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We're at the posh and swanky Hotel St. Regis in Mumbai. The Indian media is packed in like sardines as they await the arrival of K1L promoter Mohamedali Budhwani, AIMMAF President Aditya PS and two special international guests.
The first is His Royal Highness Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Prince of Abu Dhabi, an avid sports fanatic who's in the country to witness the launch of the historic Kumite 1 League where India goes one on one against UAE in the first ever country vs. country format MMA tournament in history.
The second is the arguably the greatest professional boxer of all time, 'Iron' Mike Tyson. The youngest boxer to win a heavyweight title is a man who's still as popular as he was when he was actively competing in the ring, judging from the way the press swarms into position to click his photograph.
Though we're informed that he's suffering from jet lag, Mike Tyson seems to be in great spirits as he fields questions from the media. I ask him about his involvement in an MMA league:
I'm a big fan of MMA. I go to UFC all the time. Dana White is a good friend of mine. So yes, I go to UFC all the time.
So would he have competed in Mixed Martial Arts had the opportunity presented itself when he still an active performer?
I don't know. They don't pay a lot of money in MMA. I'm all about the money. Boxing's where the money is.
The room erupts with laughter at that point. Despite all the ups and downs, Mike Tyson has experienced in his lifetime, it is clear that he has not lost his sense of humor. And the purpose of his visit to India is twofold. Not only is he in the country to promote the Kumite 1 League, he also plans on visiting the slums:
I want to go to the slums. I'm not here to party.
According to Aditya PS, Mike Tyson has relayed strict instructions about visiting the Dharavi Slums to the K1L promoters. Having come up the hard way through the slums, Tyson feels a special connection to the slums. And he also believes that the best fighters in the world have to come up through the slums:
I'm a slumdog. I grew up in the slums. But I have ambitions and I wanted to get out of the slums. There's nothing wrong with the slums. It's just that if you can work hard, you can get out of the slums. I still go back to my old neighbourhood, even though they call it the slums. I still go back there and meet my friends.
What else does Tyson hope to do during his time in India? Tyson says that he wishes to visit the Taj Mahal! The boxing legend is then asked why boxing doesn't capture the imagination of young fans, like his era did. Tyson has a unique take:
It's just different because they're not the same personalities. Most fighters now are very straightforward, really nice guys, great individuals. I was always in trouble. That's why I was always in the papers. These guys are straight individuals.
There is an excitement in the air as the media realizes that we're on the verge of something special, on the eve of the K1L. If you cannot make it to the Dome @ NSCI to catch all the action live, make sure to tune in on SONY SIX and SONY SIX HD on 29th September from 7 pm onwards. Stay tuned for more coverage of the event!
