Home From Mike Tyson Conference/Meeting Him

Yesterday I wrote how I was going to meet Mike Tyson today, as I was covering a press conference about his involvement in Chinese boxing. The press conference was held at some offices here, and there weren't many people there at all, which was great, as it upped my chances of me meeting him. We are all waiting around, eating the lunch that was provided when Tyson comes strolling in looking for food.

I had somehow ended up standing near all the Chinese buisnessmen, so when Tyson went down the line shaking their hands he shook mine, lol. I felt dumb, but was obviously pumped to shake his hand.

Because the people at this press conference failed to realize he was vegan, he had to wait for someone to get him some pasta at a restaurant next door. While he was waiting, he was just sitting down talking to some reporters, so I asked him a few questions and also got a picture (new facebook picture here we come!) He was very nice. Someone said he'll only do the picture if he can punch me like in hangover. That was odd, because I had always wondered what it was like to be punched by Mike Tyson...there my one chance to actually have it happen, I said "naaahhh." We snapped the picture and off to the presser.

I won't speak too much on the presser. He is now an ambassador of boxing to China. He wasn't too sure of his role, but he was happy to be there, joking that he was most thankful that they were willing to pay him, lol.

At the end people were lining up to get there last photos and pictures in. I asked a couple people if they thought it was acceptable if I get an autograph. Both of them said sure. I had brought an old Tyson/Bruno picture I had on my wall since I was like 11 or 12 years old. I also brought a signed Peter McNeeley picture I have (for some reason). When I approached him to sign, he said "what are you a collector or something, you've got to pay me." I said, "I totally understand, you don't have to sign them (I really did understand) and I started walking away (wasn't sad, I expected it). However, I think he remembered talking to me earlier, and was like, come here man, I'll sign it. I was like, sweet, thanked him a ton.

Honestly, it was one of the better days of my life, I got to meet one of the most interesting figures in the history of sports, and I've been a long time fan through thick and thin. I stopped getting excited about meeting sports figures when I became a sports writer, but there was no way I was going to not put on my fan hat today. It probably wasn't very professional, but it didn't harm anyone, and I got to live a childhood dream as a 27 year old.

Thanks for reading

Cliffs - Met Mike Tyson, shook his hand, got a picture, signed stuff for me. Sweet day, very happy right now.

 

I will add these later when my wife gets home. We just got a new digital camera and I am really so dumb I can't figure out how to get them on to the computer and on to here. Also, I have to actually write a story about the presser, unfortunately.

I will take directions on how to upload pictures to eastside though...Thanks!

 

Haha, no idea...Stuff of his online seems to go for a few hundred dollars, depending on what he signed. I wasn't going to bother him though if he didn't want to sign it though, I totally understood where he was coming from.

 

On His height...I will say it once and leave it at that, lol. I am 6 ft 1, he was every bit as tall as me, maybe just a TINY bit shorter. He was wearing sneakers. He is thick as ****, and I can see how he competed with bigger guys now that I've seen him in person.

On questions I asked...during the presser I asked if he would provide any commentary, as he is obviously a student of the game...he said he didn't know, but Sterling McPherson (nice guy too, btw) said that is something they are working on, but they aren't sure yet.

 

No, he wasn't joking at all. I probably looked like some guy that popped up with two photos asking for an autograph. However, I think it clicked we had talked for 3-4 minutes before the presser, so he said sure.