There are some men whose name itself strikes fear into anyone’s heart. Mike Tyson is a part of that ‘elite’ list. Iron Mike has ‘punched’ his way into the boxing hall of fame. With a stellar record at the top level, Tyson is one of the leading boxers of his time. Being the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion from 1987 to 1990 is a testament to this fact. One can only imagine the fear his foes would have felt. A reporter once felt Tyson’s energy up close.
Mike Tyson couldn’t handle his daughter’s death
Mike Tyson is not one to be bogged down by trivial factors. Having nerves of steel, he knows when to make his stand. He knows when to put his foot down. But even these nerves of steel can’t stand certain things.
The 57-year-old couldn’t bear the death of his daughter, Exodus. She died all the way back in 2009, when she was just 4 years old. She was found dead, with her neck getting caught in the treadmill cord at her home in Phoenix.
When Mike Tyson snapped
Exodus’s death left Mike Tyson broken. Despite going through a bad time, he still hadn’t lost his scary aura. In an interview with Real Sports, the Hangover star opened up about life after his daughter’s death.
In the interview, he said,
“I don’t know what happened that day… I did some cocaine for a week. I had to get high. I had to back there, I had to get high. I couldn’t handle it at all.”
What followed was a short pause, followed by one of the coldest on-screen responses known to mankind. The boxer continued,
“You have to go. You understand right? Thank you. Thank you very much.”
Not a traditional interview moment at all, but given the gravity of the tragedy, which is something enough to send chills down one’s spine.
Why was a moment in the interview with Mike Tyson the “most chilling second and a half” ever
Years down the lane, the reporter who interviewed Mighty Mike shared the horror he faced while conducting the interview.
One could see Tyson’s fear on the interviewer’s face. The interviewer, who worked for Real Sports at the time, said,
“I mean I was speechless and I don’t know if you heard him say ‘You have to go now.'”
His eyes said it all. Those were without a doubt the “most chilling second and a half or two seconds” of his life. Safe to say that this was a moment he’d like to forget.
Watch the video here:
Source: YouTube
