Iron Mike

Netflix is doing the recounting of Mike Tyson’s life.

Of course, I was coming of age in the 80’s and lived through his rise and fall.

I distinctly remember going to a friend’s house to watch Tyson-Spinks on pay-per-view.

We chipped in and settled in and 💥 

91 seconds.

We had one beer and left.

And then I watched his fall when Buster Douglas took him down. My Mom watched that fight with us. She wasn’t a Tyson fan. You haven’t lived until you watch your mother yelling:

“Go, Buster, go!”

The documentary is fascinating because it’s the rise of a man and his eventual fall, and his fight to just stay alive.

He had the marriage to Robin Givens, and how that relationship went to hell. 

He reportedly demolished every room in his mansion after an argument.

“I didn’t handle that one well.”

You remember it all too.

The rape charge.

Biting the ear of one of his opponents.

Getting a face tattoo.

Buying a lion.

He’s a couple of years younger than me, and while I felt like I’ve lived a full life…

…he definitely has lived an absolutely full life.

I watched it without judgement of him as a man because it’s tough to put yourself in those shoes.

His mother was a prostitute, who turned tricks while he was in the room. She died when he was less than 20 years old.

He lost his manager a short time later, and then was handed fifty million dollars.

“No, was a word that I never heard.”

He had 26 cars, a mansion, access to a private jet, and was considered the baddest man on the planet.

At 24 years old.

It’s insane to imagine what that might do to a man.

I recommend it, of course.

Especially for those of us who saw it all happen.

A truly wild life.