TYSON: DEBT, DOPE & DESPAIR
Dec 3, 2004
www.newyorkpost.com
December 3, 2004 -- MIKE Tyson — his career in
shambles after a fourth-round knockout by British
journeyman Danny Williams — is said to be
depressed, abusing cocaine and running up debts
with shady associates while living in Phoenix, Ariz.
with his girlfriend, Shelly, the mother of his
two-year-old son.
The troubled former heavyweight champ — who
has squandered an estimated $400 million over
the course of his career — was $38 million in debt
and owed money to at least 246 creditors before
his loss to Williams last July.
The shocking KO snuffed out the 38-year-old
Tyson's hopes of regaining the heavyweight crown,
nixing a seven-fight deal that could have pulled him
out of bankruptcy. Since then, he is said to have
been sponging off less-than-savory figures to
sustain his lavish lifestyle.
"Basically, he's become the modern-day Sonny
Liston," a Tyson pal told PAGE SIX. "He's living off
other's people's dimes. He's saying to these shady
wannabe promoters, 'OK, I'll fight for you. But you
have to pay for my hotel rooms, take my friends out
on shopping sprees.' He's playing with the wrong
people. Eventually, it's gonna come back to him."
The source added that Tyson, who has frequently
talked about his prolific marijuana use, has moved
onto harder drugs: "Mike's been abusing cocaine.
He's been acting very erratically. He needs help."
Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, did not return
calls.
The comparison to Liston is ominous. Liston,
another fearsome former heavyweight champ who
had plenty of run-ins with the law, was found dead
in 1971.
Officially, he died of heart failure and lung
congestion, but needle marks in his arm suggest
he may have died of a heroin overdose. Others
believe mobsters murdered him, or that he was
involved in a loan-sharking ring and was
demanding a bigger stake.
Liston became heavyweight champ in 1962, but
was upset in 1964 by brash young Cassius Clay.
The two had a re-match in 1965 in which Clay —
who had since changed his name to Muhammad
Ali — floored Liston with his infamous "phantom
punch."
TYSON: DEBT, DOPE & DESPAIR
Dec 3, 2004
www.newyorkpost.com
December 3, 2004 -- MIKE Tyson — his career in
shambles after a fourth-round knockout by British
journeyman Danny Williams — is said to be
depressed, abusing cocaine and running up debts
with shady associates while living in Phoenix, Ariz.
with his girlfriend, Shelly, the mother of his
two-year-old son.
The troubled former heavyweight champ — who
has squandered an estimated $400 million over
the course of his career — was $38 million in debt
and owed money to at least 246 creditors before
his loss to Williams last July.
The shocking KO snuffed out the 38-year-old
Tyson's hopes of regaining the heavyweight crown,
nixing a seven-fight deal that could have pulled him
out of bankruptcy. Since then, he is said to have
been sponging off less-than-savory figures to
sustain his lavish lifestyle.
"Basically, he's become the modern-day Sonny
Liston," a Tyson pal told PAGE SIX. "He's living off
other's people's dimes. He's saying to these shady
wannabe promoters, 'OK, I'll fight for you. But you
have to pay for my hotel rooms, take my friends out
on shopping sprees.' He's playing with the wrong
people. Eventually, it's gonna come back to him."
The source added that Tyson, who has frequently
talked about his prolific marijuana use, has moved
onto harder drugs: "Mike's been abusing cocaine.
He's been acting very erratically. He needs help."
Tyson's manager, Shelly Finkel, did not return
calls.
The comparison to Liston is ominous. Liston,
another fearsome former heavyweight champ who
had plenty of run-ins with the law, was found dead
in 1971.
Officially, he died of heart failure and lung
congestion, but needle marks in his arm suggest
he may have died of a heroin overdose. Others
believe mobsters murdered him, or that he was
involved in a loan-sharking ring and was
demanding a bigger stake.
Liston became heavyweight champ in 1962, but
was upset in 1964 by brash young Cassius Clay.
The two had a re-match in 1965 in which Clay —
who had since changed his name to Muhammad
Ali — floored Liston with his infamous "phantom
punch."
Cocaine's a hell of a drug.
-Rick James
Tyson is not on coke .coke costs mony and tyson doesnt have any rofl
The story does come across as bullshit in many ways when you examine it.
As far as Tyson and Liston, I already made this comparison a few years ago.