Exclusive Interview: Mike Tyson

By Darren Nichols and Jose Aguirre

22/03/2005

Exclusive Interview: Mike Tyson

Darren Nichols: We got the one, the only Mike Tyson here on Boxingtalk again. Mike, what do you think about the fight between Morales and Pacquiao?

Mike Tyson:"I think that's one of the greatest fights in the history of little men. Hopefully they get a rematch again. That was an awesome fight. They just fought through until they were exhausted and fought till the end. Out of the 12 rounds there were only two rounds that were slow paced. It was an awesome fight. It was incredible and I was happy to be a part of the whole situation."

DN: You had fifteen thousand people there at the MGM Grand. Sold out and this for some junior lightweights. Could you as a heavyweight come and do the same thing now?

MT:"Well I don't know. I do well. If I sell out or not I do well but that alone shows the marketing of boxing. We have exciting fighters and it doesn't matter what weight they are they get a constituency, people follow them and they sell out arenas."

DN: Is there a fighter out there that excites you that you feel is the next Mike Tyson?

MT:"Oh I don't know about that. Everyone has their own personality and style of fighting. But the two fighters today were the two premier fighters of our generation now I believe."

DN: Who are you working with now? Are you and Jeff Fenech working together?

MT:"Yeah me and Jeff are doing some work."

DN: How's that going?

MT:"It's going pretty well."

DN: Yeah? What's he showing you?

MT:"Um"

DN: What's he showing you that you don't already know?

MT:"I don;t know you'd have to ask him."

DN: YOu've been linked to Jeff and you got Freddy Roach and you've been linked with Buddy McGirt. What has been going on?

MT:"I get around. I have alot of history. I don't know."

DN: So are you fighting in D.C in June?

MT:"Yeah June 10th."

DN: Do you know who you're fighting?

MT:"No I'm not aware yet but I'll find out shortly. You'll know before myself."

DN: Did Shelly tell you that?

MT:"I don;t know who's telling me anything. Jeff Fenech will tell me. Who am I fighting Jeff?"

DN: So Jeff what have you been doing with Mike? What have you been training on?

Jeff Fenech:"We're just trying to get Mike hungry again. Get him fit and once he gets fit Mike can do whatever he has to do. Mike's proven that when he's fit nobody can beat him. I know if I can get Mike Tyson fit that he can regain that ring glory."

DN:"Do you think he can pack up arenas like this fight did with Morales and Pacquiao?

JF:"Do you see the people that Mike walks with. He must have kept 5,000 people at the Staples Center when Hopkins fought for an hour after the fight. He can fill anywhere. When they know that Mike's going to do things for real he'll fill the stadiums."

DN: From here to the arena people are calling your name. What's it like for you to still get this after 20 years?

MT:"I don't know. I'm still getting used to it."

DN: After 20 years you're still getting used to it?

MT:"Yeah, isn't that cool?"

DN: You have so many names. You have Rahman, the Klitschko's. Who could you fight that would put you back on top?

MT:"I don't know. Jeff Fenech. Anybody."

DN: Jeff Fenech? Really? You'd fight him?

MT:"Yeah."(laughing)

DN: You have over 50,000 people looking at this. What do you want to tell all your fans out there?

MT:"That Mike's coming back with a vengeance."