A More Gentle Mike Tyson Plans Prague Invasion

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson's promotional efforts in Europe will continue this fall. The announcement comes after a recent Sports Illustrated interview in which the former boxing great labeled the first 44 years of his life "A (expletive) joke," and expressed a desire to turn his life around and help the less fortunate.

"Iron Mike" will visit Prague for the first time to take part in a celebrity party and fundraiser at the Žofín Palace on October 22, 2010.

The event will include a speech by Tyson, musical performances, and also a charity auction. Proceeds from the event will benefit the children's ward at Prague's Motol hospital, as well as a second charity being run by Václav Klaus, the current President of the Czech Republic, and his wife Livia.

Tyson will visit the children's ward of Motol hospital and will lead a boxing training session while in town. In addition, a variety of VIP dinner and lunches are scheduled.

In his free time, Tyson plans on visiting Prague's castle and taking a cruise on the Vltava River. He also told the promoter of the visit, Peter Havrda, that he would like to take a horse ride "somewhere on the outskirts" of Prague during his one week stay.

The visit to Prague will kickoff a promotional tour which will include stops in Belgrade, Monaco, Moscow, and Vienna. Tyson is also considering Burma as another potential region for his future charity work.

At a time when LeBron James and Tiger Woods have clumsily ruined their brands and mass appeal, perhaps no other athlete has undergone a more positive transformation of his image than Mike Tyson.

With his introspective "Tyson" documentary, the tragic death of his young child, his humorous role in the film "The Hangover," and his commitment to charitable endeavors, Tyson has become a more sympathetic and beloved figure than during his latter years as a prizefighter.

By Joseph Hammond
Contributing Writer for TheDailySportsHerald.com