Original subtitles

(crowd clamoring)

(match bell clangs)

- Sorry, Mike. - You got to fight back, baby.

- Fight back! - MIKE: I popped him.

I know, he's a bum, champ.

MIKE: No fighter in the history of boxing

ever got back on top after three years away.

What made everyone think that I'd be the one?

"He must be an animal. Mike the fucking cannibal."

I know this is what you're here for, right?

The ear bite heard round the world.

So why'd I do it?

What was going through my fucking head?

My first press conference after prison,

I was fucking terrified to face you.

Good afternoon.

I'd like to make a st--um...

Uh, excuse me.

I'd like to make a statement about my future.

There's been a lot of speculation about my plans.

Here they are.

I will fight again.

I look forward to seeing you all very soon.

May Allah bless you all.

(rising chatter)

REPORTER: How does it feel to be a free man, Mike?

REPORTER: Mike! Over here, Mike.

REPORTER: How does it feel to be out of prison?

REPORTER: Mike! Mike!

Listen, Mike, if you want to delay this,

take some time for yourself, you can.

You are in charge.

Not Don. Not the press. Not me.

You are.

MIKE: Monica Turner.

She was a beautiful woman inside and out.

You didn't want to fuck with her.

She was a tough cookie, always was,

from the first time I met her.

Mm. The data is clear.

You have to acknowledge this is a legitimate crisis.

Urban kids are severely undereducated,

which perpetuates the cycle.

You know?

Well, in my experience...

the education system would rather incarcerate

than educate young Black kids.

At least you got out.

Not everyone can become world champion at 22.

(Elmore James' "No Love in My Heart")

20.

The youngest ever.

You know, I, um...

I like the way you think.

We should get out of here.

Talk in private.

As flattering as that sounds,

I'm not the type to throw themselves at boxers.

Then what type are you?

ELMORE: ♪ I'm gonna get me another woman ♪

I'm the type that only cares about becoming a doctor.

ELMORE: ♪ Oh, no love ♪

Nothing else.

♪ ♪

MIKE: Oh, she saw right through all my bullshit.

I liked her already.

Took a little longer to get her to like me, though.

-(phone rings) - We kept in touch.

♪ ♪

Mike?

♪ ♪

What are you doing?

Got your letter. Nice photo.

I-I wasn't sure if--

I didn't hear back, so I thought--

I'm calling now.

Well, so how are you doing with everything?

You know, I've been reading up about the upcoming trial.

I don't know how you keep that smile on your face.

It's all I got.

They don't care whether I did it or not.

They just want to lock me up and throw away the key.

Yeah, the system has a way of doing that to Black men.

Is there anything I can do?

You can open up and let me inside so we can hang out.

(chuckles)

Mike, no. I am studying.

Can I have a kiss at least?

♪ ♪

ELMORE: ♪ Oh, bye ♪

♪ Bye, bye ♪

Just one.

No tongue.

ELMORE: ♪ Oh, bye ♪

MIKE: It was just one kiss.

But I shit you not, after that, she visited me,

like, every two weeks while I was in jail.

So, yeah, we fell in love. She was my tigress.

You think tigers get depressed?

I do.

Especially ones that are locked up in a cage.

(chuckles)

I feel like a tiger.

I know.

And we both know who's making you feel that way.

But what do you want, Mike?

Hmm?

I want to have the peace I had when I was inside.

You said you wanted to fire Don.

Yeah.

He doesn't give a damn about you.

The only way he stays up is by keeping you down.

He's using you, Mike.

And he's always gonna use you.

(percussive music)

MIKE: In prison, I became a new man,

but Don was still the slimy fuck he'd always been.

Iron Mike, the man.

We got over 200 journalists coming in tomorrow

from all over the world.

I'm not doing the fucking press conference, Don.

Okay, no problem. We can reschedule.

No, I'm not doing it with you. We're fucking done.

Mike, you can't just come in here

and drop something like that without talking about it.

We got contracts.

Don't do to me what these white devils

do to me all the time, Mike.

We on the same side.

You're on your own fucking side, Don.

-(growls) - DON: Okay.

You the boss, you can fire me now.

- Yeah. - Or...

You can take these two briefcases with you,

and we'll just call it a day.

You can just say it's an advance on the McNeeley fight.

♪ ♪

MIKE: Don knew I thought I was a piece of shit.

