to create a new platform for amateur boxing.
  • (00:42) “I went to Richard Steele's gym… I saw the enthusiasm of the children… I said, the world has to see this.” — Mike Tyson

• Concern for Amateur Boxing’s Decline:

  • Tyson laments the lack of frequent competition in today’s youth boxing, contrasting it with his own era where fighters accumulated hundreds of bouts early.
  • He’s distressed over the potential removal of boxing from the Olympics, calling it “a sin to the art of boxing.”
  • (01:57) "If they’re kicking it out, the Olympics, how bad can we get? We can’t get any worse." — Mike Tyson

• Mission Statement:

  • He emphasizes he does not want to run amateur boxing but wants to help kids be better athletes and foster a stronger boxing establishment in America, driven by pride and tradition, not profit.
  • (02:32) "I just want kids to come back and be better athletes… This is America's birthright, boxing." — Mike Tyson

2. The Value of Frequent Competition and Identity through Boxing

• Contrast with Modern Fighters:

  • Tyson notes the difference between his own trajectory—15 fights a year as a young pro—and today’s boxers who fight rarely.
  • (06:27) "The more you do it, the better you are." — Mike Tyson

• Boxing as Salvation:

  • Tyson recounts how boxing gave him pride, dignity, and a new identity, steering him away from the self-destructive environment of Brownsville.
  • (07:21) "Boxing gave me daily… I didn’t want to disappoint them and let them down." — Mike Tyson

• Anecdotes from Brownsville:

  • Mike recounts the harsh realities of his upbringing and the street fights with no rules, talking about how repeated conflict bred both toughness and pain.
  • (03:55) "The fight's not over. They see you again, we're fighting again… Until somebody gets somebody unconsciously bow down." — Mike Tyson

3. Legacy, Narcissism, and the Power of Giving Back

• Humility and Growth:

  • Tyson admits early narcissism but describes how the Invitational and working with kids shifted his focus from himself to a greater purpose.
  • (05:12) "At first… I got mad, but it’s not about me… it’s about us helping the kids." — Mike Tyson

• Building Champions in Life:

  • He affirms that few will be world champions in the ring, but everyone who applies boxing’s lessons can be a champion in life.
  • (15:29) "Boxing is about what you learn… you become a world champion in life, not necessarily in the ring." — Mike Tyson

4. Mike Tyson vs. Floyd Mayweather: Preparation and Perspective

• Perspective on Fighting Floyd:

  • Tyson downplays the upcoming Mayweather fight to highlight the Invitational’s importance and the cause of youth boxing, showing that his focus is on the next generation.
  • (13:10) "Well, it’s all about Mike Tyson’s invitation right now… Floyd, you know… This is what it’s about." — Mike Tyson

• Spirit over Size:

  • Tyson attributes success in fighting more to determination and spirit than physical size, highlighting his own experiences battling larger fighters.
  • (08:59) "Fighting has to do with spirit, nothing to do with size… All my disadvantages were my advantage." — Mike Tyson

5. Addressing Critics and Authenticity

• Integrity and Legacy:
  • Tyson strongly rebukes the notion that he’d ever fix a fight, asserting the integrity he brings even at 58 years old.
  • (12:39) “I don’t want to fix a fight. Well, I don’t want to do that.” — Mike Tyson

6. The Importance of Women’s Boxing

• Role Models and Respect:
  • Tyson highlights Claressa Shields as a role model elevating women’s boxing and hopes the Invitational can launch new stars.
  • (16:15) "Karissa Shields, the baddest monster on the planet, she’s a good person to look up to." — Mike Tyson

7. Awards, Rivalries, and Motivation

• The Will of Steele Award:

  • The Invitational will honor those displaying determination, in memory of Richard Steele.
  • (25:00) "We got an award for Richard Steele, the Will of Steele award… that’s why we’re gonna honor him with that." — Mike Tyson

• Culture of Competition:

  • Tyson describes the pride and friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) competition around earning “Outstanding Fighter” awards, recalling his own days.
  • (25:19–27:06)

8. Creating Future Opportunities and a Global Movement

• Travel, Culture, and the New Junior Olympics:

  • Tyson envisions international team competitions—“Team Tyson vs. the world”—as a way for kids to gain life experiences and see the world.
  • (30:03) “Us and guys like Roberto Duran would take our teams and fight all over in the world… Team Tyson versus the world.” — Mike Tyson

• Inclusivity and Legacy:

  • He stresses inclusion rather than division, inviting all to participate regardless of background.
  • (31:48) "Whoever wants to help people… We gotta do this together. This is for the kids." — Mike Tyson

• Aiming Larger than the Olympics:

  • Even if boxing leaves the Olympics, Tyson’s goal is to create an event even bigger, providing pride and opportunity to youth globally.
  • (29:50) "Surpass the Olympics. They could kick us out the Olympics. But we still have this, you know, Mike Tyson Invitational." — Mike Tyson

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On fighting as an identity:

