Mike Tyson says he "can't stop smoking" marijuana like he's addicted to it. The former heavyweight champion boxer acknowledged he hit a joint before his exhibition with Roy Jones Jr. at Staples Center in Los Angeles on November 28.
"I smoke during fights. I have to smoke. Sorry, I'm a smoker. I smoked every day, I never stopped smoking. It's just who I am. It has no effect on me from a negative standpoint. It's just what I do, who I am, and how I'll die. It's my lifestyle. I'll never be fat, cokehead Mike anymore."
The eight-round bout ended in a draw.
Tyson, who is 54, added:
"I like my pigeons, fancy clothes, but other than that I don't want anything else out of life. But, oh of course, my children and my wife. But also my pigeons, clothes and my joint."
Tyson Ranch cannabis products are available in California, where the company is based, and Nevada. The fighter's role in the cannabis community has been controversial due to his long rap sheet. Convicted of rape in Indiana in 1992, Tyson served three years in jail and another 60 days for violating his parole. From 1987-2007, he had repeated incidents and was charged with numerous assaults, including by his wives. In 1997, during a championship bout with Evander Holyfield, Tyson bit off a piece of his opponent's ear.
Some cannabis advocates believe Tyson is now reformed thanks to his obsessive use of marijuana.
