Mike Tyson admits to using drug that was like | Boxing News

Boxing legend Mike Tyson has opened up about his use of fentanyl, a potent artificial opioid, during the Nineties to handle pain at the height of his illustrious profession. The 59-year-old is planning a return to the ring, having already taken on YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul last yr, and has announced an exhibition match against fellow great Floyd Mayweather.

Tyson’s life, both in and out of the ring, has been marked by controversy and wrestle. His battles have included alcohol, substance, and intercourse addictions, which he spoke brazenly about on a podcast with Katie Miller, where he admitted to using fentanyl – a highly effective artificial opioid sometimes prescribed for extreme pain management.

Tyson used the opioid to alleviate discomfort in his toe. “It was a painkiller, and I used to use it to patch up my toe,” he revealed. “It was like heroin – once it wears off and you take the Band-Aid off, you start withdrawing, throwing up, just like if you were on heroin.

“It was unlawful if it [was] caught in my bloodstream. It was a narcotic, my good friend told me. It was model new. I requested my good friend ‘Could I exploit this?’ No one had ever heard of it.”

Tyson also confessed that he was “on the verge of dying” at one point and aimed to turn his life around. “I would like to change my life,” Tyson told The Fight Network in 2020.

“I would like to live a different life now. I would like to live my sober life. I do not need to die. I’m on the verge of dying because I’m a vicious alcoholic.

“I haven’t drank or took drugs in six days, and for me that’s a miracle. I’ve been lying to everybody else who thinks I was sober, but I’m not. This is my sixth day. I’m never going to use again.”

Tyson is now getting ready to step into the ring with the undefeated, retired Mayweather.

Despite a six-weight-class distinction, the duo are set to conflict in an thrilling exhibition match, even following Tyson’s defeat to Paul last yr, which had to be rescheduled due to a medical emergency during a flight.

“This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen. However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets,” proclaimed Tyson, who is 11 years Mayweather’s senior.

“You already know that if I am going to do something, it’s going to be big and it’s going to be legendary,” bragged Mayweather.

“I’m the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want.”

This article first appeared on Mirror US.