Fans fume at let down Tyson show

Let down and disappointed – that was the verdict from furious fans who snapped up tickets to see Mike Tyson's first stop on his UK tour in Wolverhampton.

Many were so fed-up at waiting hours for the boxing legend to appear they walked out in disgust branding the event was a "rip-off" and "shambolic."

Fuming Tracey Astley, from Birmingham New Road, Dudley, who bought the tickets as a birthday gift for her boyfriend Steve Brain, was today putting in an official complaint to the Civic Hall.

The 37-year-old secretary, who walked out in protest 10 minutes into Tyson's act, felt cheated.

She said: "It was a total waste of money. The audience was very restless – shouting and heckling and hissing because of the wait. We couldn't hear a thing where we were sitting. The security people had no control over the crowd.

"The compere kept telling people to 'Shhhush' – it was like being back in school. I'm so annoyed. It was £50 down the drain. We also paid a fiver for a single raffle ticket which wasn't called before Mike Tyson came on.

"Who was going to hang around for that? It was an absolute rip-off."

Her partner Steve, 36, was equally unimpressed, despite being a big boxing fan.

He said: "It definitely wasn't worth the wait."

Jansen Harris, of Stevenson Drive, Perton, named his son Tye after the fighter but was unimpressed by his idol's management team.

The 37-year-old construction site agent said: "There was total meltdown in there, people were not happy. The bouncers were taking a lot of stick for the bad organisation but it wasn't their fault.

"There was an auction that went on for longer than Mike Tyson was on stage, with items going for up to £4,000. We'd come to see a show but it was just a huge money-making racket.

"We've had to leave early to get home to our kids."

His partner Sally Robinson, 38, said: "We came to see Frank Bruno last year and he was brilliant. But it seems Mike Tyson thinks he can do what he likes."

Anne O'Rourke, of Wilmington Road, Quinton, won her VIP tickets in a competition and invited her sister Pat Sokell to join her. The women described the evening as a disaster.

Pat said: "Meeting Mike Tyson before the event was fantastic but the actual event was shambolic."

Anne said: "Mike Tyson was two hours late which set everything back. His 45 minutes on stage was very entertaining although there were questions he wouldn't answer."

But not everyone was disappointed. Construction engineer Ade Kingston, of Belt Road, Cannock, enjoyed the night despite the rumpus.

He said: "Mike was a really nice, respectful man. He's my hero, he can do what he likes."

Darren Talwar, a 36-year-old manager from Rowdale Road, Great Barr, who was there with his partner Kelly Deb, 34, added: "I wouldn't have missed it."

Mechanic Jordan Everett, 21, and his cousin Martin Spencer, a 23-year-old joiner, splashed out £320 each for their tickets, hotel bill and petrol money from Bradford, but thought the 500-mile round trip was worth it.

He said: "I've been a Mike Tyson fan all my life, I'd have paid £700 for a ticket. It was a great night – he was so completely open about his life. I shook his hand so I'm made up.

"It was a great night – he was so completely open about his life. I shook his hand so I'm made up. Chris Eubank, Ken Buchanan and other boxing legends were there but none of them come near Tyson.

"I've watched all his fights on DVD, he was the most exciting boxer ever, his fights were always value for money. Who cares if we had to wait a bit to see him?"

Financial advisor Jamie Donald, 30, from Sutton Coldfield was at the gig with dad Ian, 63, and relative Steven Langford, 22.

He said: "We were sitting two tables away from the stage so we were lucky. The talk was really good but the event itself was pretty disorganised.

"A lot of people left just after Tyson came on because they had to move their cars from the car park which shut at 11.30pm and most of them didn't bother to come back.

"The auction was just an extra money spinner for them. The sound system was too loud and distorted the singers' voices.

"It was certainly a night to remember for good and bad reasons."