Mike Tyson quotes

Mike Tyson is an American former professional boxer and one of the sport's most iconic and controversial figures. Nicknamed "Iron Mike," he became the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. He remains known for his explosive power, turbulent personal life, and enduring popularity in popular culture. Here are 166 of his quotes:

I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds. (Mike Tyson)
When I fight someone, I want to break his will. I want to take his manhood. I want to rip out his heart and show it to him. View quote
Mike Tyson
Real freedom is having nothing. I was freer when I didn't have a cent. View quote
Mike Tyson
I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either. View quote
Mike Tyson
When you see me smash somebody's skull, you enjoy it. View quote
Mike Tyson
I have the same malice in my heart as far as the fight game is concerned, but outside the ring, I won't say anything a dignified man won't say. View quote
Mike Tyson
Some people try to get you out of slavery for you to be their slave. View quote
Mike Tyson
Everybody's got plans... until they get hit. View quote
Mike Tyson
When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff. View quote
Mike Tyson
It's good to know how to read, but it's dangerous to know how to read and not how to interpret what you're reading. View quote
Mike Tyson
My main objective is to be professional but to kill him Lennox Lewis. (Mike Tyson)
On Floyd Mayweather: "Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people, Greatness is being accepted by the people." View quote
Mike Tyson
On his childhood One morning I woke up and found my favorite pigeon, Julius, had died I was devastated and was gonna use his crate as my stickball bat to honor him. I left the crate on my stoop and went in to get something and I returned to see the sanitation man put the crate into the crusher. I rushed him and caught him flush on the temple with a titanic right hand he was out cold, convulsing on the floor like an infantile retard. View quote
Mike Tyson
When Jesus comes back, these crazy, greedy, capitalistic men are gonna kill him again. View quote
Mike Tyson
Everybody you fight is not your enemy and everybody who helps you is not your friend. View quote
Mike Tyson
I think the average person thinks I'm a nut and I deserve whatever happens to me. View quote
Mike Tyson
I could have knocked him Tyrell Biggs out in the third round but I wanted to do it slowly, so he would remember this night for a long time. View quote
Mike Tyson
I'm addicted to perfection. Problem with my life is I was always also addicted to chaos. Perfect chaos. View quote
Mike Tyson
My life's not tragic at all. How many guys do you know who are bankrupt and just bought a $3 million house and are getting ready to get $6 million more? View quote
Mike Tyson
I just don't have the desire no more, I don't have the stomach to do it no more. I don't even kill insects in my house. I just don't kill anything no more. I used to kill pigeons, rip their heads off, 'You dirty rat pigeon!' I don't even have the heart to kill an animal no more. I just changed my whole life in general. That probably could have changed the way I fight. View quote
Mike Tyson
In 2005: "Most of my fans are too sensitive. I'm a cruel and cold and hard person. I've been abused in every way you can imagine. Save your tears. I lost my sensitivity. You embarrass me when you cry." (Mike Tyson)
I like the hip writers: Fitzgerald, the guy who committed suicide, Hemingway, all those guys. Some of them were alcoholics and drug addicts but they had fun. They were real people. They formed the culture of American literature. Hemingway admired Tolstoy, Tolstoy admired Pushkin, and Mailer admired Hemingway. It all flows down. The greats are all connected. One day I'm gonna write a book myself. The first chapter will be about what a rough deal my momma got. She believed in you guys and your society. View quote
Mike Tyson
I probably have a 20,000-word vocabulary. I'll match my wits with anyone on literature, science and the arts. View quote
Mike Tyson
One minute I'm robbing a dope house. Next minute I'm the youngest heavyweight champion of the world. I'm only 20, 19, with a lot of money. Who am I? What am I? I don't even know who I am. I'm just a dumb child who's being abused and robbed by lawyers. I'm just a dumb pugnacious fool. I'm just a fool who thinks he's someone. Then you tell me I should be responsible. View quote
Mike Tyson
One of my friends once saw another guy's (criminal) record and said, 'Look, this guy is a born troublemaker, just a loser.' I had to tell him, 'No, that's my record - and it doesn't include my juvenile history. View quote
Mike Tyson