Mike Tyson (photo) smokes marijuana regularly. Photo: Reproduction
From the top of the boxing world to the bottom. And back again! The story of Mike Tyson It's a rollercoaster of emotions, marked by ups and downs. At 58 years old, the former world heavyweight champion reinvents himself once again and prepares to face a new challenge: a fight against the YouTuber Jake Paul.
Over the years, 'Iron Mike' has transcended boxing and become a pop culture icon. Did you know that his punch was once as devastating as a Volkswagen Beetle going 50 mph? That he inspired a character in one of the most famous fighting games in history? And that, despite being one of the most feared men in the world, he has been slapped in the face for money?
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O SUPER FIGHTS made a selection of some of the curiosities that surrounded (and still surround) the life of the most talked about 'sixty-something' in recent days. Check it out!
Powerful punch like a car at 50km/h
Iron Mike's quick knockouts are not without reason. At his peak, the power of the boxer's punch was compared to the force of a moving car hitting you: about 700 to 1.200 pounds of force (or approximately 317 to 544 kg of force). For comparison, getting punched by Tyson was similar to the impact of a Volkswagen Beetle hitting you at about 50 mph.
But the boxing legend's devastating punch was not just about power, but also about his refined technique, speed and ability to apply his entire body weight to his punches. Iron Mike had a rare combination of explosive power and precision that experts say made him one of the most feared boxers in history.
Tribute in classic fighting game
Even if you're not a video game fan, you've probably heard of Street Fighter. There's been a controversy involving Tyson and the classic fighting game, which has been around for almost 40 years.
In the game Street Fighter II, released in 1991 in Japan, Capcom created the character 'Mike Bison', an American boxer who closely resembled Mike Tyson, both in appearance and fighting style.
A tribute to one of the greatest names in world boxing at the time. However, when the game was released in the US, Capcom feared that the likeness and the name “M. Bison” could result in a lawsuit from Tyson for image infringement.
The character M. Bison… or rather! Balrog, from Street Fighter / Art Capcom
To avoid problems, the company decided to change the names of three of the four main bosses: the boxer 'M. Bison' was renamed 'Balrog' in the Western version. The character who was known as 'Balrog' in Japan, a masked Spanish wrestler, was renamed 'Vega'. And the final boss of the game, who in Japan was called 'Vega', was renamed to... 'Mister Bison'! This name change ended up becoming one of the most famous anecdotes in the history of video games.
Mike Tyson has never sued Capcom or been directly involved in a legal dispute with the company, but the former champion acknowledged the reference and laughed it off. He has revealed in interviews that he has never played Street Fighter, but finds it funny that the character was inspired by him.
Passion for pigeons
Tyson is simply in love with pigeons and has kept them as pets since he was little. According to him, it was an escape from the bullying he suffered as a child. So much so that the first of the many troubles that little Mike got into in life was at the age of 10, when a teenager in his neighborhood ripped the head off one of his pigeons.
In one of the interviews before Saturday's fight, Jake Paul even gifted Tyson a pigeon. After winning the bird, Tyson told Paul that he would give it to his pet Falcon (a bird of prey) to eat, and the pigeon was quickly taken from his hands. Paul kept the bird and named it 'Richard'.
Three plates of wheat for three sad tigers
During his wealthiest years, Tyson bought three Bengal tigers to keep as pets, each costing approximately $70. The boxer said he spent about $10 a month on the animals' expenses. This included food, veterinary care, and general maintenance.
The accumulated cost of keeping the big cats was one of the many factors that contributed to Tyson's financial problems. He decided to get rid of the animals, both because of the high cost and for safety reasons, as one of the tigers had injured a person.
Mike Tyson and his tiger in a 1989 photo. Photo: The Ring Magazine
Golden bathtub
One of the most expensive and extravagant things the former champion bought was a 24-karat gold bathtub, which cost around $2 million. He bought this bathtub as a gift for his then-wife, actress Robin Givens.
Slap in the face for money
In 2021, a video surfaced of Tyson in Las Vegas in which he allowed a fan to slap him in the face in exchange for money. The incident occurred while the former champion was at a promotional event, and the fan offered to pay to be able to 'slap' the former champion. Tyson, who has a quirky sense of humor and often interacts in a relaxed manner with fans, accepted the bold request in good humor.
Career in Entertainment
The time away from the ring made Mike Tyson if you discover yourself as… an actor! The boxing legend has made appearances in major comedy films, such as the hit saga 'The Hangover!' e 'Scary Movie V', showing a lighter and more humorous side of the fighter. In addition, Tyson appeared in cartoon form in some episodes of the acclaimed American cartoon 'The Simpsons'.
Mike Tyson in a scene from the film 'The Hangover!' / Reproduction Warner Bros Pictures
In 2012, the former champion performed a solo stand-up show in Las Vegas called 'Undisputed Truth', in which he spoke candidly about his life and mistakes. The play was later directed by Spike Lee on Broadway and turned into a special on the Netflix channel. HBO
Veganism and Financial Recovery with Cannabis
With his shape in check, Tyson has been attracting attention for his athletic body and physical fitness. This is because, since 2010, the former champion has adopted veganism. According to him, giving up eating animals has changed his life, improving his health and reducing weight and energy problems. He has also said that he feels more at peace with the vegan diet.
Tyson's new venture is also attracting attention. He has invested in a marijuana ranch in California, where he sells cannabis products and promotes the medicinal use of the plant. The 'Tyson 2.0' line includes a variety of products, including flowers, vaporizers and edibles (including one in the shape of an ear, in reference to Tyson's bite on Evander Hollyfield in 1997).
Mike Tyson on his marijuana ranch in California / Reproduction
After losing 'rivers' of money, it seems that Tyson delivered the most accurate knockout blow of all. According to “Forbes” magazine, in 2023, the brand generated US$ 150 million (around R$ 871 million) in revenue. Of this amount, 30% came from cannabis sales, and the rest from the sale of accessories. In 2019, