BEVERLY HILLS, California (Ticker) -- Mike Tyson launched into a rambling, profanity-laced tirade at today's news conference promoting his October 20 fight with Andrew Golota.

The former two-time heavyweight champion and ex-convict gave a series of bizarre, expletive-filled answers to questions from the media.

By his own admission, Tyson clearly was heavily medicated during the news conference and his mood swung from flamboyant and cheerful to dour and threatening.

At one point, referring to the media, the 34-year-old Tyson claimed he was taking the anti-depressant Zoloft so he would not, "Kill you people."

"I'm just a nigger," Tyson said before admitting he likely will be remembered for his flair for the bizarre rather than his boxing prowess.

Sporting a shaved head, Tyson indicated he was not interested in regaining the heavyweight title but did believe he could kill Golota or anyone else who chooses to step in the ring with him.

"I know I got my issues, I'm belligerent, I'm sometimes vicious and violent. ... But look at my life," he said. "I've been embarrassed -- humiliation, degradation and any other `T-I-O-N' that you can name."

Some media outlets cut away from the live feed while Tyson was continuing his diatribe.

The bout will be Tyson's first in the United States since his controversial no-contest against Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. In that fight, Norris was unable to continue after injuring a knee following a post-bell punch.

Tyson is 48-3 with 42 knockouts and will be returning to the U.S. after two victories in Europe.

On June 24, he knocked out former IBA and USBA heavyweight champion Lou Savarese just 38 seconds into the first round in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the second-fastest knockout of Tyson's career, eight seconds shy of his 1986 bout with Marvis Frazier.

After the bout, Tyson claimed he looked forward to "killing" WBC and IBF champion Lennox Lewis as well as eating the British heavyweight's children. Lewis has no children.

Tyson drew the ire of Scottish boxing officials after the fight when he knocked referee John Coyle to the floor with an elbow and threw punches at Savarese. The British Boxing Board of Control fined him $187,500, but Tyson was not suspended.

Nearly five months earlier, Tyson made his European debut with a second-round knockout of Julius Francis before a capacity crowd of 22,000 in Manchester, England.

His bout with Golota will be televised live on Showtime's pay-per-view at 9 p.m. EDT. It will be Tyson's first pay-per-view fight since he knocked out South Africa's Francois Botha with a right on January 16, 1999.

The bout with Botha was Tyson's first since he regained his boxing license after serving jail time in Maryland for assaulting two motorists.

Tyson and Golota both were disqualified for dirty tactics in previous bouts. Tyson was disqualified for biting both of Evander Holyfield's ears in a 1997 title bout. It led to the revocation of Tyson's license and a $3 million fine imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Golota (36-4, 29 KOs), a native of Warsaw, twice was disqualified for repeated low blows against Riddick Bowe in fights four years ago. On both occasions, Golota was ahead on points. Golota also bit Samson Po'hua's shoulder in 1995 and butted Danell Nicholson in 1996. He won both of those fights.