Mike
Tyson: Day Of The Champions - Main Event Mike KO in
Sydney, Australia
Mike
Tyson: Day Of The Champions - Main Event Mike KO in
Sydney, Australia...
Boxing
legend and ex con, Mike Tyson, has been trying to
get to Australia for years.
Recently
Australian promoter Max Markson of Markson Sparks!
helped 'The Baddest Man On The Planet' make it down
under to Australia for what else - another pay day,
and to Tyson's credit, he has turned his life around...
gone are the drugs and the ho's, with Mike all family
man and entertainer with his new lease on life.
Mike
still is no angel, based on his badass public speaking
and use of colourful language, but when you look into
his heart and eyes you can see that he's cleaned up
his act. He even told a women in the audience when
quizzed about where he was staying in Sydney that
he was staying in his own bed, doing nappies, and
that's his only party...publicly showing that any
womanising days are a thing of the past.
The
Mike Tyson documentary - video package that showed
before his talk was pretty interesting and entertaining,
and showed footage from teen years to recent, and
included the good, the bad and the ugly.
What's
next for Tyson? More movies, more public speaking
and more pay days. Sure beats getting punched in the
head and guts for a living. Good on you Mike for making
positive changes to your life and wishing you continued
success and happiness.
Words
of wisdom from Mike Tyson...
"The
message of my show would be no matter what adversity
hits you in life, don't give up - that's the only
time you will lose," he said.
"Someone
can be a champion and never have a title."
"We
all have to endure some kind of pain," Tyson
said.
"I
like Evander. Evander's going to be all right.
"It's
all about embracing yourself and looking for happiness
through that.
"I
learned that lesson. If I can make it in what has
been a pretty interesting life he can do it as well."
News
Australia
grants visa for Mike Tyson - 10th October 2012
Australia
has granted Mike Tyson a visa one week after he was
barred from entering New Zealand due to his 1992 rape
conviction.
A
spokeswoman from Australia's Department of Immigration
and Citizenship said today it had granted the former
heavyweight boxing champion an entertainment visa
to cover the duration of his five-city Australian
tour starting next month. She said officials carefully
weighed the pros and cons of his visit and of his
character given his criminal past.
The
spokeswoman spoke on condition of anonymity because
of office policy. Tyson was to visit both countries
on a 'Day of the Champions' tour.
New
Zealand immigration authorities initially granted
him a visa before a charity withdrew its support and
officials reversed their decision. Tyson served three
years in prison for rape.
News
New
Zealand bars Mike Tyson as tour debacle looms - 3rd
October 2012
WELLINGTON,
New Zealand (AP) - In a reversal, New Zealand authorities
on Wednesday barred Mike Tyson from entering the country
whose indigenous Maori people Tyson says inspired
his facial tattoo.
And
a Downunder speaking tour for the former heavyweight
boxing champion was threatening to fall apart altogether
as Australian immigration authorities said they've
yet to decide whether to allow him into that country.
Tickets for appearances in New Zealand and five major
Australian cities in November are still being promoted
by a Sydney agency.
Tyson's
1992 rape conviction would normally prevent his entry
in New Zealand and could be grounds for denial in
Australia as well. He had been granted an exemption
for New Zealand before that visa was cancelled Wednesday,
days after the prime minister spoke out against the
visit.
Tyson
was to speak at a November event in Auckland, the
"Day of the Champions," which is being promoted
by Sydney agency Markson Sparks!
New
Zealand's Associate Immigration Minister Kate Wilkinson
said she'd initially granted entry because a children's
health charity would get some of the proceeds from
Tyson's speech. She said in a statement her decision
was "a finely balanced call" but that the
charity that would have benefited, the Life Education
Trust, withdrew its support Tuesday.
"Given
that the trust is no longer supporting the event,
on balance, I have made the decision to cancel his
visa," Wilkinson wrote in her statement.
The
charity's chief executive, John O'Connell, however,
said the charity long ago decided not to accept any
money from the event due to its concerns over Tyson's
character, but that a volunteer trustee had mistakenly
sent a letter to immigration authorities supporting
Tyson's plans.
