London: Boxing legend Mike Tyson has criticised the New Zealand authorities for revoking his visa because of his rape conviction, three days after he was banned from entering the country.
He criticized the decision by the Kiwi officials, saying it had been an ‘unfair fight’ according to him.
“The people wanted me to come. If it was a fair organisation, a fair fight I would be there but I got vetoed by the higher power,” Tyson said.
The former heavyweight champion was to travel to Auckland in November to attend a motivational speaking event called "Day of the Champions,” where he was hoping to perform his one-man show, "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth."
“I just wanted to go down there and just have a show. Unfortunately that had to happen. It`s one of those things in life that happens. It`s life on life`s terms and everyone has to deal with that and those uncertainties,” he said.
Tyson, who served three years in prison after being convicted of raping a 18-year-old woman in an Indianapolis hotel room in 1991, said that the negative experiences in his life have actually shaped his character.
"Anything that I would have got away from, being in prison, having fights, biting (Evander) Holyfield, lack of that, my life would be miserable," he said.
ANI
First Published: Sunday, October 07, 2012, 11:22