In 1986, at the age of 20, Mike Tyson made boxing history by becoming the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he knocked out Trevor Berbick. For the young Mike, it was none other than Muhammad Ali who served as a massive motivation.
Despite achieving great success as a heavyweight champion himself, it may come as a surprise to some that Mike Tyson did not aspire to be like Ali, widely considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.
Mike Tyson once revealed why he did not want to be like Muhammad Ali
Mike emphasizes that being personally connected to a boxer carries more weight in terms of finding inspiration, rather than solely considering the fighter’s success or achievements.
As a result, despite Muhammad Ali’s status as a boxing icon, he was not a source of inspiration for Tyson due to the lack of a personal connection between them.
“I met Ali and I just wanted to be a fighter, right? But I didn’t know if I could really do it but I wanted to do it” Mike said.
According to Tyson, one of the reasons he didn’t aspire to become like Ali, despite his legendary status in boxing during Tyson’s peak career, was because Ali didn’t come from the same background as he did. Mike felt that he couldn’t relate to Ali’s experiences and journey, making it difficult for him to see Ali as a role model or someone to look up to.
“I didn’t wanna be like Muhammad Ali because where I came from Muhammad Ali didn’t come from the world I came from. I came from filth and scum and sewage.” Mike added.
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Who inspired Mike Tyson when he was young?
Throughout his illustrious career, Mike found inspiration in various individuals, notably, Jack Dempsey and Sonny Liston were among his early inspirations.
The ‘Baddest Man on The Planet’ greatly admired Dempsey’s aggressive fighting style and unwavering determination, which motivated him to take bold steps and strive for greatness in his own boxing journey.
“So I wanted to be mean like Sonny Liston and Jack Dempsey. I wanted to be ferocious. I wanted to kill you with my stare.” Mike added.
Mike also considered Roberto Duran as one of his favorites, and he felt a strong affinity with the legendary boxer for similar reasons. “The Kid Dynamite,” believed that the similarities he discovered between himself and Duran automatically made “Mano de Piedra” his favorite fighter.