  • (07:22) “I would never want to steal, I had too much pride. Even though I think I'm some bad, I have too much pride to steal. Because that's what boxing gave me—gave me daily because people knew my name. Now, I don't want to disappoint them and let them down.” — Mike Tyson

• On supporting young fighters:

  • (24:14) "I'm looking for somebody. I'm looking for a nobody that wants to be somebody. That's what I'm looking for." — Mike Tyson

• On legacy:

  • (17:25) "If I could inspire somebody to be, from the perspective of the world, better than me… I helped him become that. That's how I look at life." — Mike Tyson

• On value and independence:

  • (27:52) "You teach children to be valuable… they become wealthy because they’re valuable, not because they’re rich… Once they have self-value, they have self-independence. They don’t need me anymore." — Mike Tyson

• On purpose:

  • (32:05) "If they can't do the greater good for kids, then they. They're not living their life… This is for the kid. This is not about no ego, no organization. I want—I don't want no business… These are for kids, you know." — Mike Tyson

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Key Timestamps

• 00:42 – Tyson describes the inspiration behind the Mike Tyson Invitational
• 02:32 – Tyson’s mission for amateur boxing: not for profit, for the country’s soul
• 03:55 – Stories from Brownsville and how the street shaped him
• 06:27 – The difference frequent fighting made for Tyson’s early career
• 08:59 – Talk about spirit and will overcoming physical disadvantages
• 12:39 – Tyson addresses rumors/speculation about fixing the Jake Paul fight
• 13:10 – Tyson downplays the Mayweather fight, returns focus to the youth
• 15:29 – Boxing as a preparation for life, not only for winning belts
• 16:15 – On Claressa Shields and lifting up women in boxing
• 25:00 – Inaugural ‘Will of Steele’ award for dedication to youth
• 27:52 – Tyson talks about instilling self-value in young athletes
• 30:03 – Team competitions across the globe envisioned
• 31:48 – Call for unity and collective action: "We gotta do this together. This is for the kids."

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Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in passion, humility, and vision from one of boxing’s greatest icons. Tyson’s focus has shifted from personal glory to uplifting youth and empowering future generations—using the ring not just as a proving ground for champions, but as a means to instill discipline, identity, and opportunity. Through vivid stories, sharp commentary on the sport’s direction, and big-picture dreams like global team events, Tyson paints a roadmap to save and expand boxing’s legacy. The energy, candor, and commitment to the cause make this a must-listen for fight fans and anyone wanting insight into the heart and mind of Iron Mike.

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Transcript

[Mystic Zach]

What's up, guys? Mystic Zach here. Welcome Back to episode 16 of Double Coverage. Today I am joined by the man who needs no introduction, the youngest heavyweight

[Interviewer]

champion, the most ferocious to ever do it. Mr. Iron Mike Tyson.

[Mike Tyson]

Wow. I didn't introduction. I wasn't prepared for it. It comes at you fast, doing great.

[Interviewer]

It's a big switch on. We're here at the first annual Mike Tyson Invitational in Las Vegas.

[Mike Tyson]

Yes.

[Mystic Zach]

How do you. How did this come together?

[Mike Tyson]

I was just. I went to. Listen, this is the truth. I never said this is the truth. I went to Richard Steele's gym in Vegas. For some reason, I had to go there. He asked me to come see the Kiss. I don't know why I was there, but I was there and I saw the enthusiasm of the children and how enthusiasm. And then I watched some of them, probably some locals, they don't know what they're doing. They start. And some of them were good fighters. And I was saying, wow, these guys had a lot of determination. And will. I said, the world has to see this. And this is where I come from. I come from a place. Listen, I come from Brownsville, Brooklyn. It's the kind of place when you open up your refrigerator, you see an apple, one of those places, the road, you know, it's just the worst place you could possibly think of for a kid. And then when I went upstate to New York from a detention center that got in trouble, and I started getting involved with boxing. And then we used to go from upstate New York, which is 150 miles, to New York City, the Bronx, and we would box with other kids. And then we would go to Rhode island and box the kids there, then go to Boston, box kids there. And we were constantly boxing, constantly busy after school, the weekends, we go boxing everything. And guys would have. When you go into a tournament, a Guy would have 200 fights against Guy would have 75 fights. Now you go to a tournament, the guys have no fight. These guys are not fighting in the tournaments. They're not winning trophies, medals, and they just. They're just not doing good. I think they're trying to even throw boxing out of the Olympics. They're trying to kick it out. And to do that is just a sin to the art of boxing, to the history of boxing. It's just a sin. And if they're kicking it out, the Olympics, how bad can we get? We can't get any worse.

[Interviewer]

Boxing needs something better.

