'I stopped doing cocaine and drinking' - Mike Tyson opens up about turning his life around

Mike Tyson says his days of using cocaine and drinking are now far behind him. Tyson spoke about turning his life around and now has a different perspective on life. The former heavyweight champion recently returned to the ring after 15 years in an exhibition challenge with Roy Jones Jnr.

The revelations came in an episode of Below the Belt with Brendan Schaub. The host reminded him of how they did a podcast together five years ago. Schaub reminded Tyson how he was completely different then, declining to speak and looking "zoned out." The boxer responded by saying that was the result of his problems with addiction, continuing:

"I've stopped doing cocaine and drinking. Everything has changed. I've changed my whole life."

Formidable in the ring, Mike Tyson struggled with drug addiction and controversial activity outside it. The 54-year-old is considered one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time but always had a reputation for notoriety. In 1992, ‘Iron Mike’ was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison but staged a comeback and regained his WBC and WBA titles. Since his retirement in 2006, Tyson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Even in retirement, Tyson once admitted to struggling with his old habit. In 2012, Tyson told Yahoo Sports that he was on cocaine while filming.

"I was a mess," he said. "I was overweight. I was a pig, high on cocaine."

Can’t wait for the press conference on 10/29 #TysonJones pic.twitter.com/ptctYKN0Ex

— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) October 23, 2020

In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, the former boxer said he was a manic depressive, who was suffering from persecution and depression.

Tyson was in a much better place long before his exhibition fight with Jones last November, succeeding in business and mellowing with age.

Could we see Mike Tyson Vs Evander Holyfield in 2021?

Tyson revealed his plans to take on old foe Evander Holyfield in an exhibition match soon. When asked if he would like to fight Holyfield, ‘Iron Mike’ said:

‘’I think that might happen soon.’’

A Tyson-Holyfield exhibition would be the third fight between the pair, with the last coming in 1997, when Tyson bit his rival’s ear. Holyfield also beat Tyson in 1996 by TKO for the WBA heavyweight title.

Tyson stated that he he has already lost 100 pounds despite struggling with his weight cut for his most recent bout. When Schaub asked how he achieved that, Tyson said:

‘’Fasting, working out. I’ve been putting two hours a day, cardio and then I started sparring and hitting the bag and all that stuff and I said, ‘hey, let’s fight a motherf***r.'’’