In what was interpreted in the United States as some kind of a coup, we report that Oprah Winfrey has reduced Mike Tyson to tears. By putting him in front of a studio audience and asking him questions about the death in May of his four-year-old daughter, The Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday did indeed succeed in making Tyson deeply emotional.

Trailers for the show observed that this was “not the ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson you think you know”, although, with Winfrey pushing him on the details — the girl caught her neck in a cord on a treadmill — it is arguably not such a surprise that a man with a long history of failing to maintain self-control should find himself struggling.

Either way, the show was such a hit that Tyson agreed to come back for more. We cannot share the details because the interview took place late on Friday night, but the coup this time was to have Evander Holyfield join them. And this was to be the first time Tyson and Holyfield had sat politely together discussing the night that the former had chewed the latter’s ear.

Usain Bolt looks to add bowling to his pace
Usain Bolt is flirting with the idea of the long jump and the 400 metres, but his next discipline will be cricket. The Jamaican will play alongside the likes of Ramnaresh Sarwan, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose on Sundayin a “Pro 15/15” tournament organised by Chris Gayle, his friend.

Bolt has long been a cricket fan and on Sunday he will look to contribute with some pace bowling, for which he seems physiologically designed. Simultaneously, we hear he plans a “toned-down” athletics programme next year, possibly skipping the Commonwealth Games. It is not known whether the two are connected.

Rally-car jumper wants to avoid making a splash
From Long Beach, California, news of a planned attempt to break the world record for the longest jump in a rally car. Travis Pastrana aims to add 100 feet to the record of 171 feet — and to do so over water. Apparently, such stunts are easier on a motorbike because “if something is going wrong, you can jump off”. This is why he wants scuba divers on hand. “Drowning is not on my priority list,” he said.