[Mike Tyson]

So me coming up with this idea, and I'm not trying to run amateur boxing, I'm an idiot. That's the last thing I want to do is run amateur boxing. So if anybody thinks American box us boxing, I want to run amateur boxing. No, I don't want. Want to do that. I just want kids to come back and be better athletes and make a better boxing establishment in America. That's all I want to do. I don't want no money. I don't want that. This is just what we deserve. Like. Like the English people say this. This is America's birthright, boxing. And the reason we're not in the Olympics and we're not competing as well is just the. It's just pathetic, really. You think about it from a. From a boxing person. I'm a boxing man. Anybody that understands what. A boxing man and understands what I'm. I understand my. My vernacular and everything.

[Interviewer]

Absolutely.

[Mike Tyson]

We want to see constant fighting. We want to be. Hey, this week we're going to the box. We want to know, we're going to a boxing match for that kid this Saturday, this Sunday, or this Monday. We're not staying home doing nothing or watching TV or going to the movies or watching young kids and proving themselves to making themselves better, and that should make us happy.

[Interviewer]

I share with you. My grandfather and great grandfather are both from Brownsville. And when I spoke. When I speak to fighters like Zap Judah and Shannon Briggs, they tell me that growing up in Brownsville, the fights were tougher than any other pro fights because there was no rules and no weight classes.

[Mike Tyson]

And then again, the fight's not over. They see you again, we fighting again. It's not over because you had just fought. Let's just say, hey, let's squash this piece. Be friends. If y' all fighting and it had to be stopped by somebody else. I'll see you tomorrow. You're fighting again. Until somebody gets somebody unconsciously bow down. You know, he's got. You know, fighting is weird in Brownsville. Sometimes people get, you know, sometimes on occasion, man, some of my friends, we're 12, we're 11 years old, we go out and steal around six. And he sounds like a. A bunch of little. I don't know, his Wolverines. And sometimes we might get money from somebody got hit by a car. One of my friends got trying to rob this guy with him. The guy had the. My friend still trying to. And the guy. And the guy. And the guy didn't want to shot him. We got to say, hey, the guy gave him the money. The guy gave him the money. He still wanted to take the. And, well, I don't even want to talk about it. But, yeah, stuff like that happen. You see stuff like that. I don't want. Ooh. I don't want my kids to see that.

[Interviewer]

No, no. Definitely not. So happy to be here. I'm going to be there Saturday night to tune in front row, watch the amateur boxing. And I'm excited that we can bring some enthusiasm back to amateur boxing.

[Mike Tyson]

When they see how hard these kids fight for these medals and trophies, they're going to be crying. They're going to have so much do. The active moments, just rooting for the kids and seeing the kids. Especially when they see the kids are sophisticated boxers and they're educated in IQ and boxing, they're going to be so impressed. I mean, listen, this is. Sometimes I have to realize this right here. Let me know that I was a narcissist. Because at first, when I first started and this other place, I guess Adidas opened up a boxing man that somebody else was saying, they're the best and we should have. We can. I got mad, but it's not about me. I thought it was about me. They want to crush my. My meme. No, it's not about me. It's about us. Help me. Working together, helping the kids.

[Interviewer]

Absolutely.

[Mike Tyson]

You know, you just helping somebody else. Don't have nothing to do with me. I went around boxing, duh, you know, we can do it together. Together we can run it. You know what I mean?

[Interviewer]

Help the kids.

[Mike Tyson]

100. That's what it's all about. Please.

[Interviewer]

That's what it's all about. Absolutely.

[Mike Tyson]

I believe, 100%.

[Interviewer]

I believe there's a big difference between you as a young professional and the guys coming up today. In 1985, you fought 15 times today. Guys fight maybe twice a year. Do you think that helped you, coming up in the freshman ranks, fighting that often?

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, all right, I fought 15 fights one year, then the next year I was champion. 20 years old. You know, the more you do it, the better you are. You do it, the better you are. That's why when I always go to the point, these Puerto Rican kids, they fight all day, every day. They fight their brothers and sisters in the ring. They're constantly fighting, but that's experience. Then they're kicking their brother's ass. They're fighting for real, though. And that's experience. They're getting more experience now. They're learning discipline. I don't care who's in that ring. My brother, my mother, anybody. They going down. Those become the better fighters. You know, it's all about Doing and developing discipline. I'm not going to go robbing today. I'm going to go to run six miles or six blocks, something like that. You know, it gives you pride and dignity. When I first started boxing, I came from Brownsville. I had too much pride to go out there and work. But once I became, once I started winning fights and being in the amateurs and being proud and people knew my name, I had too much pride to steal.

[Interviewer]

Absolutely.

[Mike Tyson]

Isn't that crazy?

[Interviewer]

That is crazy.

