Boxing legend Mike Tyson has had many intriguing interactions with the media over his career. However, he also appreciates moments when he isn't the focal point of attention. During the Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia fight coverage, DAZN ringside reporter Emily Austin shared her cool experience with “Iron Mike.”
During a recent episode of Sid and Friends at 77WABC, Emily Austin shared her encounter with Mike Tyson at the Haney vs. Garcia fight. She recounted, “He’s (Mike Tyson) sitting next to Oscar Dela Hoya. Oscar’s like ‘leave him the f— alone,’ and I was like hey Mike, I work for DAZN, wanna give me some predictions? He was like ‘nah,’ I was like, ‘are you sure? It was just 30 seconds for DAZN, like we’re hosting this whole fight.”
Host Sid Rosenberg added, “It’s a big deal.”
Austin shared that Tyson initially declined to give predictions, saying, “nah I’m good, I’m just trying to enjoy, thank you.”
Mike Tyson rewarded Emily Austin's persistence
However, she didn't give up. “Again I walk up to him 30 minutes later, I’m like ‘Did your mind change?’ like trying to be funny about it so it’s not awkward,” the DAZN reporter said to Tyson, who again declined.
“He gets up to go to the bathroom,” Austin said while holding her laugh. “You followed him to the bathroom?” Rosenberg inquired, to which Austin responded, “I didn’t go all the way there, I was ringside. So I kinda walked with him. I’m like ‘Yo! Listen, I’m 22, If you do an interview with me, it would help my career out a lot,’ and he was like ‘Oh my god, you’re so persistent. Come on, fine,’ so I sit with him, I do the interview, it’s like 60 seconds, he gives me his predictions, good answers, thorough answers, and then I do one last favor.” she said.
Emily Austin then asked Tyson if she could host his fight with Jake Paul. When Rosenberg asked what Tyson's response was, Austin shared, “He gives me his phone number, and his manager.” She then added humorously, “You know what his card is? The ear with a bite taken out of it,” concluding her story with a memorable detail.
Emily Austin's other endeavors
Austin has been actively involved with DAZN, specifically contributing to its social media coverage as the social presenter for the Haney-Garcia fight. Her contributions extended to creating content for DAZN that provided a thorough look at the event.
Beyond her work with DAZN, Austin hosts The Hoop Chat podcast, where she has interviewed NBA players like Monte Morris, Zach Collins, and Miles McBride. Moreover, she makes appearances on news programs and also manages People’s Beauty, a skincare company that offers various consumer products.
Garcia and Haney squared off in a highly anticipated bout on April 19 at the Barclays Center in New York. The fight was marked by Garcia's surprising performance, as he managed to knock down Haney multiple times.
However, controversy arose when it was later revealed that Garcia had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Additionally, he had also failed to meet the weight requirement for the fight, adding further scrutiny to the event.
Regarding Mike Tyson, the fight between Jake Paul and the former heavyweight champion has been rescheduled. Originally set for July 20, the bout was postponed due to Tyson's medical issues. It is now slated to take place on Nov. 15 at AT&T Stadium.
We'll have to wait and see if Emily Austin will indeed be hosting the fight.
