Mike Tyson once said, “Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it like you love it.” We’re inclined to believe him since he still holds the record for being the youngest fighter to win a heavyweight title at age 20. Of course, there’s more to it than just simple hard work. No, Tyson’s life has been one hell of a rollercoaster ride. And if you think a rollercoaster life involves being bullied and having a harsh childhood, think again. We are talking about far more bizarre things like hypnosis and even trying psychedelic substances at age 11! Yes, you saw that right.

But did his eventual downfall come after experimenting with substances at a young age? Quite the contrary, actually, in Tyson’s own words. In an age where psychedelics research has gained prominence in the last 15 years—and discussions about the use of such substances in clinical therapy have become more mainstream—’Kid Dynamite’ has been open about his use of various psychedelics.

“Psychedelics is an enhancement more than a de-enhancement. It allows you to go in that realm of just comfortability, relaxedness, and preparation to reach your highest level. It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Tyson once while speaking to TMZ Sports. As for the hypnotism part, here is the story narrated by Joe Rogan in JRE #2278 with Chase Hughes—an expert in influence, persuasion, and human behavior. In the episode, Rogan talked about how Tyson’s coach and father figure, Cus D’Amato had a unique way of making Tyson invincible in his own mind.

Rogan narrated the story of how D’Amato used hypnosis on Tyson at only 13 years of age! His coach started using hypnotism on him and spoke to him about only concentrating on fighting as a task. Then Rogan continued, “So all the things like maybe I am not good enough, maybe I am not, maybe I am this, maybe I am that. Maybe I am a fraud. You don’t exist—it’s only the task. You’re gonna be the greatest heavyweight champion of all time. And if Cus didn’t die—I mean he had an unbelievable and spectacular career but you can tell the difference when Cus is gone—he doesn’t have that mentor anymore, he doesn’t have the leadership and eventually it all falls apart for him.”

Unfortunately, when Cus D’Amato passed away in 1985, Tyson was only 19 and that affected the young star immensely. His father figure was not around to see him become the youngest heavyweight champion to date. He opened up on his conversation with his mentor before the latter passed. Tyson said in an interview with All the Smoke Boxing, “I am not gonna fight no more if you die,’ he said ‘You better fight, if you don’t fight I’m gonna come back and haunt you.’” Tyson was also the pallbearer at his funeral and spoke about how he felt empty inside. His anchor and inspiration was gone.

Rogan mentioned the same in the podcast and said, “He wins the title when Cus had already been dead. But then defends the title—he was just unstoppable, he was so much better than everybody else. But slowly but surely up until the Buster Douglas fight, you see this deterioration of his discipline, and he sort of just resting on his laurels and fear.”

Tyson’s life was filled with personal struggles that saw him get in trouble on more than one occasion. Having survived all of that, including bankruptcy at one point, Mike Tyson found himself again with a renewed perspective and wisdom few fighters get to experience in their later stages. “Life’s only purpose is to prepare you for death,” ‘Iron’ Mike said while speaking to All the Smoke Boxing. 

From a spark, to a flame, to then fire—How Cus D’Amato influenced Mike Tyson’s life

D’Amato had once said, “A boy comes to me with a spark of interest. I feed the spark and it becomes a flame. I feed the flame and it becomes a fire. I feed the fire and it becomes a roaring blaze.” And that’s exactly what he envisioned for the young Mike Tyson before he passed on.

Tyson was from a troubled neighborhood growing up—a reckless teenager who was arrested several times for multiple violations. ‘Kid Dynamite’ was sent to a reform school, and that’s where his talent was noticed by boxing trainer Bobby Stewart, who introduced him to Cus D’Amato. The legendary late boxing trainer immediately recognized the potential of Tyson when he laid eyes on him.

From age 13 to 19, Tyson was bred into the monster he would eventually become. D’Amato helped him channel all that trauma, anger, and rage into an unstoppable force inside the squared circle. An 18-year-old boxing debutant who went on to claim 19 knockouts (18, if you don’t count the DQ that was overturned into a TKO win for Tyson), and then winning the WBC heavyweight title at age 20—the influence of Cus D’Amato was undeniable.

If only D’Amato told Tyson to take good care of his health, apart from motivating Tyson to keep fighting even after he was gone—perhaps ‘Kid Dynamite’ could have avoided many controversies that came as a result of the fire inside of him. D’Amato definitely stoked the flames but didn’t give him a fail-safe to extinguish the fire that would land him in trouble.

But we’re glad Mike Tyson is where he is today—having worked through so much adversity, and now finding his center with a wealth of wisdom as a result of his experiences. It doesn’t matter if he lost his last fight against Jake Paul—Mike Tyson has won in life, apart from winning all our hearts. What do you think of Cus D’Amato’s influence on Mike Tyson? Let us know in the comments down below.