[Mike Tyson]

I would never want to still have too much pride. Even though I think I'm some bad, I have too much pride to steal too much. Because that's what boxing gave me, gave me daily because people knew my name. Now, I don't want to disappoint them and let them down. When I'm a little kid now I made my mistake, but as a little kid, I thought about that. I was somebody after being. Coming from nothing, I'm somebody, an identity. Exactly. Yeah, absolutely. When you go to all the amateur country, the countries and the Russians know your name, you know what I mean? The Japanese know your name. You fight in all the country, these people know your name. You have the amateur and they know you more better than they know the professionals. People in other countries, they're not big in professional boxing. They're going to get the experience of a lifetime because they're going to go all over the world fight. Roberto Durant had called me because he heard about what I was doing and he said, mike, I have a team. Would you like to box my team? I said, I haven't developed a team yet, but once I did, you'll be the first one. So Panama is going to be the first Mike Tyson invitational competition. Once I develop a team.

[Interviewer]

Amazing.

[Mike Tyson]

Good enough to fight? Yes.

[Interviewer]

I love it. I love it. When I go back and watch you as a young man. A lot of people talk about the first round knockouts, the ferocious finishes. But what impresses me most as a fight historian, someone who goes back and watches film, is your performances against the rough, experienced larger guys like James Quick, Tillis, Mitch Blood Green, Jose Nina Ribalta. Your ability to close distance, your speed, your angles, to really take away their advantages and get inside. At such a young age. How did it feel being an 18 year old 214lb guy battling giants like that?

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, it has nothing to do with side fighting. Fighting has to do with spirit, nothing to do with size. Nothing to do unless the guy is too big and he just overpowers you. But far determination of will, size really has Very little to do with it. When it comes to fighting, you know, I never looked at that as a advantage disadvantage. They always look at that as a. All my disadvantages were my advantage. I was small, I was lower. They couldn't hit me, and I was fast. And when I hit. And I could hit a little hard when I hit them, they're kind of dizzy, and I could take advantage of them. Yeah, I'd rather fight the bigger guys, little guys, than the fast guys.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, fast guys, harder to catch. You're set to fight a pretty fast guy next month in the Congo against.

[Mike Tyson]

That's gonna be cool. I'm just looking forward to that. That's gonna be something that the crowd would be enjoying, I think.

[Interviewer]

And how cool is. It's gonna be the same place. The Rumble in the Jungle. That's history.

[Mike Tyson]

Hey, listen, when I went over the. It would be so difficult for me to explain the enthusiasm and it was just something. Man, it was. It was something I never. Well, I can't say I never experienced that, but it was something wonderful to experience.

[Interviewer]

Absolutely. And then being the place where Ali was and the history there, it's really special.

[Mike Tyson]

Well, that's what makes it special. That's the only thing that we know Ali and know what else I have. I looked at my. What's that stuff they do again? For your heritage, for your. You take what that stuff they do. 21 and me 33andme.

[Interviewer]

Oh, ancestry.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah, my ancestry is in the Congo. Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah.

[Interviewer]

That's great.

[Mike Tyson]

So my ancestors are going to watch me kick some ass.

[Mystic Zach]

All right, you're ready to kick some ass.

[Mike Tyson]

They're going to feel me.

[Mystic Zach]

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[Narrator]

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[Mystic Zach]

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[Interviewer]

The hand's all good.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah. God, everything's good.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah.

[Mystic Zach]

But when you're training for a fight,

[Interviewer]

those things happen all the time. Yeah. When you walked into the fight with Jake Paul, you had had some pretty serious health issues, but you still made the walk.

[Mike Tyson]

You gotta make the walk.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, absolutely. You know, today, guys, pull out whatever. You still, you know, got out there 58 years old and went against a young guy.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah, I mean, I like to walk the walk or something.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Something that really, really bothered me about kind of the reactions after the fight is the fans or fighters who insinuate that a champion and a warrior like you would in any way fix a fight or not give your best performance.

[Mike Tyson]

I don't want to fix a fight. Well, I don't want to do that.

[Interviewer]

It doesn't make any sense to me. Look at your legacy.

[Mike Tyson]

I'm not going to make more money. I'm not going to make any more. They're not going to pay me what I'm getting to fight, right?

[Interviewer]

No.

[Mike Tyson]

You're not gonna give me what I'm getting a 35. I'm not gonna think about it. Don't give me one man. Offer me less than what I'm getting. Bunch of idiots out there. They can't compete. No, I'm not gonna say anything.

[Interviewer]

How does training for this fight against Floyd feel? I mean, compared to some of your past ones and throughout your career?

[Mike Tyson]

Well, it's all about Mike Tyson's invitation right now, Floyd, you know. Yeah. This is what it's about.

[Interviewer]

The kids, the youth. Yeah. Giving back is. You see yourself in them.

[Mike Tyson]

This is what. This is the future. I'm the path.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. No, absolutely. And I'm so excited to be here. And it was a shot in the Arm that we all needed, especially the Olympics news.

[Mike Tyson]

I agree. 100. Can you imagine that?

[Interviewer]

No. How is that a store, a sport with that legacy in that history?

[Mike Tyson]

Everybody, even every hotel should open up some amateur club so we could prepare the ballot. Battle of the world. Yeah. Not just to see every hotel should have one. You know, we're fighters. We're supposed to be the strongest people in the world. That's what the. That's what. Boxing, heavyweight champion, even the ufc, that's what it stands for. The best in the world. And we. We have nothing to prove it.

