Mike Tyson Talks First Fight, Motivation, Drugs, Prison And More

Former boxing heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson was a guest on “The Pivot Podcast” recently.

Tyson, one of the biggest names in combat sports history, discussed a number of subjects. During the appearance, he talked about his first fight, motivations, drugs, prison and so much more.

“This guy killed my pigeon and it was a wrap,” said Tyson, who was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011. “That was the first fight ever in my life, because of a pigeon…Then I just wanted more and more and more. I wanted to crush the world to my feet…I have a big deep hole in me. I had to have everything. All of it. When I was a young kid, I was unbalanced. It was always everything or nothing.”

Following up their much-discussed and rare extensive interview with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, co-hosts and former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor begin the episode expressing their reverence for Tyson that dates back to childhood.

Clark declares Tyson, “the second man I was ever scared of,” before getting Tyson to reveal the unlikely start of his fighting life and how that kick started his love for combat.

As the conversations continues on with recaps of Tyson’s many achievements and out-sized cultural impact, the group asks him to go in-depth on how he feels now about the many rough moments of his life, including bankruptcy and the passing of his mother.

“Sometimes when God wants to check you, he gives you everything you want,” said Tyson, “And I wasn’t ready to handle it…Life is a trip, it blows your mind. I’m a poor guy who never had shit. I have to touch the stove to find out that it’s hot.”