Mike Tyson is perhaps one of, if not the most, popular athletes in the world. Having ascended to the top of the combat sports food chain, 'Iron Mike' is a household name. What's more, 'The Baddest Man on the Planet' has been in the public eye since the very start of his career. He fought his way to heavyweight boxing glory at the tender age of 20 years and four months.
Most of his antics have been appreciated by the fans. However, there have been many instances where he has found himself in trouble.
His life, inside and outside the squared circle, has been nothing short of a movie. Tyson has starred in video games and the big screen. He has also spent a significant amount of time in prison. Behind the successful boxer is a highly complex individual.
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As part of his journey to becoming a better person, Mike Tyson has been candid about a myriad of transgressions from his past. However, countless facets of the heavyweight kingpin's life are mentioned only in hushed tones. In this article, we look at a few lesser-known instances when Mike Tyson lived up to his moniker of 'The Baddest Man on the Planet'.
#5. Mike Tyson knocked out a garbage man
Associating Mike Tyson with fighting sanitation workers is a difficult task. However, it is no surprise that a garbage man found himself at the mercy of Mike Tyson after what he did.
He was seen dumping a crate carrying the remains of Mike Tyson's favorite pigeon, Julius, into the trash. Tyson ran to Julius' aid and floored the sanitation worker with his notorious right hand.
Regarding the incident, Tyson said:
“I rushed him and caught him flush on the temple with a titanic right hand! He was out cold, convulsing on the floor like an infantile r***rd,” said Mike Tyson about his encounter with the binman.
Mike Tyson's affinity towards pigeons has been well-documented. While the sanitation worker may not have appreciated it, the fact that Mike Tyson would go to such lengths to save his feathery friend is heartwarming, to say the least.
#4. Mike Tyson admitted to using 'whizzers' to test negative for drugs
Drug testing in sports is one of the most stringent processes. However, fighters like Mike Tyson have devised unprecedented ways to beat the system and cheat regulators over time.
In his biography titled 'Undisputed Truth,' Mike Tyson admitted to cheating the system. In the tell-all, Tyson described taking drugs and filling a fake penis with someone else's urine before approaching the tests. He went on to admit that a member of his entourage would carry the 'whizzer' and pass it on to him when it was time to appear for the test.
Catch the entire segment with Mike Tyson and Jeff Novitzky right here:
While in conversation with Jeff Novitzky on the 'Hotboxin with Mike Tyson' podcast, Tyson opened up about his exploits when it came to cheating the system. Tyson admitted to using his wife and baby's urine during tests. However, he stopped using his wife's urine due to the fear of the sample testing positive for pregnancy.
#3. Mike Tyson forced Teddy Atlas to point a gun at him
Mike Tyson has often found himself embroiled in controversy and trouble. However, that is nothing new; Tyson has been getting into trouble since his childhood days. The same held true while he was being trained by Teddy Atlas.
While in conversation with Dan Le Batard on the 'Highly Questionable' show, Teddy Atlas harked back to the time when he pulled a gun to Mike Tyson's head. The trainer was forced to take extreme measures after a 15-year-old Tyson misbehaved with Atlas' 11-year-old niece.
However, Mike Tyson claims that the real reason Atlas pulled a gun on him was a dispute regarding his alliance with Cus D'Amato. In the wake of his split with D'Amato, Atlas wanted Tyson to follow him instead of D'Amato. However, 'Iron Mike' refused.
#2. Mike Tyson got high off of 'Toad Venom'
Mike Tyson's affinity towards recreational drugs has been well documented. However, there are some drugs that even a veteran user like Tyson would do well to avoid.
While in conversation with Dan Le Batard, Mike Tyson described the experience of getting high on toad venom. While it surprised none, Tyson admitted that the drug knocked him off his feet and changed his life.
#1. Mike Tyson got a prison official pregnant
Perhaps the darkest time of Mike Tyson's life was his stint in prison after being convicted of rape. While in conversation with Jim Gray on the 'Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson' podcast, 'Iron Mike' opened up about his experience in prison.
He revealed that he had indulged in more than just penance while he was incarcerated. He admitted that his time in prison was not as bad as he had thought it would be.
"I had a girlfriend and I got a girl pregnant in prison. I was living a life in prison. It was just meant to be. I was Mike Tyson and everybody gave me what I wanted," said Mike Tyson.
While Mike Tyson has been rather candid about his time in prison, this was a part that he'd swept under the rug for quite some time. Tyson was rather tight-lipped when it came to divulging any personal details of his paramour.