[Interviewer]

Absolutely.

[Mike Tyson]

Just reputation.

[Interviewer]

Speaking of the ufc, Dana White, Nick Khan, they're entering the world of boxing. They turned up Zufa boxing. You held the wba, the wbc, the IBF belt and the ring belt as well. It seems like some of the prestige coming back to the ring belt. They're going to introduce another belt into boxing, the Zufa boxing belt. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think boxing needs another belt?

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, man, I'm talking about amateur boxing right now. Stop talking about these other outfits, people. They're not involved in our situation. Okay? I'm talking about. Tell me. Ask me something about amateur to help these kids, and I'll answer that question. I don't know nothing about these guys, what they're doing with their life. This is about children right now. Bigger than us. It's bigger than those clowns, bigger than me. How I'm going to bow down to them over this. How I'm gonna give you a compliment about them over this film. Just, will you please ask me questions about these kids?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, absolutely. Who are you excited to see this weekend? Anyone stand out?

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, I want to see little Sean Haney fight. He's getting ready to fight Ryan Garcia's cousin.

[Interviewer]

How great is that? The rivalry goes into amateurs and the family and everything. Yeah, absolutely.

[Mike Tyson]

Everybody's gonna see Devin Haney.

[Interviewer]

There's a real story.

[Mike Tyson]

Brother fighter. Yeah. Yeah. That's what it's about, man. Not about who this guy.

[Mystic Zach]

And it's the next generation.

[Mike Tyson]

He has his children, his life. This is about us.

[Interviewer]

Y. Our future can extend that and have the young people fight. And then they'll come out. Our kids will watch it. This is all grandkids and everyone.

[Mike Tyson]

This is all I want to think of. This is one of my babies I want to accomplish.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Mike Tyson]

I didn't have those kids that have no money. They open the refrigerator, they see an apple, they have no money. They come here to eat in a hotel like King. They look. They never experienced Living in a hotel or anything. Can you imagine? They want them, they make them want to improve themselves and become better and better and better. That's all this stuff. That's what the pro. That's the whole situation. We want to make them feel better. Boxing is not all about becoming a world champion. Boxing is about what you learn in boxing, you become a world champion in life, not necessarily in the ring with the belt. This is about making you a champion in life. Everybody's not going to be champion of the world, but they're going to be champion life, you know, and that's what this boxing prepared them for.

[Interviewer]

We spoke about the woman as well. How important is it to help these young women in amateur boxing and help them. Help grow them as well?

[Mike Tyson]

Well, Karissa Shields, the baddest monster on the planet, she's a good person to look up to. Yeah. To make everyone respect women boxing. I know there's other good fighters out there. I know, and I respect them too, but they're not Carissa Shields. That's the real deal. And they, and, and listen, I'm gonna say all those other women boxers out there, they can they contribute too. I'm not, you know, I'm not saying they're bum. They ain't worth anything. I respect, though, and I look up to them just as much. The career. Krystal Shield is just the goat, the woke right now, whatever she calls herself. And I give her that respect.

[Interviewer]

Oh, yeah. She's done an all weight classic.

[Mike Tyson]

Yes. She's helped women boxing, women boxers. She'll want to kick her ass but still respect her for that.

[Interviewer]

Hopefully one of these, you know, young ladies fighting can be the next course of shield.

[Mike Tyson]

They will.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Mike Tyson]

They'll be better one day. Yeah. Just like they'll surpass me one day. And that's what I'm. And I want to be a part of it. I want to be part of the guy that said Mike Tyson, who. Look what I did. I want to be. I want to be part of helping him be that person. I want to be part of that because once I'm part of that, then that's what makes me part of him. Right?

[Interviewer]

Absolutely. You're connected to that forever.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah. For real.

[Interviewer]

Especially if we can revitalize boxing because it's in a bad split.

[Mike Tyson]

If I could inspire somebody to be, from the perspective of the world, better than me, you know, as something I look at in my head, I put a feather in my head. I don't look at him like he's the basketball. I helped him become that. That's how I look at life. Like Duran and Ali helped me become this guy. I am now so important.

[Interviewer]

And that's what's fulfilling you now?

[Mike Tyson]

Well, that's what bugs me out. I can't believe I saw this guy and I said, I want to be like him, and I became Mike Tyson. Can you imagine that? I see this. I don't know. I just want to be like him. I see the ran, this little Latino guy, this pig. I want to be like him. And I became, like, the moment, you know, I'm telling people to suck this and do that. And by learning all that, going to prison, that made me the person I am now to care about the kids that I'm working with now. You can imagine that all that stuff, all that disgusting, negative stuff sometimes. But prison, all that stuff, they all made me this person. And that's why I'm grateful. That's why I'm grateful. I'm not. I'm not depressed. I'm not so sorry for myself. I overcame death. I beat all the odds, and now I'm going to give something to the world, God willing.

