Posts : 6723 Join date : 2009-08-11 Age : 58 Location : Wet Beaver Creek
Subject: Manager Tries To Pull Plug On Tyson Interview Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:33 am
Mike Tyson's tour manager tried to storm on to the Sky News set and halt a live TV interview when the former heavyweight boxing champion said he was becoming "irritated".
Sky's Dermot Murnaghan was quizzing Tyson about his life and times in an exclusive interview ahead of a four-stop tour in the UK.
All was going smoothly as they covered the former superstar's ascent to fame and fortune after being crowned the world's youngest ever heavyweight champion at the age of 20 in 1986.
But when the interview turned to his spectacular fall from grace, which saw him jailed for rape and bite a chunk out of fellow heavyweight Evander Holyfield's ear during a comeback fight, things took an ominous turn.
Murnaghan reminded him of the reputation he had then as the baddest fighter in the world, and the fact he had said he wanted to punch an opponent's nose into his brain.
"I want to see how much you've changed, and whether you're a different person," Murnaghan said.
"I don't know if I'm a different person. Change comes in time," Tyson replied.
"You're starting to irritate me now... I guess I did change because I'm not assailing you!"
At that point, Jimmy Clyne, who has organised Tyson's tour of the UK, stormed out of a nearby room and up to the set, where he was headed off by Sky News sports editor Lee Wellings.
"I had to put my hand on his shoulder and tell him 'It's fine, Dermot will keep things under control'," Wellings said.
"He came back to the green room and watched the rest of the interview with a face like thunder."
After Tyson had left the building, Murnaghan said that he had been unaware of anyone about to come on to the set - but admitted that he had wondered how the interview might end.
"He did say I was irritating him, and when you're told that by a man sitting three feet away who once said he wanted to eat his opponents' hearts and drive their bones into their brain, it's scary," he said.
During the chat Tyson dismissed newspaper reports that he may be planning a comeback, saying that at 43 he was too old and out of shape.
Afterwards he set off on the tour which will take in Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Belfast and Maldon in Essex.
He will be speaking to fans about his life and offering the chance to meet him in person.
While in Wales, he will visit the grave of Johnny Owen.
The Merthyr Matchstick was one of Tyson's favourite boxers and he was by the ring when Owen was fatally injured during a fight in 1980.