Mike Tyson Talks Roberto Cavalli, Naomi Campbell, and Why He Still Loves Being in the Ring

For his first full menswear collection for Roberto Cavalli, Fausto Puglisi has punched way above his weight—by casting boxing’s former undisputed world heavyweight champion of the world, Iron Mike Tyson. As well as making cameos in the new collection video that dropped today, Tyson will star in its campaign. Speaking during our conversation for the review of that collection, Puglisi said: “He is an icon, a champion, but also his story runs from the nightmare to the heaven. And this is humanity. To work with, he has been the king: he is so humble and charming.” After that call we asked if it would be possible to get on a Zoom with Iron Mike, and he said sure. This is an edit of the chat.

Hello, Mr Tyson. What do clothes and fashion bring you?

With me it’s all about the clothes. It’s all about the energy that the clothes give out. Believe it or not, but the clothes have a life of their own; the fabrics, they breathe. And some of them don’t like you, even if you like them, and sometimes you have to pick something that loves you. You might not love it, but it loves you: so you have to take it. That’s the art of design.

You had that famous altercation in 1988 with Mitch Green while you were picking up some altered clothes from Dapper Dan, which suggests your love for the energy that clothes give goes back.

When I was a young kid in the late 1970s, I was a street kid. We used to rob people’s houses, rob people, and with most of the money, you know we didn’t know what to do with money, so we bought clothes. We always looked like we were really dressed-nice kids going to private school, we had classes, but we were picking people’s pockets and robbing houses. So we got involved with fashion. And with fashion what you got was attention. “Hey you look nice: That looks nice.” It never failed: you’re the best looking guy in the room everybody is going to pay attention to. And I still try and be the best dressed guy in the room when I go out, all the time.

And before Fausto and Cavalli were in touch did you have connections with the house?

Well I met Roberto Cavalli before, in St. Tropez. I had the opportunity to meet him on his boat, the one that changes colors, right? And I remember his son, Daniele. Cavalli’s clothes are so explosive, and rich. And powerful. You feel like a Roman Emperor!

Clothes can give you an aura but during those weigh-ins when you wore barely anything at all. You also gave powerful aura…

Listen, that’s not true! Because when I was weighing in I always wore Versace underwear. And in order for them to look great on you, you gotta be in perfect condition. And I make sure I am in perfect condition.

Is it true that Jamie Foxx is currently bulking up in order to play you in a biopic series?

Yeah he showed me a few pictures and he looked pretty good!

Have you had many other fashion world encounters?

Well I dated a few girls who wore the clothes. And I would always ask them about Gianni Versace. And that’s how it happened: Naomi introduced me to him. And we had a lunch with him in New York and that’s how I met him. He was so cool, calm, collected… as cool as ice, man. He was this really suave man, he was style, style. When he was eating his food he’d take his tie and put it around to the side... He was a wonderful man, Gianni Versace, and he left too early, way before his time. 

And now you are back in the ring and running your Legends League?

Yes we just did a deal and are about to start promoting some fights. 

Do you still take pleasure in the sport?

Oh absolutely. Maybe even more so, because I have the opportunity to help people [Tyson donated proceeds of his last fight to grassroots charities], because that’s what it’s all about. When you do something nice for yourself, that can get boring. Doing something nice for someone else never gets boring.

Is that a lesson you’ve learned since being that dressed-up kid robbing houses for money that you didn’t know what to do with?

Yeah, it is. What I know now is that taking care of me is nothing, and taking care of someone else… that’s everything.

Originally Appeared on Vogue