Tyson (2008)

Email I wrote to a friend who suggested that I watch the movie:


Just watched it. I would agree � quite interesting.

The initial rags to riches was very well emphasized. Tyson keeps referring to how far a poor boy from the Brooklyn had come up in the world. I didn�t really get the clear understanding from the movie that he eventually lost everything, but we know that this happened because we know his story.

I think the parallel with Muhammad Ali is strong. Both converted to Islam at some point, but more importantly, both were unjustly sent to prison and robbed of what would have been their best years of boxing. Clearly Ali more or less overcame this tragedy, while Tyson did not.

One thing I was not aware of before watching the movie was how Holyfield really provoked Tyson by repeatedly head butting him in both of their fights. So it was Holyfield who elicited the ear biting � or at a minimum, his hand in what happened was not innocent.

In all, quite illuminating. I felt for the boy, and the movie definitely portrays Tyson in a sympathetic light as someone who nearly, but not quite, overcome great adversity.