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“I Was Different Than LeBron James”: Boxing Legend Mike Tyson Made a Revelation on Dealing with Critics in 2014

Published 09/16/2022, 11:00 AM EDT

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Boxing legend Mike Tyson once talked about NBA superstar LeBron James and the way he handles his critics. It was during the 2013-14 NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. The Big Three of the Heat had won the previous title playing against the seasoned San Antonio Spurs team. So the rivalry was at its peak at the time. And in the 2013-14 finals, the Spurs took an early lead. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson gave an interview to Sports Illustrated about the NBA finals.

During the sit-down, Tyson talked about the criticism athletes would receive over the course of their careers. He said that it is the nature of the occupation and that there will always be criticism.

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Tyson also said that people might not understand how hard athletes train. And added that a fan who has never played basketball could judge every move of a professional player. Afterwards, he admitted that it is something that players have to live with even though it can be bothersome at times.

Mike Tyson’s advice to LeBron James

Maenwhile, the interviewer asked Tyson how he felt about handling criticis. “Iron Mike” admitted that the criticism of him was probably warranted.

Tyson said, “Well probably mine was warranted, you know. I was different than LeBron. I would attack my critics, I would like physically attack them!” And he could not control his laughter. Later on, he continued, “Hey you know, it’s just part of the business. Shouldn’t take it personally. I just, my experience realized in life, just don’t take it personal.” 

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Unsurprisingly, LeBron James has had his fair share of criticism over the years. Being on top of the basketball world comes with its price. Every single action by him on and off the floor is analyzed by fans, media, and analysts around the world.

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Furthermore, every move he makes on the court is under the microscope. As a human being, he is bound to make mistakes now and then. But as a superstar, some expect him to be perfect. And sometimes it’s not possible to be perfect. For example in the 2013-14 finals, the Spurs clinched the title beating the Heat 4-1.

James has played in a mindboggling eight straight NBA finals, four with the Heat and 4 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has been to 10 NBA finals but has only won four rings. That has been point of contention for many experts. However, LeBron has also faced two of the best dynasties in modern NBA in the form of the Spurs and the Golden State Warriors.

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Written by:

Bagavathi Eswaran

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Bagavathi Eswaran is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He has been playing the game of basketball for more than 20 years now and has also been following the NBA for more than 10 years. After not being able to go pro, this former college player decided to join the IT industry.
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