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Philippe Lopez / AFP - Getty Images, file
Former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson is "disappointed" and "quite down" about New Zealand's decision, according to the promoter for his planned visit.
Updated at 5:57 a.m. ET: Retired boxer and convicted rapist Mike Tyson has been barred from New Zealand by government ministers who revoked an entry permit for his forthcoming speaking tour.
Authorities in the country - whose indigenous Maori people Tyson says inspired his facial tattoo – reversed an earlier decision to allow him entry after a children’s health charity withdrew its support for his controversial visit.
The 46-year-old could now face a similar problem entering Australia. He is due to speak at a November event in Auckland, the "Day of the Champions."
Tyson's 1992 conviction for raping an Indiana beauty queen would normally prevent his entry in New Zealand and could be grounds for denial in Australia as well. He had been granted an exemption by the New Zealand government because some proceeds from his talk would have benefited the Life Education Trust.
However, that charity withdrew its previous support Tuesday. In a statement, New Zealand's Associate Immigration Minister Kate Wilkinson said: “Given that the trust is no longer supporting the event, on balance, I have made the decision to cancel his visa.”
Max Markson, the promoter for Tyson's visits to Australia and New Zealand, told New Zealand television channel TV ONE that Tyson was "disappointed" by the decision.
"He is quite down about it," said Markson, adding that Tyson had "rebuilt his life" in recent years.
"He's clean, he sober, he's a vegan, he's coming with his wife, his two children under four and his mother-in-law, he can't possibly do anything wrong in 20 hours,” Markson told the channel. "And in addition to that he is very much giving a social and economic benefit to the New Zealand economy."
Mike Tyson (yes, that Mike Tyson): Financial adviser
A spokesman for Australia's Department of Immigration and Citizenship said a decision was “still pending" on Tyson's application for an Australian visa.
Markson told The Associated Press he's continuing to sell tickets to the planned speeches in both countries and that buyers will get a full refund if the shows are cancelled. He said he had immigration lawyers in Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. working on a new application. Tickets for the event cost up NZ$395 ($324) for a chance to meet Tyson in person.
This summer, Mike Tyson is taking on a new role, appearing on Broadway in a one-man show called "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth." The former heavyweight champion and director Spike Lee chat with the TODAY team about conquering the stage together.
Tyson said his distinctive facial was inspired by those worn by New Zealand's indigenous Maori. In pre-European times, many Maori wore elaborate facial tattoos as a sign of their status in their tribe. Some Maori today who identify strongly with their traditional culture get similar tattoos.
Tyson was undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion in the 1980s but in 1992 he was convicted of raping teenager Desiree Washington in Indiana and served three years in prison.
Mike Tyson's 'Angry Birds' spoof is a knockout
He added to his notoriety when he bit rival Evander Holyfield on both ears in a 1997 bout, for which he was disqualified and temporarily suspended from boxing.
Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003 and retired from professional boxing in 2006.
Last month, Tyson spoke to a financiers' conference in Hong Kong about his life before and after boxing, his family and his acting career, which includes a recent one-man show on Broadway.
Reuters, The Associated Press and NBC News' Alastair Jamieson contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
America's beautiful people are finding that the World does not want them...
Some of them are not wanted by their own country and have to live in Thailand as farang.
And some live in Canada, enjoy that COLD, and 50%+taxes...
Does your birth country send you $5,000+USD every month???
AC
I would not include Tyson as one of America's beautiful people.
But, but, he;s American, he has freedom of speech. He's a street punk being treated like he should be.
Madona, Paris Hilton, Kristi Lee, Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, are just a few that have been banned...
And the list keeps growing... Ha! Ha!
if he is beautiful the rest of us are really in @!$%#ing bad shape. just think spending time in prison so we can pay for him to train to box and get rich. what a @!$%#ing country we have. in prison you have more rights than anywhere else.
As the saying goes, never trust a rapist, pigeon loving, cannibal, with severe mental issues. He should be barred from this world.
Too bad he wasn't a financial adviser back when that scumbag Don King took all his earnings. Mike would be in better shape financially now.
Don King was like, "just sign on the dotted line" and everything will be OK. It probably said that Mike was earning $1.00 for every $100.00 he was receiving leaving Don with $99.00 per $100.00.
In a way, I feel bad for Mike.
A speaking tour?????? You gotta be sh**ing me. A SPEAKING tour? Mike Tyson?
