Stories

Mike Tyson clearly didn't hear the first bell when he arrived in Wolverhampton. Or the second, or the third.

It was the end of the fourth (hour) of waiting for fans when the former undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion finally took to the stage of the town's civic hall at 23:00 GMT (by then, early evening for the New Yorker).

Tyson on his way to defeating Ruddock

Rambling former boxers, a tribute act and two overly-long auctions of boxing memorabilia meant the build-up to Tyson had more padding than one of his old heavy bags.

But, for many of those in attendance, seeing the man in the flesh in an unlikely setting was enough.

Tyson appeared hyper and nervous on stage and interrupted his jumbled opening speech about his life by asking the compere: "Can I have a napkin, please, I'm perspiring."

Family-sized tent

Not quite what you might expect from the self-proclaimed 'baddest man on the planet' - a convicted rapist with a rap sheet including offences for drugs, robbery and violence.

Tyson's Transit van-sized frame had been shoveled into an ill-fitting dark grey business suit that could've been pitched up as a family-sized tent for those who inevitably missed the last train home.

Tyson shows his love for Wolverhampton

He spent 45 minutes rambling, raging (and perspiring) about his early life before boxing, his respect for former trainer and mentor Cus D'Amato and how he'd made his peace with old foes Frank Bruno and Evander Holyfield.

"I went to Cus's house and I thought he was some weird old pervert," said Tyson, who admitted he couldn't understand why anyone would want to help him.

Surrogate father

"People on the street were out to get you. This was where I was at at this particular time.

"I was a street punk, I was a nobody; I didn't know what he was talking about when he talked about self esteem, but this guy gave me confidence.

"He was also a mean old guy and hard on me but also an amazing person.

"If he was around today I might have got my first compliment from him."

Fans queued for photos with Tyson

D'Amato became his trainer and surrogate father, and his death in 1985 is widely believed to have sent Tyson off the rails.

'Little slave'

"Me and my friend had a kiddy crack ring going but when they saw me fighting up there they told me to keep fighting and not to come back," the 43-year-old said.

"And boy we kicked a lot of ass together," he added, to further raucous cheers.

Rarely, though, did Tyson finish one of his stories as he bobbed and weaved between episodes of his life with the movement that saw him knock-out 44 opponents.

"I used to get bullied because I was fat," confessed Tyson.

"I'd been skipping school because this guy had been picking on me. This guy was making me his little slave.

Stream of consciousness

"We started robbing people's houses and I didn't realise the adrenalin rush from being inside someone's house - it was all open game.

Former boxing champion Alan Minter

"He'd take me to the shopping centre and bought me nice clothes but didn't give me a lot of money...".

Questions were asked but Tyson would go off on a tangent, recounting how he turned up for a school dance aged 11, dripping in sweat and covered in pigeon droppings because he "didn't know any better".

Then he would move from the bizarre to the personal - touching on the deaths of his mother and sister when he was young before explaining that his brother followed a different path in life.

Fearsome power

"Rodney's a brain surgeon! We're different kinds of people. I love my brother but he's not into my world."

Then he was talking about his love for his new wife and her time in prison for fraud, his own time spent in rehab and how he's a different person from the fighter adored by fans for his ring craft and fearsome power.

"Americans just don't get me that much," he said, to more approving cheers.

In the crowd - former boxer Chris Eubank

"I'm so happy to be with this British crowd.

"This Tyson stuff, this is just an entertainer, it's not me.

'Let's get nasty'

"My life as a fighter was all about me - you don't think about God, you think you're a god.

"I don't care if I was the best or not - I liked Larry Holmes. I don't have that ego no more."

Without warning Tyson then launched into his own chorus of 'Brun-o, Brun-o!' in homage to his fights with the British boxer, and prowled the stage before telling the shocked compere he wanted to talk to the audience direct.

"Let's get serious, let's get nasty, I want to answer your questions!"

Fan Muhammed Mayot

It didn't happen.

Fan's back

Tough questions about Tyson's conviction for rape were avoided (although one woman tried) with tamer offerings about Tyson's toughest fight (Holyfield and Razor Rudduck) and hardest punch (Ruddock again) chosen instead.

And there was still time for Tyson to sign a fan's back as he leapt on stage to show him his tattoos of the boxer before the show fizzled out.

Shop manager Muhammed Mayat, 23, was one of the fans who spent £300 for a VIP seat and got to meet the boxer backstage.

"I've got no parents myself and he's my idol," he said.

"He was from the gutter and he's been through a lot and I can identify with that.

Two brothers square up inside

Julius Francis

"I don't think he's 100 per cent but he's still a legend in my eyes."

Marcus Buckner, 34, saw Tyson's only fight in England in 2000 in Manchester when he knocked out Julius Francis in round two.

"I think he's got a lot of time for his fans and it was good to see him up close but that suit's way too big for him!

"When I shook his hand he looked old and big and out of shape - I think he must be enjoying the aftershow parties.

"Put it this way - there's no comeback!"