"I'm on the verge of dying." This is the statement that made the former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson trending all over the Internet world on Monday, Aug 26, after having admitted that he is a struggling substance abuser.

It was during ESPN's Friday Night Fights that the 47-year-old boxer bravely said that he is a "vicious alcoholic." As a good side of it, he also expressed how much he wants to finally get clean.

It can never be forgotten thought that Tyson holds the title for being the youngest boxer to have won heavyweight titles for IBF, WBA and WBA at the age of 20 way back in 1987. Yet, he was also one of the most controversial fighters of all time, especially when he was sent to prison for six years for a rape case.

He returned and retired in 2006, but in the following year was subjected to stay in jail for 24 hours due to drug possession and DUI. He also did community service for 360 hours.

Now, the Brooklyn-born retired boxer works instead as a boxing promoter and thankful even for the simple miracle that he hasn't took in drugs or drank in six days so far. With the desire to change his life and life a different one, he makes a promise to his own self with the statement, "I'm never going to use again."

Other Athletes Caught With Addiction Problems

Apparently, it is not just Mike Tyson who has gone through the same kind of problem. Even the most popular and younger players of today have also experienced such struggles between pushing one's self to do what's right or succumbing to any kind of substance abuse. Scroll down below to see more videos of these athletes:

Michael Phelps, Olympic gold medalist swimmer, has once dove into drugs in 2009. When a photo of him smoking marijuana came out, his Kellogg's contract was cancelled.

Soccer star and heartthrob Diego Maradona once struggled with cocaine addiction for 20 years which led to several suspensions.

Tennis superstar Andre Agassi was revealed to have used crystal method several times during the span of his career.

Basketball player Allen Iverson was charged with marijuana possession in 1997 and did community service to get out of his drug abuse problem.

As for now, we all hope for the best with Mike Tyson's substance abuse scenario and hope things will turn out well.