[Interviewer]

God is great.

[Mike Tyson]

God is. God is. God is. God is good. Even when it looks bad. Even when he looks bad, he's good.

[Interviewer]

Sean Haney versus Ryan Garcia's. I mean, how great is that?

[Mike Tyson]

Hey, listen, that's the headliner, you know? I mean, imagine that alone. That's not. That's professional stuff, right? Yeah, listen, it's legacy, man.

[Interviewer]

It's legacy and the families and everything, especially in Las Vegas, getting that type of main event and your first invitational, that's incredible.

[Mike Tyson]

And listen, God is great, you know, man, you know, I'm really close friends with the Haneys and stuff, and God is great. Yeah, God is great.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I saw Bill earlier. They're excited. And I saw Ryan and Devin talking about it, too. They're almost more excited, talking about their families and they're talking about themselves.

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, we talk about. Listen, even me, because I'm a box man, I talk about. They don't fight, but they're different than us. They could pay. They pay more time, more attention to their family than we did. We were fighting too long, too much to pay attention to our family. That's another thing that probably didn't go right. I'm fighting too long to really acknowledge my family, you know? And you're going out there, little by little, you're getting poisoned by the world, and you distance yourself from your parents. So I can't say, you know, but I didn't know the best fighters came with the guys before the lot. That's all I know. Guys are the most experienced, are the better fight. Look at Per now. He got like 600 fights. Where'd it go? What do you do with guys like this? What do you do? What do you do with the Minyanko? He got like a thousand ammo. What do you do with guys? Like, how can. So he wins the fights with 2M. With 2M. With two profiles. He had a 10. He had a thousand amateur fights out. So that. That equates to like 60 profiles, literally.

[Mystic Zach]

How do you especially.

[Interviewer]

You're coming up in your pro career a few fights in. You got to fight a guy with a thousand amateur fights who lives. Breathes boxing all day every day.

[Mike Tyson]

Exactly. Unless you. Unless you run into my situation when you trained by a master, then that might be different.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, there's not too many of those guys out there.

[Mike Tyson]

No, it wasn't. I filmed the last one. It was meant to me. He said he summoned me. I was telling him, I can't believe I came in. My life in Brooklyn so bad. I really appreciate Said, no, I summoned you. There's no coincidence. He told me that you. He said I funded you. This is no coincidence. He was into that mystic, you know.

[Interviewer]

No, there's. There's nothing greater than that. And the fulfillment he got, you know, seeing you come up and through your amateur career and become the man, the young man.

[Mike Tyson]

I tell you something, I couldn't see it till I got older. Imagine. Imagine even Mike Tyson. I was seeing some young kids, like some one of these little kids, cousins or something, become a vicious savage Chin. Let me make hundreds of millions of dollars and stuff. He said, I saw Mike Tyson. Let's fight and do this. I wanted to be like that. Wow. You know, he's the kind of guy like, listen, he turns into a big guy doing commercials for Super Bowls, hanging out with the President. Anytime he wants, he's doing. You know, that's some guy that comes from filth, comes from scum. You know what I mean? Open up the refrigerator, you see a soda, an apple, and you know what time it is. And you could go to the President and see him anytime, you know what I mean? You're very grateful to be just hanging out with the President, you know what I mean? He was a good man, as you know, before he was president. He's a great man now that he is president. It's just that never changed. I just love my life.

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[Interviewer]

Is there any advice you would give these amateur fighters fighting the mike?

[Mike Tyson]

I could just give them the experience I had. I don't know who's going to use. You know, get. Get a lot of fights. Get experience. Fight men's fights. You can. Good. Let's go prepare you what you're going to do. I listen to my. My training customado you right. Everything in in like a menu of boxing. You gotta do road work. Custard. You're not doing road work. It's a waste of time. I'd rather you go upstairs and clean your room. Your room is a mess. You should clean your room than road work. I said no way. I'm in love with the romanticist of boxing. The road work, the bag work, the training, the sit up, all that stuff. That's the romanticist side of boxing. I love that. I'm in love with that. So that's why I do it. That's the only reason I do it. Not because, you know. Cause what my trainer said is bullshit. I used to love boxing. I love everything about hitting the pad. I used to love everything. I don't want to not run. So, yeah, that's the kind of world I come from.

[Interviewer]

So you're looking for young fighters, amateurs who have that same passion for boxing.

[Mike Tyson]

I'm looking for somebody. I'm looking for a nobody that wants to be somebody. That's what I'm looking for.

[Interviewer]

That's powerful. There's nothing greater than that. And those are the best stories. And if we can help kids, you know, get out of situations and really uplift them and give them a new identity and change lives. That's what boxing's done for over 100 years.

[Mike Tyson]

I agree 100%. It's not about anybody. It's about your soul, your heart. If you want to help these people, you cannot. You can hate my guts who want to help these kids and help these kids. You know, like I said, I don't have the answer. You know, the kids give me the answer. You know, they give me the answer with their determination. They will. They give me the answer.