Money said I was worth something.

Fuck it. It's $2 million.

It's stupendously staggering.

Three billion people--

India, Indonesia, the Soviet Union,

Ireland, all the little leprechauns

dancing in the field--

are all here to witness Mike Tyson

and his return after three years

against "Hurricane" Peter McNeeley.

There he is, our future, our future.

"Iron" Mike Tyson.

"Iron" Mike Tyson.

The true champion, after three years,

ready to take on the world.

He ain't playing no games.

MIKE: The problem was, I was ready to take the money,

but I sure as shit wasn't ready for the first fight.

My timing was shit.

I was off-balance and paranoid as fuck.

Stop. Come on, champ.

You're better than this. Let's go. Reset.

Mike look like he's still on that fucking lithium.

CROCODILE: Here we go, champ!

MIKE: I needed help, and I needed it fast.

(screaming) What is this?

A funeral?

Wake the fuck...

MIKE: Steven "Crocodile" Finch.

- He was my spark. - Up!

You don't fall asleep when the Crocodile around, baby,

because I'ma bite all day long!

Mike, you an icon...

MIKE: See, now, that's the fucking hype man.

I needed someone from the street

to remind me who I am-- who I was.

CROCODILE: Let me see it!

Icon and a phenom!

(grunting)

(both scream)

Loved by few, hated by many,

but respected by all!

Time to put on a show!

MIKE: It was my first fight out of prison,

and my heart was beating out of my chest.

I used to knock these fucks out in ten seconds.

I was invincible.

I was a monster.

Now I just didn't know...

until I saw his face.

He couldn't even look at me.

I knew I had him.

ANNOUNCER: They threw in the towel!

CROCODILE: You're back, baby! You're back!

ANNOUNCER: It's all over in the first round!

I wasn't back, not yet.

(upbeat hip-hop music)

Y'all wasn't gonna let me feel like me

till I got that title back.

REPORTER: Mike, Mike, after paying top dollar,

people were disappointed when the McNeely fight

didn't last past the opening bell.

(both grunting)

(match bell clangs)

Waited till the third round this time.

You happy?

I was winning, making money.

I was trying to let Monica love me,

and I was trying to let myself love her.

- AUDIENCE: Aw. -(applause)

Monica and I had this beautiful baby girl,

Rayna Tyson.

I already had my firstborn,

Mikey Lorna, with a woman from New York.

They used to visit me in prison.

But now I had a chance to be a more present father to Rayna.

I wanted to be a hero for both of my girls.

I told myself I had to keep winning no matter what.

(match bell clangs)

(both grunting)

(triumphant music)

ANNOUNCER: Frantic pace.

(cheers and applause)

♪ ♪

Got the WBC belt back.

Check.

(both grunting)

(crowd cheers and jeers)

I won the WBA Heavyweight title.

Check.

I won two belts and earned $80 million.

I was a world champion again

in a house with a moat next to Wayne Newton

and a fucking tiger.

But all those goodies didn't do shit,

'cause I hated Mike Tyson, and I kept telling myself

I didn't give a fuck.

But I do.

Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with me?

(Pop Smoke's "Got It on Me")

I had a future, but I didn't think I deserved it.

I didn't deserve a mansion.

I should've been getting ready for my first Holyfield fight,

getting ready to destroy him.

Instead, I wanted to blow all this shit up.

SINGER: ♪ Look ♪

Give me the bag.

SINGER: ♪ Have mercy on my soul ♪

♪ Don't let my heart turn cold ♪

♪ Have mercy on me, have mercy on my soul ♪

♪ Don't let my heart turn cold ♪

♪ Have mercy on, many men ♪

♪ Many, many, many, many men ♪

♪ Wish death 'pon me ♪

♪ Yeah, I don't cry no more ♪

♪ I don't look to the sky no more ♪

-(radio crackles) - MONICA: Mike.

(indistinct chatter on TV)

Mike, I need you to come down.

You promised you'd keep yourself in check.

SINGER: ♪ Have mercy on my soul ♪

- Hey-- - MONICA: Mike.

SINGER: ♪ Have mercy on me, have mercy on my soul ♪

Shit. Fuck.

This is bullshit. This is bullshit.

Fucking fuck!

(muttering, sobbing)

Mike, get your ass down here, now.

Shut the fuck up!

