Mike Tyson says he is grateful to be part of the âbitcoin revolutionâ, though he admits heâs âno guruâ just yet.
The ex-heavyweight champion of the world spoke with CoinDesk prior to the launch of his first branded bitcoin ATM in Las Vegas yesterday morning.
Positioned inside the Off The Strip restaurant, the Lamassu machine has been billed as Tysonâs âGeorge Foreman grillâ â and bitcoinâs bridge into popular culture.
Many have accused the digital currency of having a branding problem, with Silk Road and Mt Gox still raw, but Tyson disagrees. The issue isnât so much about branding, he says, as education.
âPeople donât really understand a currency based on numerical equations. I personally still donât â¦Â but Iâm grateful to be a part of the revolution and hoping that my participation in this space will lead to more conversations and help increase knowledge and awareness.â
âIn no way do I profess to be any kind of bitcoin currency guru. It just seems very interesting and Iâm intrigued with the possibilities,â he added.
The machine, which promises cash-to-bitcoin faster than the controversial boxerâs knockout record, joins six others in Sin City.
100 more machines are reportedly being planned. Profits will be an âeven splitâ between Tyson and Bitcoin Direct, according to the companyâs CEO, Peter Klamka. He told the launch crowd:
âMike is a universally known boxer and celebrity whose fan base extends across a broad demographic. People around the world of all ages recognise him.â
Bitcoin Direct came under fire when the partnership was first announced in July. Pundits speculated the announcement could be a scam at Tysonâs expense, noting the patchy Internet trail of Klamkaâs other firm, OTC stock Bitcoin Brands Inc.
Clearly, Tyson hasnât been put off. He says he already knew about the currency prior to meeting Klamka, drawn in by the idea of having options beyond the banking system. âOptions are a principle of democracy.â
This also applies to those excluded from the banking system, or those that donât necessarily want or feel as though they have need to a bank account, he said. Though heâs not swapping all his dollars for crypto just yet:
âJust because Iâm intrigued by bitcoin doesnât mean that I have vowed off banks, nor am I encouraging anyone else to do so either.â
Click below to view a gallery of pictures from the launch.
Images via Denise Truscello, Getty Images
