Mike Tyson, a boxing legend, has established himself both as a performer and an entertainer. Tyson has dabbled in a variety of entertainment-related pursuits after he stopped boxing, including acting.
His versatility as a performer is demonstrated by the numerous films and TV shows in which he has appeared. ‘Iron Mike’ has demonstrated that he can also be an interesting and amusing actor, proving that he is more than just a one-dimensional athlete despite his image as a strong fighter.
This also implies that the past champion is the expert on the field. So when he explained how award shows were different from boxing contests, it wasn’t shocking. He also discussed the controversial incident at the 2022 Academy Awards in which comedian Chris Rock was slapped by actor Will Smith.
Mike Tyson reveals how boxing events are different from award shows
During a recent episode of his podcast, Tyson talked about the difference between award shows and fights, stating that the latter has action while the former does not. “Award shows aren’t like fights. There is action in fights, t here’s no action in an award show. What if somebody goes up there and makes a stand for American values or something,” he said.
However, his co-host then bought up the infamous slap heard around the world and claimed that those kinds of altercations only happen once in decades. Despite this, Tyson acknowledged that the altercation at the 2022 Academy Awards was not a real stand for anything and suggested that it might have been scripted.
Tyson gives his take on the infamous Will Smith-Chris Rock fiasco
According to the former champion, this incident was nothing more than ‘entertainment’. He then claimed that he was talking about someone who would take a real stand, after dismissing this altercation.
“That was entertainment. I’m talking about somebody with their neck up. Free the world, free Afghanistan, you know one of those guys,” he said.
While the altercation generated a lot of attention and speculation, with Rock even revealing his side of the story, it ultimately did not lead to any significant action or change.
Moreover, Tyson’s comments reflect a larger conversation about the role of award shows in promoting social and political causes.
While some argue that award shows are an important platform for raising awareness, others criticize them for being superficial and lacking in substance.