Mike Tyson's candid confession: 'I'm not a nice person'

Mike Tyson, who at the age of 20 became the youngest world heavyweight champion, speaks openly about his character.

There’s nothing nice about me. I’m not a nice person. I’m a decent person, I try to do the right thing. But a nice person, I am not. Anybody with the [idea] that I’m a nice person is gonna be disappointed. I’m just not, he explains.

For him, being nice means looking for friends and making others happy at the expense of himself, which he does not intend to do.

Despite the passage of time and experiences, including time in prison from 1992-1995 and a nine-month stint in 1999 for assaulting two drivers, Tyson doesn't feel at peace.

I’m never content, so I guess I don’t have peace, he admits.

Nevertheless, his life has become more structured: I have more responsibilities, my life is more... I don’t know... more practical than it was before. Having kids, having a wife, having chores, having things to do, he added.

Mike Tyson returns to the ring to face YouTuber Jake Paul in an officially sanctioned professional boxing match on November 15th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight will be broadcast live on Netflix.

I could use a buck like everyone else, but this is not for financial reasons. I’m just doing it because I want to test myself, Tyson explains. If can just fight 10 per cent of what I was, he can’t match that. That’s being sincere. I’m gonna beat him. I know what I can do, he added.

Many boxing fans are eagerly awaiting this match, although opinions are divided: Boxing has changed tremendously, and I’m changing it more so by doing this fight, Tyson says. Who else could do that?

Mike Tyson remains one of the most fascinating figures in boxing history, and his return to the ring is sure to draw attention from both older and younger fans of the sport.