There aren’t many athletes who have transcended their respective sports and become household names. Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods and Babe Ruth are some of the big ones that come to mind. But one of the most recognizable names in the history of sports is certainly Mike Tyson.
Mike Tyson: The Knockout is a new documentary series from ABC News that explores the life of the iconic heavyweight champion – from his childhood to his rise to fame and his fall from grace. This harrowing doc features interviews with actors, reporters, Tyson’s inner circle and, of course, Tyson himself.
In no way is it easy to make a documentary of this caliber. The amount of work that goes into telling these stories and producing such an excellent finished product cannot be overstated. However, when dealing with the stories about these all-time great athletes, there’s always a little bit of something extra that adds to their allure: the highlights.
Those who watched The Last Dance will likely admit to getting lost in the plethora of Michael Jordan highlights and simply enjoying the opportunity to watch the greatest basketball player of all-time. That is the exact same case with Mike Tyson: The Knockout as we get a chance to watch the single greatest knockout artist of all-time do his thing again and again and again. The story of Tyson’s life is fascinating and the storytelling is flawless, but it’s hard not to simply get lost in Tyson’s iconic knockouts.
On top of the highlights, another thing this documentary features (as so many in this genre do) is some incredible stories. Interviews with everyone from Tyson’s childhood neighbors to his managers bring up all kinds of tales. One that stands out comes from his chauffeur, who explains that he didn’t get to see any of the Michael Spinks fight because by the time he parked the car, Tyson was already opening the door and ready to go home after knocking his opponent out in just 91 seconds.
Aside from having those crutches to lean on, this documentary also stands strong on its own. There’s no question that Tyson has lived a very interesting and very troubled life. So rather than painting the champ in any specific kind of light, it presents the viewer with all of the information and allows them to form their opinion. As you’re watching, that opinion will likely flip multiple times as we get a look at all the good and the bad that has come up in Tyson’s story.
Mike Tyson: The Knockout also offers some very interesting interviews with a wide cast of characters. Some of these interviews were done just for this documentary while others are taken right from Tyson’s story, whether that be in the late 80s or 90s. The doc feels very comprehensive when it presents the first-hand story from Robin Givens in her infamous Barbara Walters interview as well as a present-day interview with actor Rosie Perez telling the story of the legendary athlete that was told by the media.
Mike Tyson: The Knockout is a very entertaining look at a story that is actually very heartbreaking. Tyson was a kid who grew up with nothing and was never taught right from wrong. After finding his calling in a boxing ring, his meteoric rise to fame became too much for him to handle. As is so often the case with these types of stories, the media and the public became infatuated with Tyson’s fall and it became a soap opera. It’s very interesting to see both sides of that dynamic and feel all of the emotions you can possibly get from a documentary.
Mike Tyson: The Knockout is absolutely worth a watch whether you’re a boxing fan or not. Tyson is absolutely a name that has transcended his sport and a larger-than-life personality. You can see his story unfold in this new two-part documentary when it airs on ABC. The first part will debut tonight (May 25) with the second part premiering next Tuesday (June 1). Both episodes will also be available on Hulu the next day.