IRON Mike Tyson can
be a real big softie – as he proved with
this knockout gift
to a special South Yorkshire fan.
He handed over his signed IBF world title belt to hero soldier Ben Parkinson of Doncaster, who lost both his legs when his Land Rover was blown up in Afghanistan.
Tyson fan Ben, aged 24, was lost for words when his boxing idol presented him with the belt before a dinner for 800 people at the Doncaster Dome.
Ben, whose family launched a campaign to increase his compensation payout to £285,000, had hoped to be walking for the first time on his new artificial legs. He still uses a wheelchair.
Tyson, 41, the ex-undisputed heavyweight champion, said: “He’s the real hero – an inspiration.”
Andy Booker, of Askern, a close friend of the boxer who co-organised the show with Ray Fisher, said: “This is typical of Mike. He’s so generous. But he’s also very modest. He does lots for charity but most of it goes unreported.”
Tyson raised £5,000 from a sporting dinner at Doncaster Dome four years ago for the family of a Yorkshire policewoman shot dead. He also handed over £10,000 from a Leeds dinner to the family of Doncaster rugby league coach St John Ellis, who collapsed and died.
A Glasgow dinner on Tyson’s British tour has been cancelled after protests from politicians and women’s groups, following an outcry over his rape conviction in 1992.
But hundreds of fans still attended the Doncaster event, where a question and answer session was interrupted by a phone call from his old fighting pal Frank Bruno.
As the crowd chanted Bruno’s name, Tyson told him: “I’m doing great my friend – good to hear from you. I’m trying to make this second chance at life work. Everyone here loves you, Frank.”
Tyson rejected suggestions of a career comeback. “Once I gave boxing up, I gave it up wholeheartedly. I love to watch fights. I’m still proud I was a fighter. Maybe I’m jaded a little bit, dealing with crazy managers and promoters.”
He said one of his proudest moments was knocking out Trevor Berbick to become the youngest-ever heavyweight world champion, aged 20.