Tyson

Muhammad Ali was the greatest, and pound for pound Sugar Ray Robinson was the best of the best, but Mike Tyson was the most exciting fighter inside and outside the ring. I remember walking down Broadway and 6th ave near the HBO Office in NYC and I saw Mike Tyson walking down the street towards me. He had just gotten married to Robin Givens and the most amazing thing I noticed about him was his neck. It was HUGE, it was as thick as my thigh. I then realized his neck was a shock absorber and this was how he was able to take the devastating head shots later in his career.
This movie is Mike Tyson sitting in front of a camera and reviewing his life and boxing career with archival footage and photographs played between his commentary. Even if you don’t like Mike Tyson you will find this movie fascinating. Director James Toback does a great job of letting viewers who were not around or don’t remember when Mike was King realize that this forgotten champion was loved and brought excitement to the ring back in the day. Mike Tyson pretty much started ultimate fighting before it got started with his ear biting and total disregard of following the rules when his skills started to fade.
Mike Tyson fights were always an event, most of us remember where we were when he became the youngest heavyweight in history (I was at a house party in Brooklyn). When he knocked out Spinks in 90 seconds (I had a party at my home in Rochester with over 200 people and they did’t leave when it was over) we were all in awe of Iron Mike. When he bit Holyfield’s ear (I was at the Hollywood Athletic Club on the 2nd floor with a huge crowd and we could’t believe what we had just seen). Regardless of what you think of him he came from nothing, became somebody and now is still alive at 40 years old.

Verdict: Good movie but not much on Robin Givens the women who gave him his first knockout. 2003 Fox Television documentary Beyond The Glory: Mike Tyson, is way better. You can buy it on eBay or Craigslist. It has more footage of the major events in his life and even has Robin Givens crying saying she regrets what she did to Mike during The Barbara Walters interview. Best part of the Toback movie is his close up of Mike’s face during the BW interview. You can see the rage building in his face and that Robin Givens was close to being killed and she did’t realize it.