Mike Tyson had ruthless response to childhood bullies who mocked his voice

Mike Tyson revealed that he used to fight back against bullies as a kid because of his high-pitched voice. renowned for his triumphs in the world and holding titles such as WBC, WBA, and IBF, once dominated the ring against formidable opponents like Frank Bruno, Lennox Lewis, and Evander Holyfield.

'Iron Mike' displayed prodigious talent from a young age with Teddy Atlas, his former coach, noting Tyson was 190lbs of pure muscle and taking on grown men by age 12. Yet prior to his illustrious fighting career, Tyson handled clashes with peers who mocked his distinctive voice which is now an unmistakable trademark.

During an interview with Playboy magazine in November 1998, when asked if children used to tease him about his voice, Tyson declared: "The objective of man is to be tough. You got to fight if someone insults you; that's just the law of the street. Some people would make fun of me. I'd fight 'em."

Reflecting on his childhood skirmishes, Tyson conceded that he partook in "many" brawls, adding: "If somebody gets beat up real bad they don't want to use the system anymore."

Tyson opened up about his tumultuous youth, adding, "They get their knife, their gun, they want to fight. They want to hurt somebody. We have the animal instinct to survive. I got hit with bats, sticks, bottles across my face."

Delving into his childhood, he reflected on whether he experienced depression and his battles with learning challenges. The former heavyweight champion recalled: "I don't remember. It wasn't depression back then. You know, you're poor, you don't have good doctors.

"You have poor doctors who say, 'He's hyperactive' or 'He's a special ed student'. We'll put him somewhere else so he won't disrupt the other students."

Tyson also commented on misconceptions about his intelligence, saying: "I appeared to be r*****ed. I never thought I was, though," while clarifying he wasn't seen as violent or anti-social. His boxing journey began at age 12 under the mentorship of trainers Atlas and the esteemed Cus D'Amato at the Catskill Boxing Club in New York.

In an unbelievable first session, young Tyson held his own against a 27 year old pro. Trainer Atlas noted that Tyson's early knockout spree against grown men foreshadowed his future boxing greatness.

The world first witnessed Tyson's skill during his pro debut against Hector Mercedes in March 1985, when he triumphed by a first-round TKO as just an 18 year old. Dominating the sport, Tyson had fought 28 professional matches by November 1986, claiming the WBC heavyweight title by defeating Trevor Berbick.

At 58,Tyson hasn't been in a professional match since his defeat by Kevin McBride in 2005, with only a brief comeback for an exhibition fight with Roy Jones Jr in 2020, which ended in a draw. But the heavyweight legend, known as 'Iron Mike', is slated to l at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Paul, who has transitioned from YouTube fame to boxing prominence in just four years, boasts an impressive pro record of 10-1. He has taken down former UFC champions such as Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva and breezed through once-noted challengers like Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, and Mike Perry.

The encounter on November 15 presents Paul with his biggest challenge yet as he squares off with Tyson - previously dubbed the "baddest man on the planet" for his ferocious aggression and formidable knockout capacity. Recent footage surfaced showing Tyson in remarkable shape, with speed and strength that sends heavy bags swinging wildly, signalling trouble for Paul.