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Mike Tyson Documentary Series In the Works from ABC

In 2020, 54-year old boxing legend Mike Tyson stepped back into the ring after a 15-year break to fight Roy Jones Junior. The fight ended in a draw, however. And that is not a result the 50-win fighter is accustomed to. But now, ABC has announced that it’s going to cover the whole of Tyson’s life, from childhood to the aging fighter’s setbacks and mistakes.

The docuseries is called “Mike Tyson: The Knockout.” And according to the network’s press release, the documentary series will be four hours long. It “will put viewers ringside for a main event that will chronicle the former champion’s climb, crash and comeback, from his difficult childhood to becoming undisputed world champion to his 1992 rape conviction and his personal struggles.”

It will reportedly feature interviews from major names in the sports world and people close to Tyson himself. The docuseries is set to premiere on Tuesday, May 25. The second half will air a week later, on June 1.

Each ‘Mike Tyson: The Knockout’ Episode Will Have a Different Focus

According to the press release from ABC, the first episode will start Tyson’s story from the beginning. He grew up a troubled kid in Brooklyn before boxing found him. The first two hours will include interviews with the former trainers and former opponents of “Iron Mike.”

The second episode will supposedly touch on some of the heavier stuff. For instance, Tyson was convicted of raping an 18-year old named Desiree Washington and served three years in prison for the crime. The episode will include interviews with both the defense attorney and the special prosecutor. With a few decades between the trial and now, they should have some interesting perspective on the case.

Of course, no Mike Tyson piece would be complete without mentioning his infamous fight with Evander Holyfield. It was dubbed the “Bite Fight” after Tyson bit through a piece of Holyfield’s ear. And the second episode will supposedly dive into the fiasco.

According to executive producer Geoffrey Fletcher, “In addition to being an inspiring story of the perseverance and hard-won growth of one extraordinary person, Mike Tyson’s life and career are also relevant to the important collective self-reflection finally occurring in America.”

Apparently, streaming service Hulu has a Mike Tyson biopic in the works as well. But Tyson was not too pleased when he found out, as they’re doing their version without his permission.

He took to Instagram back in February to voice his frustration.