SINGER: ♪ 'Cause I got it on me ♪

♪ I got it on me ♪

MIKE: I wish I can go back and say I'm sorry.

I wish I could've treated her better.

I wish I knew how to love somebody.

SINGER: ♪ Have mercy on, many men ♪

♪ Many, many, many, many men ♪

♪ Wish death 'pon me, yeah, I don't cry no more ♪

MIKE: Tennessee Williams wrote something like,

"We're all living in a house on fire,

"and we're looking out the window

"while the fire burns it all down

with us trapped in it."

I guess my house is burning.

-(match bell clangs) - SINGER: ♪ Have mercy on me ♪

♪ Have mercy on my soul ♪

♪ Don't let my heart turn cold ♪

MIKE: You know, people forget

that there were two Holyfield fights.

Everyone wanted to see murderous Iron Mike again.

Why did I bite him? (laughs)

Not yet.

(groggily) What round did I knock him out in?

CROCODILE: You don't remember what happened?

I think I started off good, but after the second round,

I kind of blacked out.

He caught you with his head, Mike.

They cheated us.

I lost the title?

Yeah, Mike.

(somber violin music)

MIKE: Holyfield didn't beat me. I beat myself.

Yeah, I was fucked up back then...

and a little angry.

REPORTER: (over TV) You take into the ring a lot of rage.

Does it work for you or against you?

Who cares? We're in a fight anyway.

What's it matter?

REPORTER: Well, for example,

it worked against you in the Holyfield fight.

Well, fuck it. It's a fight.

Whatever happens happens.

REPORTER: Mike, why do you have to talk like that?

I'm talking the way I want to talk to you.

You got a problem, you can turn off your station.

REPORTER: You know what?

I think we'll end this discussion right now.

Good, asshole.

REPORTER: Yeah, real nice, Mike.

Fuck off.

Coke-fueled self-hatred

doesn't really work as well in the ring

or at home.

Get the fuck off me! Get the fuck out of here!

- Mike! Mike! -(screams)

- Mike, wake up! Wake up! -(whimpering)

What the fuck is wrong with you?

(incomprehensible muttering)

Calm down, Mike. There's nobody there.

Jesus!

You have got to stop

with the drugs and the partying, Mike.

- You're fucking losing it. -(crying)

Nobody is trying to stab you,

but I can't keep living like this, okay?

-(baby cries in the distance) - Oh, shit.

Rayna's up.

You have got to get your shit together.

(baby crying in the distance)

(panting)

(baby coos)

Are you okay?

Oh, I sincerely doubt it.

(baby cooing)

I'm pregnant.

MIKE: Really?

(chuckles)

It's hard enough having to navigate work

and try to be a good parent.

But now we're gonna have another one.

Let's get hitched.

- What? - Let's get hitched.

No. No. You're missing the point.

We're having two babies together--

I didn't tell you this so you'd marry me.

I'll make an honest woman out of you.

I don't need you to make me honest.

I need you to be more present in our lives.

Come on, baby. I love you.

I love you.

If I say yes...

will you commit to us?

- Yeah. - To me?

- Yeah. - Really commit.

Marry me.

Please.

(both chuckle)

SIDDIQ: Before Allah,

are you ready to pledge yourselves to one another?

BOTH: Inshallah.

In accordance with Islamic law and Allah's will,

I pronounce you husband and wife.

(cheers and applause)

MIKE: So she got to marry me...

(upbeat music)

And my demons.

♪ ♪

Speaking of demons,

he was the one vice I couldn't quit.

Congratulations on a soaring, spectacular achievement of love.

(laughs)

- I hope it goes the distance. - Me too.

(chuckling)

I just wanted to let you know that the deal closed.

Holyfield verse Tyson II.

I thought you wanted to do this right away?

I thought we agreed to take some time off,

see how things shake out.

Mike, this isn't just a fight for some belt.

This is a must-win for your legacy.

You never had a chance to meet a fighter

for the second time that beat you.

Douglas turned out to be a joke,

and Holyfield headbutted you till you blacked out.

You want history to remember you that way?

You're getting up in age.

And the spotlight at some point goes dark on everyone.

I want what's best for you.

(chuckles)

You got a new, beautiful wife and kids.

Beat Holyfield.

This is a $30 million guaranteed payday.

