Even Mike Tyson's biggest detractors would have to admit that 'The Baddest Man On The Planet' looks like he's turned his life around of late - and the former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion apparently owes it all to magic mushrooms.
While it could be argued you'd certainly have to be high on something to consider stepping back into the ring in your mid-50's after a 15 year hiatus, Tyson looked relaxed and in shape when he fought Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout last November. Now he's been extolling his psychedelic-aided upturn in fortunes.
In 1997, meanwhile, he infamously bit a chunk of rival Evander Holyfield's ear off mid-Championship bout, and actions like these decimated the image of a man who'd torn through the boxing heavyweight scene in the 1980's as a youngster.
Advert
Speaking to Reuters, though, 'Iron' Mike distanced himself from that person, thanking the 'shrooms for putting him in a more positive state of mind.
"Everyone thought I was crazy, I bit this guy's ear off," he said.
"I did all this stuff, and once I got introduced to the shrooms ... my whole life changed."
The technical term for magic mushrooms is psilocybin mushrooms and, although medical professionals have warned against self-medicating with them due to the potential for disturbing hallucinations, anxiety and panic, for Tyson they've been a knock out.
Advert
"To think where I was - almost suicidal - to this now. Isn't life a trip, man? It's amazing medicine, and people don't look at it from that perspective" he said.
"I AM CURED."
People got to see just how amazing Tyson thinks mushrooms are as a medicine when, on the Logan Paul podcast at the end of last year, the former fighter scoffed a mighty four grams of the edibles while talking to the internet celebrity.
As the podcast - which was also being filmed - began, the 54-year-old was already smoking a joint but that apparently wasn't enough as he was handed the shrooms by Impaulsive co-host Mike Majlak.
Advert
The four grams he scoffed is far more than your average intake and Logan Paul looked genuinely worried for his guest.
The 25-year-old said: "When I first heard about mushrooms in LA, everyone would talk about the taste. They said they taste like s***."
Before he got chance to ask whether that was the case, Tyson said: "It is s***. It comes from s***. Cows and goat s***.
"It's a fungus, it's what we're made out of. We're made out of this s***. When we die we turn into mushrooms and fungus."
Advert
Now, Tyson has entered into a partnership with Wesana Health, which explores the benefits of psilocybin on treating traumatic brain injuries in athletes, veterans and others.
"I believe this is good for the world," said Tyson of the fungus.
"If you put 10 people in a room that don't like each other and give them some psychedelics, they'll be taking pictures with each other," he said.
"Put 10 people in a room who don't like each other and give them some liquor, and they'll be shooting everybody. That's real talk.
Advert
"(Wesana) was on the same level of thinking that I was. They wanted to share this with the world. This is very limited, us doing this in these small ceremonies.
"It needs to be open to the world."
Featured Image Credit: Logan Paul/YouTubeTopics: SPORT, Mike Tyson, Boxing