The time Mike Tyson hinted about a guilty pleasure

Mike Tyson is one heck of a character, and the biggest reason America loves him (aside from his ability to knockout opponents with brutal first-round uppercuts), is because the man has no filter. NO FILTER WHATSOEVER. Sure, Iron Mike’s mellowed out over the years, but he’s been known to snap on a reporter or two when he’s not taking his meds.

And that brings me to our current story.

Some months ago I happened to be doing research for a boxing story on whether HBO and Showtime could co-produce a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight. My research led me to a 2002 Thomas Hauser article about the Tyson-Lennox Lewis fight because that bout was co-produced by the opposing networks.

While reading Hauser’s article, I came across an old quote from Tyson that is just too crass, too graphic, too suggestive, too unfiltered, and too unbelievable to not share it with you.

Prior to his 2002 fight with Lewis, Tyson invited select reporters to visit with him in Maui. In addition to telling a female reporter that he only talks to female reporters if he’s fornicating with them (his words), Iron Mike went on a stream of consciousness where he talked about being honest and staying true to his character.

Here is a snippet of some of the quotes from Hauser’s article:

“I could play the game and say I’m somebody I’m not, but I’m not that kind of person. I’m uninhibited. If I’m being interviewed by a lady, I have to say, ‘Hey, you’re looking good.’ I just have to be Mike.”

Make sure you visit Seconds Out for the rest.