♪ ♪

I don't know how many of those you got left.

Go out Heavyweight Champion of the World, son.

Otherwise, what are you?

♪ ♪

(chuckles)

MIKE: I had two fucking months.

I had just gotten clean.

I had the shakes.

I was out of shape.

But fuck...

it was $30 million.

(exciting electronic music)

MIKE: So here it is-- what you paid your money for.

97 countries tuned in to watch the fight.

I didn't even know there were 97 countries.

18,000 people in the stands. Millions paid to watch it.

ANNOUNCER: The waiting is over.

The talking is done. The rematch is here.

Look at the look on Tyson's face

as he goes eye to eye with Holyfield.

The sense of anticipation, as before the first fight,

is almost palpable.

MIKE: Don said this is my legacy,

and I was not about to let this fucker take it from me.

It's now or never.

-(match bell clangs) - ANNOUNCER: Here we go!

Fight two, round one.

A ferocious Mike Tyson bobbing and weaving.

-(impact thumping) -(muffled cheering)

MIKE: That motherfucker headbutted me.

ANNOUNCER: What a first round.

MIKE: And he fucking did it again.

ANNOUNCER: Looks over to the referee.

Has a cut around the right eye of Mike Tyson

from a clash of heads, I believe.

That's a time-out. That's a butt.

- What the fuck? - It's a butt.

MIKE: There was no way I was gonna let this motherfucker

take me out like that again. I wasn't gonna lose.

He wants to fight dirty? We gonna fight fucking dirty.

(match bell clangs)

There it is again. Motherfucker.

(crowd exclaiming)

ANNOUNCER: Tyson is biting Holyfield in the ear!

Oh, my goodness! He's got a bloody right ear.

- Holyfield--Look out! - Back to your corner.

He's pushed right here above us.

- Mike Tyson. -(crowd chanting "Tyson!")

Listen, they're yelling "Tyson."

- REFEREE: You bit his ear. - He butted!

Bullshit. I'm taking two points.

- ANNOUNCER: Listen. -(chanting continues)

Holyfield bit by a dirty Mike Tyson.

(muffled, distorted audio)

MIKE: In that moment, I believed he was headbutting me

on purpose.

In the first fight, the refs called headbutting accidental.

Bull-fucking-shit.

Can you walk us through your mindset?

Listen, he butted me in the first round,

and he butted me in the second round.

No one warned him. No one took any points away.

This is my career. What am I supposed to do?

I got kids to raise.

He's butting me. I had to retaliate.

When you bit him, was that a retaliation for the eye?

Regardless of what I did, he was butting me for two fights.

But you got to address it, Mike.

I did address it! I addressed it in the ring.

Why'd you do that, though, Mike?

Look at me. I got one eye.

He got two ears. Look at me. How am I--

REPORTER: What are you gonna do now

in terms of your career, Mike?

The thing I was worried about most was that my kids

were gonna be scared of me.

(somber music)

♪ ♪

I don't know why I did that.

You probably think I'm a monster.

♪ ♪

No.

♪ ♪

Do you want to tell me what happened?

I'm a mess, baby.

I don't know why I do the things I do,

even with you.

I hurt you, and I know I'm doing it, and I still do it.

I know.

(somber blues music)

I love you,

but I know.

♪ ♪

MIKE: Monica really did love me,

but I felt like I didn't deserve her love,

so I pushed her away.

All this time, I convinced myself

that everyone was out to hurt me.

But that wasn't what I should've been worried about.

I didn't know how to change it. So why did I do it?

Maybe that's who I really am.

Maybe I was just showing the worst side of me.

Maybe I was reacting to what Holyfield was doing to me.

Or maybe I was just putting on a show.

Or maybe I was just trying to kill that demon

once and for all.

Maybe I was just trying to fix it

so Mike Tyson would disappear.

'Cause the truth is, by 2003, I hated Mike Tyson so much...

I didn't want to see his fucking face no more.

(needle buzzing)

SINGER: ♪ On mountains and rivers ♪

♪ Of crimson black ♪

♪ And brown ♪

♪ ♪

♪ White satin dresses ♪

♪ White golden pearls ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Bright shiny diamonds ♪

♪ On debutante girls ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Meanwhile, in the cities ♪

♪ The blues are crushing down ♪

♪ On bruised, broken bodies ♪

Captioned by Captionmax