With the 2020 presidential election drawing near, celebrities, athletes and everyday citizens alike are calling for people across the country to vote. Mike Tyson is among this group, and he recently revealed that he will officially vote for the first time in his life. Nevada’s 2019 criminal justice reform allows convicted felons to vote once they have completed their sentence.
The 54-year-old boxer spent three years in prison in the 1990s on charges of rape and deviant sexual conduct. With his completed prison sentence, Tyson can now register to vote and support either Joe Biden or Donald Trump. He previously supported Trump in 2016 but did not reveal which candidate is his favorite to win in 2020. However, Tyson did express pride about his first time registering.
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“This election will be my 1st time voting. I never thought I could because of my felony record. I’m proud to finally vote,” Tyson tweeted. He also called for others to register to vote in the upcoming Presidential Election. The fans on Twitter responded by saying that they are excited about Tyson’s decision to vote and asked him to forever remember his “first time.”
Another former professional athlete joined Tyson in calling for fans and followers to vote. Dwayne Johnson released a video on Sunday morning and informed social media users that he is officially endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States. Johnson said that he wouldn’t shout back at those that disagreed with him. Instead, he simply asked other people to register to vote.
While Tyson prepares to vote for the first time in his life, he will also continue training for his return to the boxing ring. He will face off with Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition fight at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The original date of the fight was Sept. 12, but organizers moved the event to Nov. 28. According to ESPN, the delay provides more time for international TV deals and to tie up loose ends in the pay-per-view side.
Tyson previously made an appearance on ESPN’s First Take and explained why he is going to fight once again after years away from the boxing ring. “It’s because I can do it. And I believe other people believe they can do it too,” Tyson said. He also explained that being 54 years old “doesn’t mean that we have to start a new career and our lives are totally over.”
