Behind the Beast: The Surprising Bedtime Ritual That Calms Mike Tyson
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The public sees Mike Tyson as a whirlwind of power, aggression, and pure intimidation.
But behind the scenes, when the gloves come off and the world quiets down, Tyson reveals a softer — almost poetic — side that few know exists.
Every night, long after the arenas empty and the adrenaline fades, Mike Tyson turns to classical music to fall asleep. His favorites? Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Chopin’s Nocturnes.
“I need it,” Tyson once confided. “It’s the only thing that calms the storm inside me.”
Growing up in chaos and violence, Tyson found that the disciplined beauty of classical compositions offered a peace he rarely knew as a child — or even as a champion. The pounding rhythms of the ring were replaced by the gentle swell of an orchestra, the fierce jabs and uppercuts softened by flowing melodies.
It’s a stark contrast: the man who once symbolized raw fury seeking comfort in the quiet intricacies of centuries-old music.
And yet, it makes perfect sense.
Even the fiercest warriors need something to remind them they’re human.
For Mike Tyson, it’s not fame, fortune, or fighting that tames the beast.
It’s the timeless echo of a piano in the dark.