Creek Dog, when ever your feeling sorrow for that man just remember one word.... RAPIST.
Not just rapist but teenage rapist.
Wow! Mike Tyson having to live with the ramifications of his decision to rape a young girl? He may have turned his life around but the young girl has to also live the rest of her life with his decision to rape her.
With all of the money he was making he could have afforded to rent some "touch" rather than steal it.
"Retired boxer and convicted rapist Mike Tyson"...
NBC, that is a low blow, bellow the belt to be precise.
The guy has paid his dues to society and has lived a remarkably trouble free life ever since.
To keep going below the belt is a little classless for a News Organization that prides itself on respecting others...
Humans deserve a chance at REDEMPTION, "human is to err"...low blows and scorn never encourage that....c,mon
@Blake-2644321 She wouldn't be the first woman to lie about being raped.
And he wouldn't be the first man to be convicted on said lie.
You're probably the same kind of idiot that was upset when OJ couldn't get convicted of murder.
Not only a child rapist but only served three years....Does anyone know if either of his children is a girl?
DocHolliday, Tell that to the poor girl he forced himself on and see if she agrees. I bet that poor girls still has nightmares. Rape is never to be taken lightly. It can ruin lives, mental strength, relationships, etc...
There is no such thing as paying his debt for something like that. I can't beleive somoene can stick up for a rapist. That makes me sick!
While Mike Tyson ain't no saint - the kiwis shouldn't be running away from their Karma with Maoris.
The question DocHolliday, is whether he truly internalized a respectable human persona or whether appearances are deceiving. Behavior can change but the underlying personality does not. He can bury his head in the Bible as much as he wants but all that's needed is something to awaken his core and he'll be back to his old ways. We are what we are, for better or worse.
Don't know why but I found such humor in that statement
TalkdeTalk: "@Blake-2644321 She wouldn't be the first woman to lie about being raped.
And he wouldn't be the first man to be convicted on said lie." No, but he would be the first person to bite someone's ear off in an organized fight.
ProFreedom: I found even more humor in your response.
If you have a DUI, or arrest for
spouse abuse you or a DUI can not get into Canada, England New Zeland Australia, Japan any felony conviction bars entry, however there is always Mexico, no limit on criminals.
Holy crap, I never thought I would be defending Mike Tyson, but he wasn't convicted of raping a "child". The girl was of age (doesn't make the action right) and he paid for it dearly. Anyway, he seems to be living a better life after all his fall from grace. I hope he continues to stay on the straight and narrow.
PS: That news headline is terrible, but it got NBC news the click through they wanted.
I agree that Tyson is not a good example of a good person..but he did not rape that girl. She went along with everything until it was over...and as Mike said.."If I would have walked her down to the cab instead of putting her out in the hall when we got finished, none of this would have happened"...her feelings were hurt that she had been used (which she had) and she started the ball rolling.
Shame on the govt of New Zealand!
To all you hate filled people on this thread, It was a contrived rape conviction against Mr. Tyson. The woman's story was so full of hole it was pathetic. Tyson was railroaded like thousands of other innocent people in America's prison system.
I give the man credit for turning his life around, regardless of the hate he has faced from this racist society that he lives in. If he were white, he would have been cherished, and adored no matter what he may have been accused, or convicted of. Like Rothlisberger.....
you can get a "Second Chance" at life:
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are are passed away; behold all things are become new(II Thess. 5:17)."
That goes for all you "self righteous" people!
"For ALL have sinned and come SHORT of the glory of God(Romans 3:23)!"
Have a good day.
These comments are typical of an uninformed society that has been brainwashed into believing anyone convicted of a sex crime is unable to turn his life around. Many times a rape conviction is attained through coersion and pressure from the state, for example a working class man may not have the funds to fight a case in court or the damage done to his family is such that pleading non-contende is a reasonable alternative. Normally a nolo condende pea is allowed when the state simply doesn't have enough proof to convict, especially when combined with adjudication withheld, yet these people now face a lifetime of prejudice & exclusion.
Imagine this: A violent offender one convicted of murder or assalt may be living next door to you, and you will never know it. Yet a sex offender convicted of peeing in a park will be listed in dozens of websites and be barred for working in most public offices - It simply doesn't make sence to me.
