By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Mike Tyson to take bite out of Broadway
Placeholder Image

NEW YORK — Mike Tyson wants his next knockout to be on Broadway.

The former boxer announced Monday that he will team up with director Spike Lee to bring his one-man show, “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth,” to the Longacre Theatre for six nights only, July 31 to Aug. 5.

The show, a raw confessional on the highs and lows of the life of the retired heavyweight and tabloid target, will mark both Tyson’s and Lee’s debut on Broadway. It made its debut in April for a weeklong run at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I’m very vulnerable, and I’m just telling you who I am and where I’m from and how this happened,” Tyson said at a news conference at the Longacre, wearing white pants, a white shirt and a gray jacket.

Tyson, like Lee a Brooklyn native, became the youngest-ever heavyweight champion in 1986, when he won his title as a 20-year-old. His life since then has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, rape and drug use.

“It takes courage to get in the ring,” said Lee, who urges theatergoers to have an open mind when it comes to the work. “But it takes courage to get on the stage.”

Tyson, 46, said he was inspired to do a one-man show after watching Chazz Palminteri tell stories about growing up in his show “A Bronx Tale.” The boxer said: “I’m really just excited about this genre here.”

Sign up for our e-newsletters