Meanwhile,
a spokesman for Australia's Department of Immigration
and Citizenship said "I can tell you that a decision
is still pending" on Tyson's application for
an Australian visa.
Tyson's
criminal history could prevent him from obtaining
an Australian visa. Would-be visitors normally must
pass a character test. Those with a "substantial
criminal record" - which by the immigration department's
definition includes people who, like Tyson, have been
sentenced to more than a year in prison - would fail
the test. But the department can still use its discretion
to grant a visa.
Markson
Sparks! has been advertising tickets for Tyson's Australian
appearances at between 69 and 300 Australian dollars
($71 and $308).
Colorful
promoter Max Markson said he'd been "hoping it
might be a smoother run with Mike Tyson" but
that he remained confident Australia would grant Tyson
a visa and that New Zealand would reverse its decision
when he found another suitable charity.
"He'll
only be in the country for 20 hours, I don't think
he's a danger to anybody, and thousands of people
want to see him," Markson said of Tyson's planned
New Zealand leg.
Markson
said he's continuing to sell tickets to the planned
speeches in both countries and that buyers will get
a full refund if the shows are cancelled. He said
he had immigration lawyers in Australia, New Zealand
and the U.S. working on the case.
Speaking
to the APNZ news agency this week from Las Vegas before
his New Zealand visa was cancelled, Tyson said his
tattoo was inspired by those worn by New Zealand's
indigenous Maori. In pre-European times, many Maori
wore elaborate facial tattoos as a sign of their status
in their tribe. Some Maori today who identify strongly
with their traditional culture get similar tattoos.
Tyson
told the agency that, aside from their tattoos, he
knew little about the Maori people "so I'm looking
forward to come down there and see them."
Prime
Minister John Key spoke to media against the planned
visit this week, questioning the decision by immigration
authorities and saying he personally disapproved of
the visit given Tyson's conviction for such a serious
crime.
Before
his visa was cancelled, Tyson told APNZ: "Fortunately,
I am coming to New Zealand and there's nothing they
can do about it and I'm so sorry, I'm sorry they feel
disappointed and I'm just living my life."
Tyson
was sentenced to six years in prison for the 1991
rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington in an Indianapolis
hotel room. He served three years before being released
on parole.
Hollyfield
VS Tyson II
Media
Man is in favor of Mike Tyson being granted entry
into Australia, for we believe he has more than paid
for his mistakes in the past, and should be given
the opportunity to move forward with his life and
endeavours.
Profile
Michael
Gerard "Mike" Tyson (born June 30, 1966)
is a retired American boxer. He was the undisputed
heavyweight champion and remains the youngest man
ever to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight
titles. He won the WBC title at just 20 years, 4 months
and 22 days old, after defeating Trevor Berbick by
a TKO in the second round. Throughout his career,
Tyson became well-known for his ferocious and intimidating
boxing style as well as his controversial behavior
both inside and outside the ring.
Nicknamed "Kid Dynamite," "Iron Mike,"
and "The Baddest Man on the Planet," Tyson
won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, 12
in the first round. He unified the belts in the splintered
heavyweight division in the late 1980s to become undisputed
heavyweight champion of the world. Tyson lost his
title when he lost to 42-to-1 underdog James "Buster"
Douglas in February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, by a KO in
round 10.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of sexually assaulting
Desiree Washington, for which he served three years
in prison. After being released from prison in 1995,
he engaged in a series of comeback fights. He regained
a portion of the heavyweight title, before losing
it to Evander Holyfield in a 1996 fight by an 11th
round TKO.
Their
1997 rematch ended in shocking fashion as Tyson was
disqualified for biting off part of Holyfield's ear.
He fought for a championship again at 35, losing by
knockout to Lennox Lewis in 2002. Tyson retired from
competitive boxing in 2005 after two consecutive knockout
losses to Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. Tyson
declared bankruptcy in 2003, despite receiving over
US$30 million for several of his fights and $300 million
during his career.
He is ranked #16 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest
punchers of all time. (Credit:
Wikipedia)
