Former heavyweight king Mike Tyson is to open a 40-acre cannabis ranch in Death Valley, reports say. Tyson, for years a strong believer in the many benefits marijuana can have on a person’s well being, is set to embark on his latest venture due to how cannabis has been legalised for personal use in California.
Work on the sprawling ranch has already begun and Tyson’s new place will be able to accommodate staying guests. Tyson is nothing if not creative. Since the turbulent final years of his unmissable ring career, Tyson has reinvented himself as a raconteur – his one-man “Undisputed Truth” show proving a smash hit – author, actor and even inspirational figure.
Now, the 51 year old living legend looks set to become a hugely popular figure in the legalised drugs fraternity. At first glance, upon reading of Tyson’s latest move, it’s tempting to think the whole thing is a joke. Instead, the one-time “Baddest Man on The Planet” is asserting his belief and faith in the almost magical properties of cannabis.
Recently, 86 year old Bob Arum put his long and healthy life down, at least in part, to his regular and discreet smoking of marijuana. Now Tyson, another proponent of the drug, is displaying his belief in how consumption of the herb, on a moderate level, can definitely be a good thing.
It will be interesting to see how Tyson’s ranch goes down with fans and all other American people. There was a time when Tyson’s critics, and even his fans, felt the youngest ever world heavyweight ruler would struggle mightily to find something, anything to do once his boxing career was at an end. Tyson has had his problems, yes, but he has, once again, proven to be a far more resilient and creative human being than any of us thought he was.
So, is Tyson taking another risk, one that could seriously affect his reputation (a dumb question perhaps!) Or is “Iron Mike” set to pick up even more fans as a result of this, one hugely unexpectedly bold move?
Maybe, in time, Tyson will have more than enough material to be able to pen another autobiography. Tyson sure has lived some fascinating life already!
Interestingly, this month (the 22nd) marks the 30th anniversary of Tyson’s brutal KO win over the great Larry Holmes; the one win Tyson speaks most highly of himself today. Nobody else ever managed to flatten Holmes – not even monster punchers like Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney and Ray Mercer amongst others.
These days, Larry and Mike are pretty chummy. Yet another unexpected twist in the still very much ongoing Tyson story.