Mike - First Season

- Sorry, Mike. - You gotta fight back, baby.

- Fight back! - Settle down.

I know, he's a bum, champ.

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.

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

Mike! Over here, Mike.

How does it feel to be out of prison?

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.

Monica Turner.

She was a beautiful woman inside and out.

You didn't wanna 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.

20.

The youngest ever.

You know, I, um...

...I like the way you think.

We should get outta here.

Talk in private.

As flattering as that sounds,

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

Then what type are you?

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

Nothing else.

Oh, she saw right through all my bullshit.

I liked her already.

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

We kept in touch.

Mike?

What are you doing?

Got your letter.

Nice photo.

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.

Mike, no. I am studying.

Can I have a kiss at least?

Just one.

No tongue.

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.

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 just wanna 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.

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 done 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.

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 could just say it's an advance-

on the McNeeley fight.

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.

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.

Here we go, champ!

I needed help, and I needed it fast.

What is this?

A funeral?

Wake the fuck...

Steven "Crocodile" Finch.

- He was my spark. - Up!

You don't fall asleep-

when the Crocodile around, baby,

because I'm a bite all day long!

Mike, you an icon...

See, now, that's a fucking hype man.

I needed someone from the street-

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

Let me see it!

Icon and a phenom!

Loved by few, hated by many,

but respected by all!

Time to put on a show!

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.

But now, I just didn't know...

...until I saw his face.

He couldn't even look at me.

I knew I had him.

They threw in the towel!

You're back, baby! You're back!

It's all over in the first round!

But I wasn't back. Not yet.

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

till I got that title back.

Mike, Mike, after paying top dollar,

- people were disappointed when the McNeely fight-

didn't last past the opening bell.

I let you hit 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.

Aww.

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 for Rayna.

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