Mike Tyson once referred to his time in prison as ‘the most enjoyable three years of my life’.
The former undisputed world heavyweight champion is now 56 years old and has a very different character compared to his wilder and younger days in youth.
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As a youngster, Tyson spent a lot of time in juvenile detention centres, which ultimately led him to begin his boxing journey.
The introduction of D’Amato Cus as his trainer had a drastic impact on his life and helped him avoid serious trouble with the law, which had been a problem for years.
However, in 1992, Tyson was found guilty of the sexual assault of Desiree Washington and given a six-year prison sentence.
He consistently maintained that everything had occurred with the complete agreement of Washington and denied ever imposing himself on her.
“I treated everyone kindly, I am a virtuous individual, I am a charismatic individual – I am simply extremely thankful,” Tyson elucidated during a segment of The Pivot podcast, recounting his experiences while incarcerated.
“I had the most enjoyable three years of my life in prison.”
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When asked if he missed his financial wealth, Tyson responded: “I had tranquility, however.
“That lack of significance when you are without peace. Simply stay there within your equilibrium.”
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“You require your mental stability to determine any aspect of life.”
While incarcerated, Tyson adhered to a remarkable regimen of workouts to ready himself for his return to the boxing ring.
“I was going for a run,” he disclosed, “Covering a distance of eight or nine miles.”
“And during the evening, I would jog for four hours, solely inside my room.
“I would leap and things, simply leaping up.
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“Does my cell have a solid floor?”
“I pressed it down with my feet onto the solid floor.”
“I used to weigh 285lbs. I now weigh 215lbs.
During his three-year stint in jail, Tyson embraced Islam and focused on improving his personal growth.
Despite his recovery, musician Tupac Shakur paid him a visit while imprisoned, and the fame he had achieved in the early stages of his profession endured.
Tyson attained an early liberation in 1995 and staged a resurgence in the boxing realm with a rapid knockout triumph over Peter McNeeley.
“Yeah, it was, ‘I’m returning from incarceration, individuals, you all didn’t shatter my spirit. My self-importance was spiraling out of control and such,” he stated when inquired about the sensation of that victory.
“Everyone was discussing, ‘Mike is finished, he’s incarcerated, no one ever returned from prison and remained the same person.’
“I simply desired to alter their opinions.”