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TYSON'S TOUR RETURN

01/10/2006

From being the "baddest man of the planet" to possibly the saddest, it has been a remarkable fall from grace for Mike Tyson.
Now, just after a month after saying "I truly hate fighting", the 40-year-old American will return to the ring for as series of four-round exhibition bouts as part of "Mike Tyson's World Tour".

It is a long way from the halcyon days when his very name struck fear into the hearts of the boxing world. However, a series of mismatches, a spell in jail, bankruptcy and embarrassing defeats have left Tyson's reputation in tatters.

But after a lifetime in the sport, boxing is all Tyson knows, so even if a full comeback is not on the cards - at the moment, anyway - the circus that follows him goes on, even if it will not help his financial situation.

"The money I make here is not going to help any of my bills really from a tremendous standpoint," he admitted. "But I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed.

"If I don't get out of these financial quagmires, there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for
somebody.

"I don't want to do that anymore. Everybody's saying, 'Mike, make a comeback.' I'm not going to do that.

"The best decision I ever made was to retire from boxing. Because I don't have any stress. I'm pretty simple. I like the person I am now more than I did. I don't like 'Iron Mike' - I like Mike Tyson."

Tyson's tour gets underway against fellow countryman Corey Sanders - and former sparring partner - on October 20 at the Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown.

And Tyson admits he now wants to enjoy himself. He said: "I want to have fun because during my boxing career I was too damn serious. That was my problem, I took myself too serious."


Provided by: www.skysport.com

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