Mike Tyson says the best years of his life were in prison

He said: “I’m just very grateful – I’m a cool guy, I’m a good person, I treated everybody nice. I had the best three years of my life in prison.”

"That don’t mean nothing when you don’t have peace. Just sit there within your balance. You need your sanity to dictate any part of life.”

He was released in 1995 as his sentence was reduced to three years.

Tyson revealed that despite being locked up, he kept up a disciplined workout routine to prepare for when he’d ultimately return to the ring.

He said that he would run ‘eight or nine miles’ in his cell, and he'd continuously jump up and down at night.

He added: “My cell has a concrete floor, right? I indented it with my feet into the concrete floor. I was 285 lbs (129 kg). I came out 215 lbs (97 kg).”

However, it wasn’t exactly all smooth sailing for the 56-year-old, as he revealed he had extended his sentence by a year for attacking a guard.

On the Hotboxin’ podcast, he said: "I got an extra year. When I first came there, I was mad at everybody, I didn't know they all wanted to show me love, so I'm fighting the guards and stuff but then the guards were telling me how to move.

“So, now I'm the man, I am getting food, got women, I am the man in prison.”

He continued: "But then the guard that was working for me goes like, 'Listen champ, remember when you first came here?'.

"You had those problems, we had to give you a year. I said 'oh f**kng s**t how could they do this s**t?' I gave them my money and they gave me another year?'

"So I had to go on programmes that I could never pass, spelling and stuff."

However, Tyson’s career didn’t suffer, as he went on to win four fights and even reclaimed the heavyweight championship after he was released.

But in 2005, ‘Iron Mike’ finally retired.

"I just don't have this in my heart anymore. I'm not going to disrespect the sport by losing to this calibre of fighter. This is my ending."