FIGHT OR FLIGHT ?

FIGHT OR FLIGHT ?

- FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP MIKE TYSON SHARES HIS LIFE AND HIS LOVE OF BIRDS IN A SURPRISING NEW SERIES, TAKING ON TYSON -

Premiering On Animal Planet on June 6th

"The first thing I ever loved in my life was a pigeon." -- Mike Tyson.

You know Mike Tyson as the former world heavyweight champion. In June 2011, tune in to Animal Planet to meet Mike Tyson, the pigeon lover.

Heavyweight boxing legend and Brooklyn native, Mike Tyson always has loved breeding and raising pigeons. These birds have been an integral part of his life from his childhood. In fact, Mike threw his first punch when a neighbourhood bully killed one of his beloved pigeons and threw it in his face. Of course, Mike would go on to be one of the most famous, and infamous, champions in boxing (and sports) history. And through it all, his pigeons and his rooftop pigeon coops remained his one constant and secret solace. Now, in the new Animal Planet series TAKING ON TYSON, Mike goes beyond just raising his feathered friends – he will race them for the very first time. With unprecedented access to the neighbourhood haunts he grew up in and lifelong friends who surround him, this docudrama introduces audiences to the highly competitive, bizarrely fascinating subculture of pigeon racing. The stakes are high in a sport that has just as much machismo as boxing. But this time it’s not about money; it’s about bragging rights.

TAKING ON TYSON will air every night at 9 pm from 6^th June to 19^th June on Animal Planet.

From the rooftops of Jersey City to the streets of Brooklyn, this unique series profiles

The enigmatic Mike Tyson as the boxing legend reconnects with his roots and returns to his childhood neighbourhood to face his next challenge. Tyson’s pigeons have provided him with tranquillity and escape throughout his tumultuous life. Now, along with a band of close friends who share his love for these avian athletes, he enters the realm of pigeon racing. TAKING ON TYSON is an enriching window into Mike Tyson’s complex life, where the road to self- awareness, the path to inner peace and the vision into the future… is with these birds.

“The first thing I ever loved in my life was a pigeon. I don't know why… I feel ridiculoustrying to explain it,” says Tyson. “Pigeons are a part of my life. It’s a constant with my sanity in a weird way; this is just what I do. If I'm lucky enough to die an old man, I'm going to have birds.”

Supporting the novice racer are the members of Tyson’s Corner: Mario Costa, his lifelong friend and promoter/manager; Vinnie Torre, his esteemed and respected pigeon trainer; and the Roman Brothers, his pigeon caretakers. His rivals include the younger yet more experienced racers Joe Green and Helder Rodrigues.         

For more information, please contact:

Atul Malikram

9827092823