Sports Articles: Boxing Legends Part 1 - Mike Tyson page 10
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Article page 10 of 13
With boxing out, Mike Tyson turned to wrestling and became a part of the World Wrestling Federation (now known as WWE), where his notoriety saw him become a part of a more adult era for the sports entertainment network. His special guest appearance at Wrestlemania XIV in March 1998 followed on from a number of appearances on Raw building up to it. Tyson earnt $3m just for his appearance at Wrestlemania alone. He did make a return to WWE in 2010 in a tag team match, when his cameo in 'The Hangover' saw him return to the spotlight in popular culture.
His return to fitness soon saw him back involved in more legal issues. On the 5th March Tyson filed a $100m lawsuit against Don King accusing King of cheating him out of millions of dollars. Among the scams King perpetrated to funnel money away from Tyson family members would be set up in bogus, well-paid jobs. One such family member was his daughter, Debbie, who was paid $52,000 a year to run Tyson's fan club. According to Tyson's assistant, chauffeur and friend, Rudy Gonzalez, Tyson knew nothing of the fan club and decided to investigate. They found crates of unopened letters, large amounts of it consisting of provocative correspondence and underwear sent by women. The pair opened up some of the letters until they found one from a woman begging Tyson to call and speak to her child who was dying of cancer. Tyson immediately called, only to find that he was a year too late and burst into tears. King settled out of court for $14m, leaving Tyson millions of dollars out of pocket from the court case.
Four days later, on the 9th March, more legal issues ensued as he filed a lawsuit against former managers Rory Holloway and John Horne, claiming they betrayed him by arranging a deal that made Don King his exclusive promoter against his wishes. On the same day Sherry Cole and Chevelle Butts filed a $22m lawsuit alleging Tyson had physically and verbally abused them on the 1st March at a Washington restaurant after his advances towards one of them were spurned. That was also the exact same amount as the case filed by former trainer Kevin Rooney for unjustly being fired by Tyson. In July Tyson was ordered to pay Rooney $4.4m by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals.
A day after, on the 17th July, Tyson applied for a boxing license in New Jersey and, 12 days later on the 29th, he appeared before the New Jersey Athletic Control Board. Initially Tyson choked back tears as he apologised for biting Holyfield's ears, but, by the end of his 35 minute appearance, he was cursing in front of the regulators as he was being continually questioned about the bites. A fortnight later, on the eve of a meeting of the board to discuss his application, he abruptly withdrew it, with no explanation.
Just over two weeks later, on the 31st August, Tyson was back in trouble again after a minor car accident when another car rear-ended his Mercedes, driven by his wife Monica. A furious Mike needing restraining by bodyguards after he assaulted the driver of the other care and another man. Both men filed assault charges against him over the next few days. Richard Hardick claiming Tyson kicked him in the groin after he crashed into the back of Monica Tyson's car and Abmielec Saucedo claimed Tyson punched him in the face as he was stood talking with another driver.
Despite the continued problems the psychiatric report for Mike Tyson is released in October which decalres him mentally fit to return to boxing, despite being depressed and suffering from low self-esteem. The doctors, who had spent 5 days examining him, believe Tyson is unlikely to 'snap' again in the same way he did when he bit Holyfield. Less than a week later, the Nevada Athletic Commission voted, by 4-1, to restore his boxing license. It was time for Tyson to get back in the ring, though first he pleaded no contest to his misdemeanour assault charges from the car accident in August.
On the 16th January 1999 Mike Tyson was in the ring to face Francois Botha a South African heavyweight. However Tyson was nothing like the Tyson of old and showed no signs of his bobbing and weaving, which is why Botha was able to take a lead and begin to mock Tyson. Tyson admits that he was infuriated enough to try to break Botha's arms in a clinch. So much for being unlikely to snap again! Botha was winning the fight when a straight right knocked him out in the 5th. Tyson was not the fighter of old, but he could still produce a knock out punch if the opponent was sloppy.
Less than a month later, on the 5th February, Tyson was sentenced to two concurrent 2 year jail sentences, 2 years probation on release and fined $5,000 for his assaults on two motorists on the 31st August. The judge suspended all but one year of jail time, but it meant he could possibly face more jail time for violating his parole from Indiana. He ended up spending 9 months inside, at the Montgomery County Detention Center, though some of that was spent in isolation following an incident where he threw a TV set which narrowly missed some guards. Tyson had been taken off anti-depressants just two days earlier and had grown upset. A week afterwards he was allowed out of solitary confinement and restored to full privileges.
Just after his release in October, Tyson faced Orlin Norris in a Las Vegas ring in yet another of his fights to end in controversy. A left hook thrown after the bell had sounded to end the first round knocked Norris to the canvas. Norris injured his knee and said he was unable to continue, so the bout was ruled a no contest. Tyson's 1999 came to an end in December with news that he was to avoid having ferret neglect charges on his record after authorities discovered 2 neglected ferrets at his Las Vegas home. It was unclear who was supposed to be taking care of the animals, so no charges were pressed.
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Mike Tyson page 11 of 13
Written by Ed001 - June 04 2018 10:30:52
