Tyson Thinks He Won’t Be Reinstated Ex-Champ Says He’s Embarrassed By His Actions In Fight With Holyfield

Mike Tyson believes he will not regain his boxing license, suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission because he bit Evander Holyfield twice during their heavyweight championship fight.

In an interview Monday night on ABC television, Tyson was asked by Alex Wallau whether he thought the commission would reinstate him next year.

“Truly, I think I’ll be banned for the rest of my life,” Tyson said.

Wallau asked the ex-champion why he believed that.

“I truly think everyone hates me,” he said. “I truly believe that. Because no one gets punished more than I am. But I understand. I’m a big boy and I believe big boys have big ordeals to be dealt with.”

Tyson was suspended by the commission following the Holyfield fight last June at Las Vegas. He can request reinstatement after one year.

Tyson said he believed people want him to beg for mercy.

“I’m not that way with anyone,” he said. “This is who I am and maybe sometimes it’s the insecurity. I want to be the defiant person. That’s part of my insecurity, but you know, it’s just who I am.”

Tyson said he feels “disgust, disdain and humiliation” when he watches tapes of the Holyfield fight.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said of the biting. “It was just striking out and totally hatred right there. I shouldn’t have done that because for that one moment, I just forgot he was a human being.

“It was extremeness. There was some serious stuff going on in my head. I just snapped. I was no longer playing under the rules. Any kind of functional thinking, any kind of rational thinking, that was totally out the window.”

Tyson wishes he knew why.

“It’s pretty embarrassing,” he said. “Once the boundaries were crossed, I had no more respect for the rules or principles of rules, and they were just … open game. I just totally lost it.”

Tyson said he has been in therapy since the Holyfield affair, trying to change some things about himself.

“It’s kind of scary to change and feel a little helpless in changing,” he said. “We’re working on it and hopefully it’ll turn out better. I don’t know why I’m afraid to change. I change in increments. It’s not going to happen overnight.

“I’m not a stable person. I’m pretty sporadic and spontaneous. I think change is necessary and I can tell you this thing is working. I know I have a problem. There’s no doubt about that.”