Before boxing great Mike Tyson gets back into the ring to fight again, he’ll be returning to the theatrical stage to perform his latest one-man show.
“Return of the Mike” will kick off in November, playing exclusively at Hard Rock Live venues across the country. The show will hit the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on Jan. 23. General sale tickets go on sale Friday.
Described as an “honest, hilarious performance showcasing the legend like you’ve never seen him before,” the new production follows the former heavyweight champion’s previous foray on stage, “Undisputed Truth,” which played a sold-out, limited engagement at Broadway’s Longacre Theater in 2012. Spike Lee directed the production, scripted by Tyson’s third wife Lakiha “Kiki” Tyson, which aired as an HBO special a year later.
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Mike Tyson takes part in a curtain call on opening night of “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth” on Broadway in 2012. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
According to Monday’s announcement, the Brooklyn-born pugilist will open up about his battles with addiction and mental health and offer candid reflections on his storied career.
“After Undisputed Truth, people kept asking when I’d return, and now it’s time — no holding back, no filter,” Tyson, 59, said in a statement. “We’re going to have some fun, tell some truths, and remind everyone that I’m still swinging hard.”
In his 1980s heyday, the fighter known as “Iron Mike” fought often in the oceanside casino town known as “Monopoly City” with heavyweight bouts against boxers like Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks and Carl Williams.
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Mike Tyson in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1989. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City president George Goldhoff said the city is happy to play host to Tyson again.
“We’re proud that Atlantic City is one of the lucky four areas to exclusively host Return of the Mike at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City,” he said. “The show will give our guests an intimate look at one of history’s most legendary athletes in his most candid and captivating performances yet.”
The four-city tour is scheduled to kick off on Nov. 9 in Rockford, Illinois. “Return of the Mike” will then hit Cincinnati, Ohio (Nov. 23) and Hollywood, Florida (Dec. 14) before making his final stop in Atlantic City.
Last week, it was announced that Tyson will take on Floyd Mayweather Jr. in an exhibition fight next spring. His last bout with 27-year-old social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul ended in defeat last November.