In most cases nearly 95% of sexual abuse cases the offender is a first time offender, in more than 50% of those the offender is a relative. Sex offenders are YOUR brothers, your sisters, your uncles, aunts, fathers, mothers... and we are trashing them and throwing them away.
I've said it before In Washington DC it was a crime to have oral sex when Clinton was in power, if President Clinton had been tried for sex with Monica, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SEX OFFENDER.
If the president of the United States could have been charged as a sex offender - WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING? What is the sence in keeping Mike Tyson out of a country?? He is a model of what a sex offender should do - he NEVER reoffended and he turned his life around yet someone like OJ Simpson, except for his stupidity, would be free today. - It just doesn't make sence.
right on LUISM, the system is messed up!!!
Good call New Zealand. We don't want him here either.
not that I condone rape or have any use for tyson (mike or the corporation) but what I am wondering is if this holier than thou country still allows pedophile priests in, or for that matter the entire Catholic church since it helped hide the fact that it happened.
Hey Tyson defenders, he got his second chance...he's free.
Just not free to get into New Zealand, since they do not allow entry to peoples who've been convicted of a crime. what ? you think he should be above the laws ?
There is a bigger issue: We live in America the freest country in the world, yet an American citizen has been denied entry into another country, even after the individual paid his debt to society. Remember he is a free citizen in our eyes, yet without committing any crime, without breaking any laws that American citizen has been denied entry into another country because of a perceived potential! That is crazy wrong, what the heck is going on in the world??
So as it stands now:
this free citizen, an American -
so what is he to do - collect welfare and hang out on a street corner???
Canada won't let anyone into their country from America with a felony either, not to even visit.
LuisM,
If you or I had done what Bill Clinton did, to a person that worked for us. We would still be in JAIL...
In many countries, including the USA, to obtain a Visa, you have to have a almost clean; criminal & mental health record, with NO illegal drug involvement...
Heck, in Thailand you can be denied a Visa for having too many speeding tickets...
Though, many countries will issue a short-term tourist stamp, so you can spend your money. But you can not earn any income, while in their country. If you violate this you; go to JAIL, are then deported and barred from re-entry...
Spike Tyson? Who the hell is that? oooh, I see. Got two irrelevent has-beens mixed up with each other.
He may have "paid hisdues to society" but that does not erase his rape conviction. As for living a "remarkably troube free life ever since" you must consider biting off Hoyfield's ear as unremarkable. That happened about five years after his rape conviction.
AC Robertson "If you or I had done what Bill Clinton did, to a person that worked for us. We would still be in JAIL..."
Unfortunately that isn't true in the majority of cases, the courts still realize sex is a normal part of human behavior (even if the legislators seem to think we should all be celebrate priests) and as such most courts reduce sentences accordingly. That was the justice system we had 40 years ago, not perfect but it respected human frailty. Thanks to legislators anyone convicted of nearly any crime is listed as a sex offender, pee on the street, don't apply vagrancy ordinances - charge him with a sex offence... two teens get caught in bed charge him with rape and forever call the girl a "victim", get caught with porn etc.... the sex offender database currently has other 800,000 persons who have for ever lost all their civil rights, and that number doesn't include the families who have to support them. There are always extremists who take irrational views but these laws thanks to us & the media have been exported to the rest of the world. We have forsaken our values in order to bully these individuals.
Hey AC ROBERTSON;
Re; 50% taxes in Canada; we may be taxed a bit more than Americans, but how's your economy been..oh..I don't know..the last 5 years or more? Our dollar is worth MORE than yours, our banks are the strongest in the world; we're WAY safer a country to live in, our standard of living is way higher than yours..and oh yeah, how's that health care doin?
All of the aforementioned (except the dollar), have been superior for DECADES!
And yes, we don't want Tyson and his Roschach eye in our Country.
Mike did his time....even though that trick lied.......Let him speak...........Go Mike
Note to Kiwis: You can still see highlights of his career on Pay per Chew.
They don't want his a$$ up top or down under.
Too bad he can't be barred from the U.S.
lets bar you from the U.S. how would that feel? then your gonna say, "why? i didnt do nothing wrong to get barred from the U.S. in the first place? now you know how wrongfully convicted people feel! dont be an ignoreant fool, try putting the boots on the person your trashing dick!
lets bar you! and watch you cry "But I didnt do nothing wrong!" Im innocent!" i hope you get convicted of something bad! so you know what it feels like to be hated wrongfully!
Does anyone care?
