Tyson’s Corner – Pigeon Racing: Tyson’s Corner – Pigeon Racing

Tyson’s Corner – Pigeon Racing: Tyson’s Corner – Pigeon Racing: "From Ring to Rooftop Heavyweight boxing legend Michael Gerard Tyson “Mike”- a retired American Boxer starring in an Animal Planet series a..."

Tyson’s Corner – Pigeon Racing

From Ring to Rooftop

Heavyweight boxing legend Michael Gerard Tyson “Mike”- a retired American Boxer starring in an Animal Planet series about pigeon racing, ‘Taking on Tyson’. The show I found really pretty amazing. The legend boxer is coached by Vinnie Torre, professional on pigeon racing and trainer, for his racing for the first time, but the most interesting moments that mike says about his past life, his boxing, his childhood, his getting locked up, his marriage, his children and unknown flashes of his life.

‘Iron Mike’, nickname, one of the most controversial character was a brutal boxer of our time, the new generation knows nothing about the ‘Baddest Man of the Planet’ in his heavyweight era trying to be sober living, improving his way of life because of pigeon.

Tyson says, ‘the first thing, I ever loved in my life was a pigeon’ and he claims pigeon pushed him into boxing as he threw his first punch to a neighbourhood killed one of his beloved bird. He was then 12.

In 1997, in a WBA title against Evander Holyfield, Tyson received international attraction for biting both ears of Holyfield. He was well known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing as well his controversial behavior both inside and outside the ring. Tyson was disqualified, and Holyfield won the title. Later Tyson said that it was revenge for Holyfield repeatedly head butting him in the match.

‘Pigeons are a part of my life and for me to fly birds has been a culture’, says Tyson. But the pigeon racing doesn’t come easy, the boxer now attempt to be world champion pigeon racer. ‘Best thing that happened to me was to retire from boxing - I just didn’t want that no more in my life, it was just too chaotic’ - says the champion. Pigeons have been an integral part of his life since his childhood. When he was famous in the ring, Pigeons was his secret relief.

Tyson though novice in the race, ‘slowly but surely I’m gaining a name in the business and I’m very grateful for that as well’. It is competitive, but it’s all in love’ – says he. There is big money in the race. Breeders spend dollars on pigeons. Some famous competitions award huge money prize.

This sport has been introduced in the USA in 1800 and there has been numbers of registered clubs. This sport has also been spread over now in different countries in the world. In Calcutta, there have been pigeons flying competition among the ‘Babus’ during the days of British and Calcutta was famous for ‘Babu Culture’.

Pigeon racing is now a sport and the racers releases their specially trained pigeons in a specified distance (100-1000 km) and their returning home is carefully measured. They are racing homer fitted with tiny chip in its leg and the time taken to fly home is measured by electronic timing system so that the arrival of the birds is recorded automatically. The fastest bird is winner.

Mike is a novice racer supported by his lifelong friend, Mario Costa, always with cigar chewing on, Roman brothers-his pigeon caretakers and the trainer, Vinnie Torre. Tyson is taking on the small screen with Animal Planet to make his name in another ring of competition – the world of pigeon racing. (Image from Google Pics)