FORMER world heavyweight boxing champion and convicted rapist Mike Tyson has appealed to Australian immigration authorities to grant him a visa so he can appear at a speaking engagement in Brisbane in November.
The one time self-styled "Baddest man on the Planet" who was once suspended from the sport for biting off an opponent's ear, said yesterday his 1992 rape conviction had never prevented him from visiting any country and it would be his "misfortune" if he could not come to Brisbane.
He is due to appear at Mike Tyson's Day of the Champions at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 16 as part a program featuring motivational speakers.
Tyson acknowledged he must first pass a character test for visa applicants to Australia who are told on immigration documents they can not come into the country if they have "a substantial criminal record", are found "not to be of good character", "there is a significant risk that the person will engage in criminal conduct in Australia" or "represent a danger to the Australian community".
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Yesterday during a video conference from Las Vegas, Tyson grew frustrated at questions about his conviction for raping beauty queen Desiree Washington in 1991.
"You shouldn't be worried about me," he said. "I'm coming over there with my family - I don't want to be on trial for my life to come over there."
Tyson's Australian agent, Max Markson said: "Mike was sentenced to six years (for rape), he served three and was released on good behaviour. It was 20 years ago.
"I think Australia welcomes people, we have a history of welcoming people. We forgive."
Tyson who said he went from being a wimpy kid to becoming the most "intimidating and ferocious fighter in the history of sports" was the youngest world heavyweight champion, winning his first title in 1986 at the age of 20.
He was jailed for rape between 1992 and 1995.
He bit off part of Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 title fight and served nine months in prison in 1999 for assaulting two men in a road rage incident.
Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003 despite having amassed $400 million in prizemoney.
He was asked about tweets he had recently sent to Shane Warne, but seemed confused about the cricket great's identity.
"Yeah, I know Shane," he said, "is Shane still fighting?
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