Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson (1993 TV Movie) User Reviews

Fallen Champ

[a_baron · 7/10 · 8 September 2014]

Mike Tyson was convicted of the rape of Desiree Washington in February 1992; this hour and a half documentary was released exactly a year later, which means it was probably in production well before the trial.

It covers a fair amount of ground but concentrates on his personal life. As might be expected, there are villains, and would you believe the totally innocent party is Tyson himself? Yes you would, because if you are of a certain vintage, you'll have heard it all before.

This was the man who after an admittedly rough start in life had fame and fortune thrust upon him. His trophy wife Robin Givens is portrayed as a gold digger; Don King responsible for his downfall; and Desiree Washington...she does not appear here, at least not for the documentary makers, but her father does.

Even today this woman is traduced by not only boxing fans but by people who have no great love for boxing, including women. Fortunately there are dissenters, although sadly not Alan Dershowitz, who herein recites his own rules for sports groupies, except she was never one of those, she was, as the prosecutor in Tyson's trial said, analogous to the man who walked down a dark alley wearing a Rolex watch and was mugged for his pains. In short, Desiree Washington showed poor judgment, she may even have been stupid, but that does not mitigate her rape.

There is a lot more too including Teddy Atlas who is said famously to have put a gun to the young Tyson's head; Atlas does not make that claim here personally, but it is well known and is probably true. Tyson's former girlfriends show surprising tolerance of him.

There has been a lot of water under a lot of bridges in the intervening 21 years, but Tyson has long since reverted to type, even though age has mellowed him.

I defiantly pick the guy with the short pants.

[sol1218 · 7/10 · 31 October 2011]

Mike Tyason AKA, after converting to Islam, Malik Abdul Aziz meteoric boxing career from a street kid in Brownsville Brooklyn to the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world, or the baddest dude on the planet, world came crashing down on him in Tokyo Japan on February 11, 1990. That's when he was soundly defeated by journeyman heavyweight James "Buster" Douglas who busted Tyson up and finally knocked him out cold in the 10th round suffering his first defeat in 38 professional boxing bouts.

It was later when he was well on his way to win back his heavyweight crown that Tyson suffered another knockout not in the ring but in a court of law that derailed his attempt to regain his heavyweight crown, as well as his status as one of the immortals in the world of boxing, forever. After winning a hard fought 12 round decision over #2 contender for the heavyweight crown, that at the time was held by Evander Holyfield, Donovan "Razor' Ruddock Tyson decided to take some time off and relax in attending the Black Miss America contest held in Indianapolis Indiana. Looking for action among the Black Miss. America contestants Tyson didn't have any trouble in having his way with them until he ran into young 18 year old Desiree Washington. After getting Desiree to go to his hotel room at the downtown Indianapolis Canterbury Hotel to talk about the weather and world events, like the soon to be dissolved Soviet Union, Tayson was reported to have gone wild with his uncountable and raging libido and violently attacked and raped Desiree.

At first this, Tyson's rape of Desiree Washington, supposed vicious crime by the former heavyweight champ was thought to be a cheap blackmail ploy on Desiree's part to get money out of the multi millionaire athlete. But as the evidence started to pile up against him it started to look like the 90 to 100 pound Desiree Washington was an on odds favorite to defeat the 220 pound Iron Mike Tyson and not only knock him out in court but out of the world of boxing altogether. As things soon turned out Tyson together with his high priced shyster lawyer in trying to blame the victim, Desiree Washington, for her being responsibly in being brutally attacked and violated by him was soon convicted of rape and a number of other related charges and sent to prison for three, of a six year sentence, years. And with that not only did Mike Tyson jeopardize an upcoming match with Holyfield,that he was guaranteed at least 20 million dollars, but his status in the history of boxing as one of it greatest champions.

His compulsive involvement with Desiree Washington was a stupid mistake on Tyson's part but it was one, and by far the worst, of a string of mistakes he made that put him in the doghouse with the world of boxing and his millions of fans and finally in the jail-house in his rape conviction. It was back in the early summer of 1988 that Mike Tyson had it all after knocking out the only man who many thought had a chance to beat him the undefeated Michael Spinks, who was never knocked off his feet, by flatting him in less then two minutes. That all happened in very the first round in their champion match on June 28,1988 in Atlantic City. That's when the hard hitting and razor sharp Tyson after dropping Spinks with a powerhouse right to the body then, after Spinks took a standing eight count, finished Spinks off with an explosive right uppercut to the chin that put him to sleep for good. It not only turned out to be Spink's only defeat but his last fight as well.

It was after the Spinks match when his gold digging wife actress Robin Givens and promoter Don King got their hooks into the very naive Mike Tyson that everything suddenly went south or him. With those-Cus D'Amoto & Jimmy Jacobs- who guided him to the heavyweight championship either dead or,in the case of his trainer Kevin Rooney, fired the vultures like Givens her mom and King together with dozens of the two's flunkies started to feast on the poor and confused boxer sucking him dry of all his money and his,by having him party all night when he was supposed to be in training, title. That went by the wayside when Tyson lost it to James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo 20 months later.

But it was Tyson's attempt in having a little hanky panky with Desiree Washington that in fact turned out to be his Waterloo. Looking back now at Tyson's fall from grace and the world's heavyweight championship you just have to wonder how things would have turned out for Mike Tyson, or as he now calls himself Malk Abdul Aziz, and the world of Boxing if those who really cared for him, like D'Amato & Jacobs, had lived a few years longer and kept Iron Mike on the right not crooked-like Don King Robin Givens & Co.-path in life. There's no telling what Iron Mike Tyson would have accomplished. Even though what he did accomplish with a 50 won 6 loss and 2 draw record with nine successful title defenses,in three years 1987-1989,of his heavyweight crown was more then enough to get Mike Tyson elected into the Boxing Hall of Fame.

need help

[cantkillaredneck · 6/10 · 28 September 2006]

I wanted to view this. What does one to do to see this. It would very appropriate for project our group is conducting in Grad. school. Any help would be appreciated. This project is concerning Tyson's early childhood development. We are students of Webster university studying for our masters in psychology. We would appreciate any help that could help us in our plight in finding information on his development. You would be surprised on how little information there on his early years before boxing and his rise to fame. If there is fee and it not extremely high we might could pull together funds. Please remember most of us counselor who work with under privileged inner city youth like Mike.

reasonably well told story of the boxers life.

[legionxx10 · 6/10 · 14 March 2000]

This documentary charts the life of Mike Tyson, from when he was born, to when he was convicted of rape. Often slow paced, but nonetheless fairly accurate portrayal of the highs and lows in his life. Contains some interesting, if not rare, footage of Mike boxing at a young age.

The rise and fall of Mike Tyson

[wsmitherxc · 10/10 · 20 October 2002]

This is a great movie. This movie goes into great detail of Mike Tyson life. This movie shows Mike Tyson at his best. It shows Mike Tyson every fight. His two best fights of the movie I think are Mike Tyson fighting Trevor Berbick for the WBC heavyweight championship of the world and his great fight with Micheal Spinks. It also goes into great detail of his rocky marriage with Robin Givens and his rape case. A must see for all Mike Tyson fans.