Kudos to New Zealand
what a dumm saying... "kudos" sounds so fake!
More power to New Zealand. Not every country cares about celebrities. Some have principles.
Is they anyway we can bar him from the US? I'm with you "Letusreason."
he does not want to leave here for this is the only county that will kiss his ass.
why dont you go live somewhere else if you dont wanna live in the states that has many S.offenders in it? coward anyway.
Maybe the U.S. can bar Republicans next.
yea and then all you gays could sleep with ugly ass obama
How perfect is it that TWO irrelevant people can work together to create a show no one cares about? These two morons deserve each other and rise to failure in a show that will get 1 rating at best. New Zealand should also ban Spike (I wish I were relevant) Lee!
He's a vegan! What on earth does that have to do with anything?!!
He doesn't eat ears any more.
Not that's funny.
Tyson can speak? LOL! I can see some Saturday Night Live skits in the making right now! LOL!
yeah, and can also knock you out! talkin smack behind his back, what cowards you all are! acting tough over the internet! bunch of freakin cowards!!! hands down.
probably does not want him to bite anyone's ear off. what a great country that must be. why would he want to go anyway. does they have welfare?
...
That's it !!!
No more foreign aid for New Zealand.
This is a worse affront and far more serious than the assassination of our ambassador to Libya - which happened on U. S. property !!
Where is the president's outrage?
Where is the NAACP?
Where are Al and Jesse ?
...
In a few years you will be crying, clutching the US flag. It must be sad watching a muslim destroy your country from within. The worst part is you are too weak or stupid to do anything about it.
You know what's even worse, Charlesjones? Having a KKK thug like you alive because you have the gall to call anyone of color a "Muslim".
After all, if it walks like a thug, talks like a thug, and worships a thuggy god, it MUST be a thuggy Muslim, right?
Well, here's what I say to that: You can take that nice double barrel southern shotgun and stick it up yours. Then pull the trigger so I can finally be rid of your racist a$$.
Spike Lee, Jesse Jackson and of course Al Sharpton will make it a big a major issue; a scandal; a big argument.
So if all it takes is a prison charge to keep non-native people from entering your country and everyone on this post is for it because it is aginst Mike Tyson then maybe we here in the USA should have the same national policy as New Zealand. If we denied every person with a criminal record from entering our country or staying in our country if they commit a crime (who was not born here as a legal citizen) then I am sure everyone on the post board would whole heartedly agree with that legislation. RIGHT!!!! OH yeah, that's right you don't. It is only right and funny if it is a foriegn country doing it to one of our people (and only if people dislike him) but don't let us treat them like they treat us.
Walker1965,
The USA does have Visa restrictions for those with; crimminal records, mental problems/history, and drug involvment. They are just not ENFORCED...
One of the first things Obama did after assuming office was to lift the Visa restrictions on people with AIDS. This resulted in the USA not obtaining their goals on TB infection rates...
Actually the US does bar people with criminal records from Immigrating here, and we regularly deport non citizens once they serve their time. We are the model the rest of the world is adopting, After all if you claim to be the freest country in the world then you policies mush be the most liberal, right??
Mike Tyson on a speaking tour? He has difficulty putting two sentences together, good for you New Zealand, the United States could learn something.
Who cares, I wouldn't pay $10.00 to see him
He'll lip sinque anyway.
because you probably dont even have $10.00 THATS WHY? ignorant fool.
That is all right, Thailand will still let you visit, if you have MONEY...
Just pay the Bar Girls, one USN Officer is in jail for life, after he refused to pay & then killed her...
BTY - David Carradine is still hanging in the closet...
And if you meet your demise, your body will be displayed to the viewing public... Ha! Ha!
Thailand places no restriction to foreign undesirables from entering or taking up residentship. Obtaining cheap sex and/or child sex seem to be the main motives for these undesirables.
Come to Thailand and see what happens to those that play with the children...
A Russian composer, that had lived in Thailand for years, lost everything he owned in Thailand and his Thai Visa after he was accused of child molestation...
The person that was extradited to the USA for killing JonBenet Ramsey, had been convicted for molesting two Thia students. He was facing life in a Thai prison, the USA had the Thai Gov drop the charges so they could extradite him. The US later freed him and dropped all charges...
