Podcast Listening Challenge Week 14: Hotboxing With Mike Tyson
This week I picked this podcast by the legend that is Iron Mike Tyson. The man needs no introduction because his boxing career is well documented. I had seen some clips floating around and I knew I would give it a listen one day because Tyson is a legend in boxing and in life. Podcasting is a completely different medium for Mike Tyson because he was never known for his words, although he has done some one man shows in the past. But one thing about Mike is that his voice is unique and you won’t forget him.
The podcast is another interview based podcast and that obviously influences the popularity of the pod. But its a tad different when the host is considered “the baddest man on the planet” and he has been a fixture in celebrity culture since he became the youngest heavyweight champion at the age of 21. Mike Tyson was so popular in his hey day that boxing became such a mainstream sport. We all wanted to see how long his opposition would last in the ring.
The podcast is hosted by Tyson and his co-host Eben Britton who is a former NFL player. I actually thought he came from a media background on my 1st listen.
The list of guests that have been on this podcast is vast and it runs super deep. Mike has had sooo many guests and it makes for a rich library of interviews that one can listen to at a later stage. Everybody wants to talk to Mike so its no surprise. I picked the episode with Sugar Ray Leonard so I could go deeper into his storied boxing career. I became further acquainted with him after watching the “No Mas” ESPN 30 for 30. This documentary focused on his memorable rivalry with Alberto Durand.
From the jump this podcast is different from what I expected. The whole atmosphere is very mellow and relaxed and so chilled. I was jogging whilst listening and I felt a sense of calm throughout my being. They may have smoked a blunt before recording (hence the name) but irregardless, I loved it. Without knowing Eben I liked him because he sounds like the media pro who is there to ensure that the show and the conversation doesn’t lose focus. He is the cohesive gel to Mikes cavalier attitude that keeps you plugged in.
There is a moment in the episode where Tyson starts telling a story and then he starts crying as he delves deeper into it. He is not the one being interviewed but he gets so intense and he speaks so powerfully and from the heart that you don’t want him to stop. I was only a listener, but I felt every single word that he spoke as if I was in that room. That is the beauty of Mike, the passion he brings to this podcast is similar to what he brought to the ring. Its raw, unfiltered and extremely powerful.
Mike gives Sugar Ray his flowers and thanks him for inspiring him to become the great boxer that he is. This is Mike talking to one of his idols and it makes for a beautiful conversation. Sugar Ray tells of his difficult life and the rape that he suffered, as well as his drug use. These are things that made up parts of his life and storied career. He also touches on the Durand fight, retirement and the infamous rematch. The drug use is something that Tyson can relate to as well.
This is a good podcast and i’m really glad they didn’t allow Mike to do it alone. It just makes the final product that much better. Mike tells his own stories once in a while and they are beautiful to listen to. Very few if any podcasts can go from mellow to intense in an instant. Mike did his one man shows that were very successful some years back and I feel like this podcast is an extension of this but with more freedom to be free. The only concern was that the episode was just over an hour especially given how long a life and career that Sugar Ray has had. I would have expected more than two hours because I know he has more gems on life and boxing to give, but alas that is my own preference.
Till next week’s Pod, you can read about last week’s Pod:
