Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is again reflecting on his difficult childhood. He described early exposure to drugs and alcohol inside his family home.
Tyson shared the memories during a podcast interview while discussing his lifelong relationship with substance abuse. The boxing legend said his experiences began years before he became a teenage phenom.
According to Tyson, he first experimented with drugs around age 10. He said those experiences were not driven by curiosity alone.
Instead, Tyson recalled his mother introducing him to alcohol and marijuana while he was still a child. The former champion said it happened in an attempt to make him sleep.
“When you’re a kid your mother gives you liquor and marijuana for you to think that you’re going to go to sleep or something,” Tyson said. “My mother was an alcoholic. Liquor and marijuana to see if you go to sleep.”
Tyson has spoken publicly for years about growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He has described an unstable home marked by poverty, crime and addiction.
His mother, Lorna Tyson, died when he was 16. Tyson later came under the guidance of legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato. He has often credited D’Amato with providing structure and believing in him when few others did.
Childhood Trauma Shaped His Relationship With Addiction
During the same conversation, Tyson explained that drug use became a normal part of his life at an unusually young age.
“When did you first try any drugs?” the interviewer asked.
“Kid. 10 years old, 9 years old,” Tyson replied.
“What kind of sh*t?”
“Smoking and drinking.”
“Then as I got older, I tried acid.”
“How old were you when you first tried that?”
“Probably 11.”
Tyson’s comments align with stories he has previously shared in interviews and his memoir. He has repeatedly described childhood trauma as a major factor behind his decades-long struggle with addiction.
The former champion has openly acknowledged abusing cocaine and alcohol throughout much of his adult life. He has also discussed multiple relapses while working toward long-term sobriety.
In 2013, Tyson publicly admitted he had been dishonest about his recovery. He told reporters he feared addiction would ultimately cost him his life.
“I want to live a sober life,” Tyson said at the time. “I don’t want to die.”
Speaking Openly About His Past
Now 60, Tyson has become increasingly candid about the darkest chapters of his life. His interviews frequently focus less on boxing accomplishments and more on healing from childhood trauma.
He has said psychedelics, therapy and self-reflection helped him confront emotional wounds that lingered long after his fighting career ended. Tyson also continues to advocate for cannabis, saying it helps regulate his mood and manage daily stress.
While Tyson’s recollections are deeply personal, they also underscore how childhood exposure to addiction can shape a person’s future. His story illustrates the lasting effects of growing up in an environment where substance abuse was normalized.
Despite becoming one of boxing’s most dominant champions, Tyson has often said his greatest battle occurred outside the ring. His recent remarks reinforce that message.
By revisiting those painful memories, Tyson continues to offer a candid look at the circumstances that influenced his life long before championship belts, global fame and personal redemption became part of his story.