'Hangover' role turned my life around, says Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson arrives for the 67th Golden Globe Awards on Sunday in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

The former heavyweight champion played himself in the 2009 hit, and he insists the role and the fun he had while shooting convinced him to clean up his image, following a series of alcohol and drug-related arrests, Variety reported.

"(The movie) started me on a good path to a healthy life," said Tyson.

Speaking backstage at the Golden Globe awards, the 43-year-old boxer described how director Todd Phillips convinced him to take the role.

"Todd said to me, 'This is going to be the biggest movie, you're going to get so many girls, you'll never see the like of it again'," Tyson joked.