[Interviewer]

That's beautiful.

[Mike Tyson]

We got an award for Richard Steele, the Will of Steele award. And that's because Richard Steele, you know, he always. He stood by these kids in his gym so hard. Four foot of them and everything, with this will of steel. And that's why we're gonna honor him with that.

[Interviewer]

I love that. A little award show and.

[Mike Tyson]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Mike Tyson]

And to honor someone like that, I always look forward. Listen, when I was a young box. I don't know if there's any young boxers in the amateur. We get the. The trophy of the year award, the trophy of the night award. Outstanding fighter. All the fighters, all the fighters, all the little kids who walk by that arrogant. I'm winning that tonight, right? Like, you know, the guy fighting right next. I'm winning that tonight. And the guys know you're not. I'm winning it tonight. No, you're not. I'm winning. Guys are coming. I'm winning it tonight. I'm winning. I'm beating. I'm knocking everybody. Everybody's talking about the outstanding trophy. I'm winning it. No, I'm winning it tonight. That's what I. I don't know. I hope they suck. That's what we did. You know, like sometimes I look at fights, right, like we're amateurs, but sometimes we have chance. We may can go to some amateur fight, some international fights, or maybe go some Professional fights, and we would go like this. We see some professional fights, might be a little bit heavy. Oh, man, I'm going, I'm gonna get ripped, man. Go there. I'm gonna get ripped. I'm gonna be ripped. I have my clothes on. They don't do that no more. Do that. They don't see a constant, oh, I'm waiting, ready to go. I'm be ripped when I go there. I'm gonna go to the concert to be ripped. Ripped. I don't. They don't think like that no more. You know, you always thought about rip, working out hard. I'm ripped. Look at me, I'm ripped. Let me look. Ripped in the rim. I look ripped on the scale, weighing it. I'm just a clown. That's what I think about when I think about boxing, how I'm going to look, you know? So to be the best boxer in the world, you have to. I don't know they call it, you have to love yourself the most. The best fighter in the world loves himself the most. He may not act it and stuff, but he loves himself the most. Those are the greatest fighters of all time.

[Interviewer]

Any other awards besides that one that we're going to give to the kids?

[Mike Tyson]

Oh, yeah, we got other one, but that was the main one.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Mike Tyson]

That they're going to be looking forward to, hopefully.

[Interviewer]

They're all kind of, you know, competing to get that award and they're arguing with each other who's going to win it.

[Mike Tyson]

No, they don't have friendly argument. Some of them are not friendly. Some of them want to. Minute I'm talking, they talk disrespectful. I'm knocking everybody out. How can I not get it?

[Interviewer]

I love it.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah, I talked a lot of crap, too.

[Interviewer]

That's the energy we need.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah. Really determination. I think when the tennis players come out, I think they should play their music they want, you know, I don't think you should always be the king's or Queen's English or anything. We should all play. That makes us play better. That made them play better. They should come out with their music, like to fight through stuff in tennis.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. Your daughter Milan, she's a great tennis player. You're not the only champ in your family.

[Mike Tyson]

Well, one day she'd be a champ. She has to watch me, you know, understand how champ should conduct themselves.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Tyson]

She will be a champ one day. Yes.

[Interviewer]

You're passionate about young tennis players too, right?

[Mike Tyson]

We want to see them be the best, too, man. This is what I realized. I'm 60 years old. I'm not going to be here much longer. I have to get something back. More than money, I have to get something back. You have to get something back. You know what I mean? You have to get something back. Something, something, something back. You teach children to be valuable, you know what I mean? They become wealthy because they're valuable, not because they're rich, you know, and that's what value we have to teach them value, self value. Once they have self value, they have self independence. They don't need me anymore.

[Interviewer]

If we can give some kids some self value this weekend, it'll be a great weekend.

[Mike Tyson]

Just forgive themselves.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that's an amazing cause.

[Mike Tyson]

This is something that they could do without anybody helping them. You know, they don't need somebody to help them from a school bully or anything. This is something that they can handle themselves. They've been doing it over and over again. They know the pros and the conversation. Imagine being that person that can just dictate your home life because it's very difficult for a person to understand. This is the beginning of learning to be independent. It's just the beginning. One day his coach is going to be sick. He can't come. So he might die. He can't come, but he still has to go to that. To make that walk. Like you said. Still got to go to that tournament and win that medal or that trophy. That's what this teaches them, discipline.

[Interviewer]

And imagine how proud they're going to be to win a trophy.

[Mike Tyson]

Won't be good. That's what. Especially when they're in the boxing world. All they're friends in the gym together. They're talking so much stuff.

[Interviewer]

Oh, on social media, everything.

