Mike Tyson admits he believed he ‘was a demi-God’

Mike Tyson has admitted that he struggled to control his ego in the early stages of his hugely successful boxing career, admitting that he used to believe he was “a demi-God”.

Tyson, 53, is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of boxing.

He became the first heavyweight to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF belts and later became the lineal champion.

And, on his ‘Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson’ podcast with the rapper Eminem, Tyson said that his trainer and mentor Cus D’Amato had helped boost his ego and self-worth after a difficult start in life.

“He never told me I was a n*****, that I was never going to make it, and he always said I was superior to everybody,” Tyson said.

“He never put doubt in my mind that I was f----- up, even though I believed that. In my mind, I was a demi-God.”

Tyson has been in a reflective mood recently and last week concerned his fans by admitting that he is “looking forward” to his own death.

“From my experience, from what I believe, the more I know about not existing, the more willing I am to die,” he told The Sportsman.

“Yeah [I look forward to it], I don’t fear it. Living might be more complicated than dying to me... because living takes a lot of courage.

“Without the courage, you can’t handle living. Living is a journey; living is a struggle. People have everything and they still can’t do it, they struggle.

“We take ourselves too seriously; we think we’re somebody. Who the f***, we’re nothing! We come from s***; we think we’re special [but] fame is s***.

“You find out you’re not [special]. You’re capable of going to jail, you’re capable of dying, you’re capable of being mistreated.

“I don’t really expect bad things to happen to me, but when they do happen to me, I understand it and I’m able to handle it. I’ve handled bad stuff before, that’s been my life. I don’t trip over bad things, I know s*** happens. When bad things happen, I will be still striving to do something. I won’t be discouraged.”

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