Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Mike “Iron” Tyson, confessed to smoking marijuana before and after the exhibition match with Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center on Saturday. The 54-year-old bouted Jones but the 8-round match ended a draw as ruled by three judges who were former WBC champions.
During a chat with reporters after the match, Tyson agreed that he smoked marijuana before and immediately after the boxing match, adding that smoking joint has become a part of him, and he will smoke till his death. Although drug officials examined Tyson and Jones for performance-enhancing drugs before the match, they were not tested for marijuana because it was allegedly not on the list of banned substances.
Tyson who stopped fighting 15 years ago said he is used to smoking marijuana and is actually the founder of a marijuana company, Tyson Ranch. However, he disclosed that he quit using cocaine two and a half years ago.
“Listen, I can’t stop smoking,” he said. “I smoked during fights. I just have to smoke, I’m sorry. I’m a smoker. I smoke every day. I never stopped smoking. It’s just who I am. It has no effect on me from a negative standpoint. It’s just what I do and how I am and how I’m going to die. There’s no explanation. There’s no beginning, there’s no end.”
According to Forbes, Tyson earned about $685 million during his active boxing career, but he wasted much of it on flamboyant lifestyles. The fighter said he is not sure of the amount his exhibition match with Roy Jones produced, but that he is wiser now and would not be squandering his money ever again, ESPN reports.
“I’m here for a purpose,” he said. “I’m not here for my ego. My ego is taking the money, buying some planes, some nice houses packing up a bunch of chicks, and have some orgies and stuff. This is not who that is right now. That guy was just somebody that had to be, eventually, he was a platform to become me.”
If the opportunity ever comes, Tyson said he looks forward to fighting with Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder among other top heavyweight boxers.
Source: usatoday.com