[Mike Tyson]

Oh, I forgot that. Look at the trophy. Outstanding fighter. So, yeah, everybody else is a punks, you know. Oh, I forgot about this stuff. I feel back in the 80s, there's

[Interviewer]

a whole new level now, especially with Haney and Garcia. I mean, they're gonna be going at

[Mike Tyson]

it and it's streaming. The zone has it, some other people stream. Oh, it's gonna be like the biggest amateur competition since the Olympics. Probably surpassed the Olympics.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, Way bigger.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah. Surpass the Olympics. They could kick us out the Olympics. But we still have this, you know, Mike Tyson Invitational.

[Interviewer]

We got all the young kids watching.

[Mike Tyson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

And then they'll become boxers.

[Mike Tyson]

Us and guys like Roberto Duran would take our teams and fight all over in the world. That would take us. Anybody that would take us all over the world. They get their team, they'll fight their team. Let's keep team after team.

[Interviewer]

I love it, man.

[Mike Tyson]

They're doing that all the time. This week we go there, maybe next week we go here. We do it weekly, every two weeks, monthly. But we get it down. We'll figure it out. No, I mean, Scott, we travel the world. Team Tyson versus the world. Team Tyson versus Robert, Panama, Roberto Durant. Team Tyson versus Russia. Team Tyson versus Scotland, stuff like that.

[Interviewer]

And how proud of these young kids going to be to represent their countries?

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, how proud are they going to be to be able to travel and see the world at a young age? You know, I know guys only traveled the world when they was in the team. They never did it with their parents or nothing. They ran money only with the team. That's the only thing, you know, only with that team. And then they went home and became something else because they still never traveled the plane since they were back. Kids, you know, it's just. And they've seen the world and some of them get married. It's just. It just changes them. It's just changed them 100% when they

[Interviewer]

see the world, brand new life experiences. This is exactly what the young kids need, especially if the Olympics are on the way out. Now we have a way to represent their country and Travel the world 100%.

[Mike Tyson]

Listen, if you don't want. Listen, if you don't want to put our kids in the Olympics, we'll fight all the kids. We'll fight all the kids. That won't. We have a little Junior Olympics and we can have it. We have it like you say, in different countries, in different years, we can have it different months, whatever. We're gonna make our own tournament. Just fight everybody in the world. And everybody could be with us, too. We're not looking to oust nobody, you know, if anybody wants to be usa, Bosnian, they like us. And be whatever we can get. I want everybody to be involved. But this is going to be the biggest stuff in the world.

[Interviewer]

You got your arms open.

[Mike Tyson]

Whoever wants to help people, nobody say, I'm trying to take anything from anybody. I'm trying to kick anybody out. We got to do this together. This is for the kids. That had nothing to do with us. I put my ego out to be Mike Tyson, mit. There's nothing, nothing without everybody's help.

[Interviewer]

It's all about the greater good. So if anyone can help, if they

[Mike Tyson]

can't do the greater good for kids, then they. They're not living their life. They're not doing this for children. They must be sending for themselves. That's just the truth. They must want to sell things some distance for the kids, I don't think. No money. I'm not coming out of my pocket, you know, if they don't want to do that stuff, they don't care about the kids. This is for the kid. This is not about no ego, no organization. I want. I don't want no business. I got my. I don't need that business. These are for K is, you know,

[Interviewer]

if they don't want to support it, you can make a bigger event and work with the Zone and all these great people and streamers and social media and just make it bigger than it's ever been.

[Mike Tyson]

God willing, you know? God willing. You know anybody? I don't know. We'll see. God willing. That's all.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, God willing. If all hands are on deck. And we're open.

[Mike Tyson]

All hands are on deck. Yeah, Whole hands are on deck.

[Interviewer]

No, it's amazing and I'm proud to be here.

[Mike Tyson]

I can't believe. I'm proud to be here too, with you, bro. Thank you.

[Interviewer]

Thank you. It was an honor to interview you and I'm really excited to watch these fights this weekend.

[Mike Tyson]

Thank you, brother.

[Interviewer]

Thank you.

[Narrator]

45 years ago, legendary trainer Cuz D' Amato summoned a young kid from Brownsville, Brooklyn. Previously, Cuz had trained Floyd Patterson to be youngest heavyweight champion in the history of the sport at that time. After this, he taught, trained and willed Mike Tyson to be the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of the Sport when in 1986, he defeated Trevor Berbick. Two years later, Tyson would defeat Michael Spinks, staking his claim to be the undisputed champ. Now it's 2026, and we're here at the inaugural Mike Tyson Invitational. And to me, this is Mike's greatest achievement, embodying the spirit of his legendary trainer, Cuz d'. Amato, he's passing down the same gift that he had gotten as a kid. And I know firsthand from growing up in a boxing gym how important it is to get into the sport of boxing. It teaches you confidence, discipline, and respect that nothing else can replicate. Please, if you can support the Mike Tyson Invitational and any other amateur boxing clubs in your area. This episode is dedicated to the legends Cus d' Amato and my first boxing trainer, Carlos Panama Lewis. Rest in peace. To two legends.

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