Boxing icon Mike Tyson has a history that’s as explosive as his punches, and every bit as compelling. His appearance on Joe Budden TV’s YouTube channel unveiled a curious chapter from his early boxing days, one filled with surprising twists and unexpected turns. Imagine being a teenager, finding your calling in the form of boxing, and then breaking the nose of your mentor during training. That’s exactly what happened to Tyson, and the incident nearly derailed his relationship with his first trainer, “Irish” Bobby Stewart.
Even more surprising, it wasn’t the pain or the potential danger that caused the rift, but an unexpected source of contention: Stewart’s wife. Herein lies a tale that stitches together ambition, accidental injuries, and a wife’s plea, all contributing to the shaping of one of the greatest boxing champions in history.
A broken nose and a Wife’s Intervention: Tyson’s tumultuous start in Boxing
Diving into the crux of the story, Tyson opened up about his initial training days with Irish Bobby Stewart, a former professional boxer. This was a time in Tyson’s life when he was rough around the edges, a young man in a juvenile detention center finding solace and a sense of direction in boxing.
During his conversation with Joe Budden, Tyson recalled, “Irish Bobby Stewart, he was a professional boxer and he started teaching me how to box. Once I started getting my diploma from school and stopped fighting in a complex and started teaching me how to fight, on one occasion a couple of months after he taught me I accidentally broke his nose.”
The aftermath of the incident seemed to be something that weighed heavily on Tyson. He continued, “I was mad thinking that he didn’t want to work with me no more, he was mad because his wife said ‘I don’t want you boxing him no more’.”
Cus D’Amato: The guiding force behind Iron Mike
Rather than the end of his boxing journey, this proved to be a significant turning point. Stewart responded to the circumstances by introducing Tyson to someone who would become a key figure in his boxing career: Cus D’Amato. As Tyson explained, “So he took me to this other which would be my mentor then Cus D’Amato he took me totally to another different level.”
Joe Budden responded with an intrigued query, “Irish Bobby took you straight to Cus?” To which Tyson confirmed, “Absolutely.”
This captivating conversation offers a deep dive into Tyson’s initial journey into the world of boxing and how an unfortunate incident ended up setting him on the path to becoming one of the greatest heavyweight champions in history.