SOUTH AFRICA: BOXING - Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson visits South Africa to help a children's charity
Record ID:
455802
SOUTH AFRICA: BOXING - Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson visits South Africa to help a children's charity
- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: BOXING - Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson visits South Africa to help a children's charity
- Date: 30th January 2008
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKE TYSON, FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, GIVING ADVICE TO YOUNG PEOPLE, SAYING: "Just basically to work hard and dedicate themselves in the sacrifice and hopefully everything will go well. REPORTER ASKS IF HE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT OTHER PARTS OF AFRICA MIKE TYSON SAYING: "Yeah well I would love to...I would like to go where they are not having any war. I would like to go to Kenya, but right now, they are now having a civil war there. MORE OF THE MEDIA AND SPECTATORS
- Embargoed: 14th February 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: People,Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA84C6AKTLKJZBF0JG607KQA9UJ
- Story Text: Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson arrived in South Africa for the first time on Tuesday (January 29) ahead of the Fire and Brimstone charity boxing tournament this weekend in Johannesburg.
Tyson will also attend a banquet in aid of the charity on Wednesday at which Jacob Zuma, the controversial leader of South Africa's governing African National Congress, will be a keynote speaker. The banquet is intended to benefit several charities that help underprivileged children.
Asked at a news conference about his place in world history, how he would like to be remembered and who he thought was the greatest ever boxer, Tyson said it was up to the fans and sports analysts to rank him, he was happy just to be remembered -- and Muhammad Ali was undoubtedly the greatest ever boxer.
Tyson said he had lost a lot of his interest in boxing because it was no longer so exciting for him.
U.S.-born Tyson, who in 1986 became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title, has been in trouble with the law again since a rape conviction in 1992. He served three months in jail in 1999 for assaulting two people after a traffic accident. Last year, he pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence.
The boxer shocked the world and was banned from boxing for a year when he bit a chunk out of rival Evander Holyfield's ear during a 1997 title bout in Las Vegas. He has since retired from the sport. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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