My Thoughts on Mike Tyson's "Undisputed Truth"

Courtesy of warroomsports.com

Mike Tyson is not an enigma.  Though most would make you believe that he is a bizarre individual, that could not

be further from the truth.  Mike is merely a product of an entity that has been known to seize the morality of a number of young men and women; That entity is fame.

I received Mike Tyson’s auto-biography entitled “Undisputed Truth” for Christmas this past year.  A few weeks prior, I watched his HBO Special sharing the same name, so my intrigue for the book was extremely high.  One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to read more and Tyson’s “Truth” packs in over 500 pages, making it a great start. 

Now I am a Tyson fan.  Do I think he’s the greatest heavyweight of all-time? No.  But is he the most captivating FIGHTER of all-time? Yes.

What interests me most about Mike Tyson is the fact that before all the drama, drugs, women and breakdowns was a boxing scholar who took pride in the history of the sweet science.  He studied the sport he loved and the book does an incredible job of conveying that to the reader.

Mike is from the gutter.  Born and raised in Brownsville, NY (located in East Brooklyn), Mike Tyson was headed towards a life of crime.  Now, there are a good number of athletes with a similar up-bringing, but how many of those individuals earn a fraction of the notoriety that Mike did at merely 20 yrs old?

Undisputed Truth transports the reader into the mind of Mike Tyson and gives them the opportunity to see the world through his eyes.  The details are intense, if not explicit. Reading about his street life prior to being sent upstate to a juvenile detention facility showcased the fact that Mike had nothing to latch onto besides his environment. 

Is he a product of his early environment? Definitely… but he’s more a product of what happens when you take a kid from nothing, give him everything, while never truly understanding what it all means.  By no means am I saying Mike Tyson was GIVEN everything. He earned every penny.  But after reading Undisputed Truth, it’s obvious that he had no idea how to handle the fame and money, especially after his mentor and only true father figure Cus D’amato died. 

Looking back, it’s almost unfathomable that Mike won the heavyweight championship at 20 years old [the youngest heavyweight champion of all-time].  I mean, most heavyweights in history hit their prime in their late 20’s or early 30’s.  Mike was destroying the division as a teenager! It’s truly amazing and unfortunately, the prodigy that was Mike Tyson the boxer is often overshadowed by the effects of his fame. 

The book does an impeccable job of bringing the moments prior, during and after the majority of his bouts to life.  I loved reading what he was thinking in each moment and against each opponent.  His gratuity towards Larry Holmes after knocking him out… only to receive contempt in return.  The way he described Frank Bruno’s reaction to his punches.  The root of his impetuous comments after the fight.  It’s the behind the scenes details we all want to know, and coming from Tyson just makes it that much more stimulating. 

“Iron” Mike Tyson is an icon in my life.  When I was a young kid, Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez were the face of boxing.  They made me fall in love with the sport, so the Tyson I remember is that of the young monster who utilized swift head movement to parry punches and threw lethal combinations.  He hit with bad intentions and strived to be better than great… he wanted to be the greatest that ever lived.

My favorite quote from Undisputed Truth:

--There’s no guy that really has the heart to say “Not only do the gods deliver me and vex me, but one day I will reign with them.” Today’s guys don’t say that shit, they don’t have the balls, they spring from a milieu too meager to comprehend my kind of reality. They don’t want to do that because they’re afraid they will fail and people will laugh at them. That’s why today’s fighters don’t get the total respect because they’re afraid to really grab true greatness. They look at boxing as a check, they don’t see it as something noble. They want money and adulation...  I wanted adulation and immortality.--

I was too young to really understand the details surrounding his rape conviction, so those who didn’t pay much attention at the time get a very descriptive summary of events from Mr. Tyson.  There are two sides to every story, so to take Mike at his word on the chain of events would be irresponsible.  On the other hand, after doing some research on the topic, it seems there is a good amount of validity to what the book entails regarding his rape trial.  The aftermath of that trial is where the book takes a life of its own and becomes a story of tragedy.

After reading his book and watching his “one man show”, I will continue to root for Mike Tyson in all his future endeavors. As of today, he claims to be in a constant war with sobriety and everyday is a challenge. 

Mike had demons in his life… and after reading his book, it’s apparent that he still does. 

He’s battled drug, alcohol and sex addiction for years.  His tales of infidelity, cocaine binges and dysfunction are film worthy.  The stories are relentless just like his demeanor in the ring.  Through all his struggles, mishaps, immoral thoughts and acts, Mike Tyson leaves the reader enthralled yet empathetic to the consequences of a champion too young in mind to handle a world of fame.