Mike Tyson talks about what it was like to be bullied (Video)

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson talked about his childhood bullying and how it influenced his violent tendencies.

Last week, GQ published an interview they had with Mike Tyson discussing his harrowing past. In it, Tyson discussed the psychological struggles of being bullied.

"“I was abused any way a human being could be abused as a kid. I’ve been bullied all the time; It had a profound effect on me as a child. I wish it didn’t but it’s had a real profound effect. I’m a really sensitive guy and — how can I explain this — from being bullied I can be really malevolent. I don’t even like to talk like that, but yeah. Being bullied, it’s like you can track a really disgusting terminal cancer within you. Something you never forget. You never forget it.”"

Tyson grew up in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn, was embroiled in crime at an early age and experienced the physical bullying before he came fully under the guardianship of boxing trainer Cus D’Amato at the age of 16.

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The interview with GQ comes just six months after Tyson revealed that he was sexually abused as a child by a stranger. In an interview on the Opie Radio Show on Sirius XM Radio, he talked about being molested as a seven year old by and older stranger, and even Tyson said was a one-time incident.

It is refreshing to see Tyson be so open and forthcoming with his childhood experiences. Tyson was vilified throughout his career as a thug and a villain. Many in the public saw his violence simply as a reflection of a dangerous personality, when in fact he struggled through his psychological problems under the scrutiny of the boxing media.

Hopefully this encourages other people to be more open with bullying. Sports has already seen more athletes be open about mental health issues, like New York Jest wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Since being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, Marshall has been both open about his past and willing to bring the issues to the public forum. Tyson also seems very willing to advocate for more visibility among athletes for psychological pain, and is willing to use his own experience to do so.

By opening up on his past, Tyson has completely changed the narrative of his career. He goes from being a villain to redeeming himself in the wake of his tragic childhood.

The full interview is available on iTunes now and will be on DVD May 12.

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