Both Highs and Lows Featured in “The Knockout”
We all think we know who Mike Tyson is now but in ABC’s brand new two-part documentary “Mike Tyson: The Knockout,” the hard hitter reveals more of what makes him tick. From sports hero to ticking time bomb, the former world champ is many things. This new show all about Tyson will air May 25 and June 1.
Mike Tyson burst on the boxing scene like a freight train. With his black shoes and black trunks, the puncher was a brutal force inside the ropes. A king in the ring who lived up to his crowning of being called “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”
But as time wore on, his crown was tarnished and the king fell from grace. From his pro debut at age 18 to his last bout in 2005, his boxing career ended with 50 wins (44 KOs) and six defeats. His losses to James “Buster” Douglas and Evander Holyfield left his fans and the sports world in shock and disbelief.
Through the decades, the Brooklyn boxer (now 54) has, arguably, been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows as the public watched.
From juvenile delinquent to hungry young slugger to beloved world champ to husband of Robin Givens. From convicted felon to movie star to boxing Hall of Famer and everything in between, Mike Tyson has always been in the headlines.
The ex-champion remains one of boxing’s biggest superstars. If you’ve ever seen him in person, you quickly realize how much the fans still adore him. When he enters a room, there’s literally a seismic shift in energy with everyone clamoring to get close to the controversial knockout artist. It’s unreal; he is still a magnet for the masses. During the pandemic, he was even spotted out on the Venice Beach boardwalk with huge crowds all wanting to meet him.
But he has, of course, been both idolized AND vilified. There are many people out there who want nothing do to with him and can’t forgive or forget his rape conviction.
So can a tiger be truly tamed? We may get some answers in Tuesday’s new show.
Starting on May 25, the two-part series promises to shine the light on various aspects of what makes Tyson the man he is today.
Now married to Kiki Tyson, the family man has been a hit again with his current “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson” podcast and even returned to the ring for his exhibition versus Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020, promoted by Mike Tyson’s Legends Only League.
Besides keeping his relevance in boxing, the polarizing icon is also still involved in show biz. From his star cameo in “The Hangover” movies, the fighter with the famous lisp has had his own animated TV series (“Mike Tyson Mysteries”) and was also involved in this year’s All Elite Wrestling promotion.
Another new TV mini series starring Jamie Foxx and executive produced by Martin Scorsese and Antoine Fuqua is also in the works.
But first, ABC News takes a deeper look into the one and only “Iron Mike.”
What new questions will be answered?
We will see as we get to hear from Mike himself as well as past opponents, exclusive archival footage, unaired clips of previous Tyson interviews and more.
And I will definitely be watching.
More details here:
ABC News will debut a special four hour documentary series on the life of boxing legend Mike Tyson. “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” will put viewers ringside for a main event that will chronicle the former champion’s climb, crash and comeback, from his difficult childhood to becoming undisputed world champion to his 1992 rape conviction and his personal struggles. Through the lens of his life’s extreme highs and lows, the two-part primetime event will examine some of the most pressing questions about resilience and reinvention. “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” will feature new interviews with actor and boxing enthusiast Rosie Perez, former President of HBO Sports Ross Greenburg, ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap, those in Tyson’s inner circle and more. It will also include exclusive ABC News archival material and previously unaired interview footage with Tyson, who reflects on what he has learned throughout his boxing career and his new outlook on life. “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” premieres on back-to-back Tuesdays, May 25 and June 1, (8:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET), on ABC. It can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu.
“In addition to being an inspiring story of the perseverance and hard-won growth of one extraordinary person, Mike Tyson’s life and career are also relevant to the important collective self-reflection finally occurring in America,” said executive producer Geoffrey Fletcher.
Tuesday, May 25, 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET: “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” begins with Tyson’s youth and his transition from a bullied kid who, in a single instant, discovers his true power, which becomes the basis for the icon’s reputation as “The Baddest Man on the Planet.” Former trainers Bobby Stewart and Teddy Atlas and Joe Colangelo, longtime friend of legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato, describe Tyson’s time in and out of juvenile detention while D’Amato trains a young boy from Brooklyn to the edge of his boxing dream of heavyweight champion of the world. They discuss Tyson’s rise to fame after D’Amato’s death and his spiraling under the pressures of stardom, including his lifestyle of excess partying, his marriage to Robin Givens, his infamous 1988 Barbara Walters interview, including Given’s allegation of domestic abuse, and divorce. Former opponents Michael Spinks and Buster Douglas sit down for interviews and discuss their fights against Tyson, including Tyson’s win over Spinks to become the undisputed heavyweight champion and Tyson’s shocking first professional boxing loss to Douglas, who was a 42-to-1 underdog.
Tuesday, June 1, 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. ET: “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” continues with Tyson’s conviction and prison sentence for raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington, reviewing the cultural conversation that ensued throughout the trial as the public grappled with ideas around victimization and the fall of a hero. Tyson’s defense attorney James Voyles and special prosecutor Greg Garrison reflect on the trial nearly 30 years later. Tyson’s release from prison and his highly anticipated and celebrated re-entry into society is examined. The program also spotlights Tyson’s comeback in boxing and his bouts against Evander Holyfield, including the moment he bit Holyfield’s ear, as well as his addiction to cocaine, as he quickly became vilified and one of the most polarizing athletes in America. The show also touches on Tyson’s deep personal losses, including how he managed to move forward after the death of his daughter Exodus. It showcases an apologetic, middle-aged Tyson making amends for his regrets. The show culminates with previously unaired footage from an interview conducted by ABC News’ Byron Pitts to whom Tyson poignantly reflects on the man he is today.
“Mike Tyson: The Knockout” is produced by ABC News. Roxanna Sherwood serves as Senior Executive Producer. Academy Award winner Geoffrey Fletcher serves as an Executive Producer and the Director of Animation. Academy Award-nominated composer Terence Blanchard contributed an original score.