To obtain a Thai Visa you have to have; a clean criminal & mental health record, ZERO drug and alcohol history, no diseases, and proof of income/money in a Thai bank. You have to do this every 12+months, because few farang are ever issued a Thai Citizenship. Any violations while in Thailand will result in; JAIL, deportation, and be banned from re-entry...
Nice thing about Thai Jails, if you do not have a rich sponser to take care of you, you will starve to death. The foreign embassies, do not waste their time with taking care of jail birds...
Sux to C all these Boomers gettin cheap shots on Mike. He's a counterculture favorite. Regardless of his lisp, he's very educated and well spoken. In 86 ALL of U were on his Nuuuuutz!!!!
Though many may have ridden his "nuuuutz" as you put it, he was not educated and I dont think any shots at Tyson are cheap especially from Baby Boomers who watch him piss his money and carear away that he aerned from his fans all on a bunch of "Thugs" in his corner putting D'Amato in the toilet.
How many shots is $300M dollars from fans?
Although its nice to see him NOT in the news anymore. He has calmed down alot and hopefully gets his act together. Atleast he hasnt slit anyones throat.
He LOVED Cus D'Amato so dearly, but he WAS just a kid @ the time. Fame and fortune, especially in Reagan-era 1986....other celebs didn't fare as well as Tyson, considering. Tatum O'neal? Brian Bosworth? Vince young? ok
I Totally agree! just a bunch of waste talkers that got the full blown COWARD THING GOING ON! scared to say it to Mikes face! pure CHICKEN SH%TS, AND SEVERE CHEAP SHOTS!!!
...
Fi, Fi, Fo - Fo, Fo, Fi, Fi
Mike giving his phone number to a friend.
...
The best thing about this joke is that it's almost infinitely reusable. Take "fee-fi-fo-fum", and get rid of the fum. Then change the order however you want. Finally, pick your favorite of the three. It works best when written and it's great at parties.
What could he possibly do in 20 hours?
Lets see, he raped the teenager in less then 5 minutes, bit of an ear in less then 30, started a bar brawl in less then 10....give him 20 hours and I bet he could ruin the country.
In all honesty, I grew up watching Tyson fight. I used to really love the guy and thought he was an incredible athlete...It was sad to see him get away from good training and get into bed with a bunch of "thugs" riding his fame. You could see the change in him and the people in his corner....Sad. Such a waste.
He has been alittle more mellow lately but unfourtunately its too late.
The only lucky thing about Mike Tyson's career as a boxer is that unlike Ali's, his ended before he suffered serious brain damage.
I know, his outward actions are not always those of a bright, sane person. But I think he was like that at 20.
what happened to tolerance?..i thought people could change?.....no?...we should construct cages for people who have been banned for life....from whatever..
Tolerance???
The US banned a 17 year old UK student from traveling to the USA for life...
He had sent a Email to Obama, referring to him as a Pr!ck...
There are many people who have been jailed, due to perceived Obama threats...
But during the George Bush era, people were making death threats, burning /hanging effigies, making films, etc... see http://www.binscorner.com/pages/d/death-threats-against-bush-at-protests-i.html
But that was OK, because everyone knows Liberals can not control their-selves and seldom follow-up...
Stop giving this worthless piece of garbage your hard earned money. I would not go and see him if it were for free. He is scum.
It's interesting that u don't mention any white criminals.
Shut up bakerfield191.....he probably was just lumping criminals of a similar occupation (sports) together dumb ass. By the way, it is interesting how you black dudes keep defending a man that attacks black women and making excuses--but are the first to point out how every white man is a damned pedo on EVERY comment board in the cyber world!!!!! I believe he had many other accusations as well--lovely Robin Givens comes to mind.......oh, but all women are liars right? Yeah, ONLY when they are being attacked by black men. Because afterall, you are probably the same guy that didn't give any benefit of the doubt to Ben Roethlisberger after his second allegation was reported, but as I said can muster up every excuse in the world when black men are accused of being sexual predators. Yeah, very interesting indeed my friend!
As best as I can recall Jeffery Dalmer wasn't charged with a sex crime he or someone like him could be living next to you and you wouldn't know.
The guy did his time, give him a break, for cryin' out loud...
I agree, Aussie. He paid his dues to society and moved on. Too bad some of my compatriots are still hung up on his past. Probably can't see the trees for the sheep.
Oh, yeah, and let he who is without sin ...
I agree, he has way too much to lose to go to a country on a speaking tour just to commit crimes.