Mike Tyson Doesn't Believe in Leaving a Legacy: 'Imma Die and It's Gonna Be Over'
Mike Tyson didn't mince words when he was recently asked how he views his life's legacy. In fact, the iconic "Iron Mike" said he doesn't think about his legacy at all, and he argued that at the end of his life, it's simply, "Imma die and it's gonna be over."
But that's not all he said — the famed boxer continued to underscore his fatalistic rationale by adding, "Who the f**k cares about me when I'm gone?" Needless to say, the interviewer asking the question seemed a bit taken aback.
The sober remarks from Tyson came amid a video interview that emerged this week as he prepares for his first professional fight since 2005. On Friday (Nov. 15), Tyson will enter the ring in Dallas in a match against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, a widely anticipated bout that will air live on Netflix.
But concerning Mike Tyson's legacy — or the the lack thereof, according to him — the influencer Jazlyn Guerra of Jazzy's World TV dared to pose that question to the quintessential prize fighter in a clip from Thursday (Nov. 14), with Jazzy asking Tyson what type of legacy he would like to leave behind when it's all said and done.
Read more: Mike Tyson Says He's Bringing the 'Devil' to Jake Paul Fight: 'My Intention Is to Hurt Him'
"I don't know, I don't believe in the word legacy — I just think that's another word for ego," Tyson responded. "That's just some word that everybody grabbed onto; now it's used every five seconds. It means absolutely nothing to me. I'm just passing through, Imma die and it's gonna be over."
The 58-year-old heavyweight continued, "Who cares about legacy after that? What a big [ego] — so, Imma die, I won't be able to think I'm this, I'm great — no, we're nothing, you're dead, we're dust. We're absolutely nothing. Our legacy is nothing."
He added, "Can you really imagine somebody say[ing], 'I want my legacy to be this way when I' — you're dead! You think someone really wants to think about you? 'I want people to think about me when I'm gone.' Who the f**k cares about me when I'm gone?" Watch the video below.