FEW people keep holiday promises to visit their new-found friends at home, but it appears boxer Mike Tyson is a man of his word.The former world heavyweight champion made a special trip to Askern in Doncaster just as he reported in this newsarticle, to visit dedicated fan Andy Booker, at his council-owned semi, after vowing to pop by more than 20 years ago.
A T-bone steak was the heavyweight request of former boxer Mike Tyson when he dropped into Donny for a spot of lunch.
The Sunday lunch date at his Askern home was superfan Andy Booker's dream come true after a 21-year friendship with the man known as Iron Mike.
"It is a dream come true for Tyson to visit - he always promised this when he retired and he is a man of his word. When I said Tyson would be visiting, a lot of people thought I was having a laugh - I have visited his homes in the US where he grew up and he always wanted to see my home town," said Andy, a newsagent in the town.
When Tyson arrived in the Askern on Sunday afternoon, he received a rousing reception with hundreds of people, lining the streets, chanting the sports superstar's name, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sportsman as his convoy swept by.
The White Hart pub was the boxer's first port of call - although Tyson, now converted to Islam just had orange juice. Around 150 people packed the pub eager to be able to say they'd had a drink with Iron Mike.
Outside Colin Leeson, 52, of Marian Crescent, Askern, said: "Tyson is a legend and just to see him is amazing. I have followed him throughout his career and for him to come to Askern is just fantastic."

Boxing legend Mike Tyson brought London's Canary Wharf to a standstill this lunchtime when he appeared at a book-signing.

There were chaotic scenes as thousands of office workers and shoppers crammed in to try and get a glimpse of the former world heavyweight champion.

'Iron' Mike, 39, the self-proclaimed 'baddest man on the planet', had to take refuge behind a cordon of security guards as uniformed police watched the scrum.

The American was making his first ever appearance in a UK bookshop to support his close friend, Irish boxer Joe Egan.

Tyson has written a foreword to Egan's biography 'The Toughest White Man On The Planet', which tells how he made a boxing comeback with Tyson's help after his career first ended 12 years ago.

As the crowds demanded a speech and pictures for their cameraphones, Tyson stood on a table and said: "I'm here to support my good friend Joe. Buy the book."
Tyson paid tribute to the crowds that turned up. He said: “I have always admired the British fight fans. It’s great to see so many of them out here. “But they didn’t just come to see me they came to see my friend Big Joe too.”
Also at the signing at Books etc were Scottish ex-boxing champ Jim Watt and English fighter Alan Minter.

United States former boxer Mike Tyson, left, talks with former boxer Joe Egan, right, during a signing of Egan's new biography, for which Tyson wrote the foreward, in London Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005.

Update: A videoclip of the booksigning and Mike Tyson confirming that he considers fighting again can be seen at this link.