Photos provided by Christian Purdie / HardRock.com

He’s always been “the baddest man on the planet” in the ring, but “Iron” Mike Tyson also has much funnier and more insightful sides showing through now that he’s not knocking out opponents on a regular basis.

The Boxing Hall of Famer has since turned to writing (“Undisputed Truth”), acting (“The Hangover” series), podcasting (“Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson”), merchandising (Tyson Pro athletic gear, Tyson 2.0 cannabis) and touring, presenting his latest one man show, “The Return Of the Mike,” to the Rockford location of Hard Rock Live inside the bustling casino of the same name.

It’s of course a global brand responsible for bringing major musicians to the masses, yet keeps branching out into all aspects of celebrity culture and securing Tyson in his only Illinois appearance was certainly as A-list as it gets.

As the evening’s sole headliner, a grown up version of “Kid Dynamite” dove into multiple aspects of an unbelievable career, such as growing up extremely unprivileged, getting discovered by renowned coach Cus D’Amato as a mere teenager and fearlessly climbing the ladder to become the youngest fighter to ever simultaneously hold the three most prestigious world titles.

Tyson interspersed vintage photos and videos to illustrate the journey, including the infamous Evander Holyfield ear-biting incident that wound up inspiring an extensive line of gummies, alongside many totally over the top interviews.

In fact, the now 59-year-old was as self-deprecating as ever, especially when musing on wild nights of women, cocaine and strip clubs, none of which he is necessarily proud of now, though the corresponding tales nonetheless prompted loads of laughs to break out throughout the packed floor and bleachers.

He continued catching fans up to present tense, often joking on the perils of aging and recovering from a string of serious health setbacks, but still finding the tenacity to complete a record-breaking, presumably final fight with YouTuber Jake Paul.

No matter the topic, Tyson came across as a magnetic personality and quite the comedian, who as the Hard Rock can confirm, regularly demonstrated a knack for reinvention, even in the face of adversity outside the ropes.

For additional information on Mike Tyson, visit MikeTyson.com.

Upcoming shows at Hard Rock Live Rockford include Ledisi (Nov. 15); Bronco (Nov. 16); Babyface (Nov. 21); Ranch Hands Cowboylesque (Nov. 26); Aaron Lewis (Dec. 4); David Foster & Katharine McPhee (Dec. 5); Stateline Rumble (Dec. 6); Beatles vs Stones (Dec. 26); Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular (Jan. 16); Don McLean (Jan. 18); Martin Lawrence (Jan. 23); Rob Thomas (Jan. 25); Lewis Black (Jan. 30); Marlon Wayans (Feb. 13); Stavros Halkias (Mar. 6); Boy George & Culture Club (Mar. 8); “The Price Is Right” Live (Mar. 13); Rodney Carrington (Mar. 20) and Kenny Wayne Shepherd (May 2). For additional details, visit HardRockCasinoRockford.com.

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