Mike Tyson used to refer to himself as ?the baddest man on the planet? and for good reason. He was bad (as in good) in the ring. He was also a bad (as in bad) outside it. And while it may have taken him a little longer to come to terms with his badness, the former heavyweight champion of the world, speaking with ITV?s Good Morning Britain, admits to being filled with regret at his behavior toward his fellow fighters.
?My whole life as a kid from 12 years old, I was just taught to beat people, break them down, humiliate them, break their will,? he said.
?But in actuality I was just a scared and insecure kid. I had no idea what I was doing but it felt good and everybody told me I was great at doing it.?
Tyson was doing what those around him were doing, and what many are doing today.
?They don?t believe there?s any hope in life,? Tyson said. ?There?s no hope for a better life. If they believed there was hope for a better life, they wouldn?t conduct themselves that way. That?s the only reason I conducted myself that way. I didn?t believe I had hope for a better life. And then I started boxing and saw hope.?
Growing up in an environment where only the strong survive, Tyson not only survived, he flourished.
?I thought about killing people. Life didn?t mean anything. I used to be in gangs. I used to have guns. I used to shoot at people. I used to get shot at. And so it led me on to be this guy, this tyrant, who had no self-respect.
?As I look at everything, I did it wrong.?
But there were some things he did right. He listened to Cus D?Amato when it mattered, and if maturity eluded him until he was middle-aged, better late than never.
?My whole life was a regret,? he continued. ?My whole life, my actions, my conduct, a lot of stuff I?ve done in my life, especially as a fighter.
?I said often some really bizarre and disrespectful things to opponents. Putting down a lot of fighters just to become more of this renowned figure and stuff. I wish I didn?t do that, I wish I hadn?t said a lot of the things that I?ve said to other human beings.?
?I don?t want to live my life that way anymore.?
