Essex boxing fans have the chance to get up close and personal to one of the most feared men to have ever stepped into the ring.

Braintree-based promoter Jimmy Clyne has landed the coup of coups by arranging for ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson to come to north Essex for a special one-off show where he will regale fans with tales from his life in and outside the ring.

There will also be the chance for people to have a chance to meet the two-time heavyweight champion of the world personally and have pictures taken with him at the show, which is expected to be held at Towerlands in Braintree at the start of November.

Tyson was the youngest-ever man to hold the World Heavyweight crown at the age of 20 in November 1986 having developed a fearsome reputation as a teenager and went on to become the undisputed champion at the age of 21.

In a glittering career, he had 50 wins, including 44 knockouts, with five defeats over his 20-year career, before retiring from the ring, with his last fight coming in June 2005.

Five Lakes Hotel and Country Club is another possible location for the show and Clyne said there will be other big-name entertainers supporting Tyson, including legendary soul singer Alexander O’Neal.

Clyne said the contracts have been signed to arrange the show and he has also travelled over to meet Tyson at his home in America. The promoter feels there are few more well-known figures in the world of entertainment than Tyson and said it is a show that will appeal to people whether they are fans of boxing or not.

“There is Tyson mania everywhere and since the sad passing of Michael Jackson, I think he has to be one of the biggest names in the world,” said Clyne.

“His demographics are bigger than anyone.

“Kids who are 12, 13 or 14 know about him and boxing fans in their 70s love him for what he did in the ring.

“I was offered the show way back in February, but the deal fell through, but I spoke with his best friend in this country and managed to get it sorted.

“I’m absolutely over the moon to have got Mike Tyson.

“We are setting ticket prices at £25 and even in the current climate, if nobody is going to pay that to see someone of his stature, they will not pay for anything.

“The contract is signed and I’m seeing his agent early this week to tie everything up.

“I also went over to America and met Mike in his house and we had a picture taken of him in a Braintree Town shirt.

“He is very excited about coming over.

“He can’t wait as he loves it over here, this is his favourite country to come to.”

Clyne said Tyson’s Essex date will be one of four in the UK, with another in Wolverhampton, as well as one in Wales as part of a memorial to Welsh fighter Johnny Owen and a fourth in Belfast because it was the home of his favourite footballer, George Best.