Bert Marcus and Mike Tyson of Champs

Watching boxing when I was little was kind of a bonding experience between my parents and I. We used to watch every major heavyweight bout during the ’90s, so it’s no surprise to say that Mike Tyson was one of my favorite boxers growing up. Recently, the man formerly known as Iron Mike has experienced a renaissance of sorts with his various ventures in entertainment. One such venture saw Tyson produce Champs, an exceptional documentary that explores the socioeconomic issues that plagued Bernard Hopkins, Evander Holyfield, and Tyson during their boxing heydays.

I had the chance to speak with Bert Marcus, the writer/director/co-producer of Champs, where we discussed the documentary’s focus, working with Tyson, his production company’s plans for the future, and more. Read on for the full interview, and keep an eye out for our review of the documentary later.

Champs is in theaters, on Demand, and on iTunes today, March 13th!