Mike Tyson has joked he decided to do a Broadway show after he “gave up being a pig”.
The controversial former boxer has confirmed his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth is coming to the New York City theatre district. Spike Lee will direct the production, with Mike explaining the timing seemed natural.
“This is what me and my wife wanted. This is what we decided to do after I gave up using drugs and being a pig and stuff,” he said at a press event held at the Longacre Theater in New York.
Mike’s show has already enjoyed a successful run in Las Vegas. He talks about his life experiences in it, which include becoming the heavyweight champion of the world, spending time in prison for a rape conviction and battling drug addiction. He also has eight children and has been married three times, most recently to his spouse Lakiha Spicer in 2009.
“I have to be careful. I can’t stay on certain subjects for a long time, because I might cry.
“[It will be raw but] not raw in a vulgar sense... I’m just naked and very vulnerable, and telling you who I am, and where I'm from,” he explained. “How this happened, and how I lost all this damn money, and how I had all these children and I go to prison and… you know. You know what happened, guys.”
Mike wore a lilac blazer and white trousers for the event, while Spike opted for a pinstripe suit. The pair were in good form and even playfully sparred for photographers.
“We love good stories and great storytelling,” Lee explained. “When Mike Tyson is on this stage, you're going to hear a great American story.”
During the event, the 45-year-old former boxer – known as Iron Mike during his fighting days – was quizzed on whether he’s ever tempted to return to the ring. He assured people that will never happen.
“My fighting days are over,” he said. “I think fighting's for saps now.”
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