MIKE Tyson plans to seek happiness as a missionary after ending his controversial 20-year boxing career.
Tyson retired in Washington DC on Sunday after losing for the third time in his past four fights, quitting after six rounds against Irish journeyman Kevin McBride, a humbling end for a once-mighty undisputed world heavyweight champion. "I'm basically finished doing this stuff. I'm not going to make a fool out of myself and embarrass myself any more," Tyson said. "It's difficult to fight when your heart isn't in it.
"I don't have anything to fight for any more. When I first started I had nothing. I wanted something. I don't want anything any more."
Tyson was shocked when legend Muhammad Ali surprised him with a locker-room visit before the fight.
"I'm just overwhelmed this man knows my name. I can't believe he knows who I am," Tyson said.
He was hungry when he became the youngest champion in heavyweight history in 1986 at 20, but he lost to 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas in 1990 in Tokyo and a 1992 rape conviction led to three years' jail.
Tyson briefly returned to the top in 1996 but bit Evander Holyfield's ear in the ring during a 1997 title fight and was banned for a year. With no major triumph since, the twice-divorced father of three became bankrupt and beaten.
"At one point I thought life was about acquiring things. But as life goes on we lose more things than we gain," Tyson said. "I have wealthy children. I don't have any money but they have a great life."
Tyson, who turns 39 on June 30, doubts he can ever escape his past while living in the United States.
"I'll never be successful in this country. I have to go somewhere abroad," Tyson said. "I don't think I'm going to do too well in this country because I'm stigmatised.
"I may be bizarre sometimes but I'm a natural. I understand my situation. I don't want to lose to myself. I just want to be a man who is aware of his situations and who is happy."
Tyson said that would come from missionary work, although he gave no clue about his destination once he leaves the US.
"I just want to do something that helps someone. I just want to help somebody," Tyson said. "I have to be contributing to something. If I don't I feel emotionally dead."
Asked about going to Sudan, Tyson said: "The reason African-Americans are slaves in this country is because the Arabs sold us to the Christians. It's a pretty horrific situation.
"I don't know if I'm capable of doing any missionary work without being killed."
