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17 Years Later, Mike Tyson Looks Back at His Unforgettable Retirement Speech

Published 07/19/2022, 11:15 AM EDT

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Boxing saw a drastic revolution during the late nineties when Mike Tyson made his debut in the sport. He had a unique and unconventional method of boxing, which certainly made him the best boxer of his era. After defeating numerous fighters in his prime, the boxer was counted among the greatest boxers of all time. But, at one point in time, the legend realized that he has lost his destructive attitude and he needs to stop boxing.

The latest episode of the Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson was an experience that took the audience through Tyson’s tough phases of life. His therapist, Sean McFarland, was invited as a guest for the podcast. As the episode progressed, Tyson was asked about the day he realized that he needs to leave boxing. 

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He replied, “I thought it wasn’t for me. You know because I did it again a year and a half ago, and I broke all the records. I was the highest growth of the year, in that particular time because we had covid, but nobody was doing that.”

The legendary athlete recalled having the feeling that boxing wasn’t for him at one point. But he also made mention of his comeback with Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, which broke records and was one of the best fights of the year.

The fight that made Mike Tyson retire from boxing 

‘Iron Mike’ has experienced life from a whole totally different perspective. He was bullied as a child and grew up in a violent environment, both of which led to his involvement in crimes. But subsequently, a young Tyson developed a passion for boxing, and that was the cornerstone that transformed him into a legend.

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June 11, 2005, was a day that ended the dynamic era of Mike Tyson. He fought the last professional fight of his career against Kevin McBride and lost the bout via seventh-round knockout. After the end of the fight, Tyson told the media, “I don’t think I have it anymore. Because I got the ability to stay in shape, but I don’t got the fighting guts I don’t think anymore.” 

He also added, “I don’t have this in my heart anymore.” 

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WATCH THIS STORY: Five Infamous Altercations of Mike Tyson outside the Ring

Apparently, the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ took retirement from boxing that day, and described that he is calmer and more conscious now, and wants to spend more time with his family. The world suffered a loss as a result of the shocking conclusion. Meanwhile, share your thoughts about it in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shashank Wankhede

775Articles

One take at a time

Shashank Wankhede is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports. When it comes to boxing, the blockbuster film 'Rocky' sparked his interest in the sport. He holds Muhammad Ali in great regard and is a sincere admirer of his narrative, struggle, and accomplishments.
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Edited by:

Vibhanshu Kumar