The big premiere of James Toback’s “Tyson” film was on April 20 at AMC Loews 19th Street Cinemas and Strata and was attended by several celebrities and guests of the former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. One guest who was present was Mario Costa, who has been a friend and sometime cornerman of Tyson for over a decade.
Mario Costa describes what happened at this special event:
“Mike called and we met him at the hotel, with a couple of friends from New Jersey. And he was happy to see everybody he hasn’t seen in maybe a year and half, two years. And then from the hotel we went to the premiere at the Loews. I thought it was very good. Mike was real truthful about himself. Real raw. I was at most of his fights, in most of the clips that they showed. And I thought it was real good. I can’t wait for the movie with Jamie Foxx which Mike said Jamie Foxx will play him.
“In the end Mike got on stage with the producer and Joyce Carol Oates and the audience were asking him some questions. And I thought it was funny Mike at one time said, Somebody asked him How do you feel now that you’re doing this type of thing? He thought it was kinda weird because before he would have to train for two months to get in shape, then everybody would come out to see him perform, to knock somebody out. Like a job. Now he really doesn’t do anything. He didn’t have to work in the gym. Didn’t have to knock somebody out. And everybody was there. He thought it was weird how everybody came out to see him talk about himself.
“They gave him a standing ovation. People enjoyed it. Ice-T was there with his wife Coco. Christopher Walked – I saw him, that he was paying attention. (Also there were Joe Frazier, Nas, Mr. Mariah Carey Nick Cannon, Anthony Anderson, photographer Patrick MacMullan, among others.) And everybody stayed right to the end.”
A reporter for New York Magazine asked, “You said most great men aren’t good men. What’s the difference?”
To which Mike Tyson answered, “Great is an entity. It takes a lot. It crushes everything in it’s path. It has no feelings. Good is giving. When I was young I wanted to be great. Now I want to be a good man.”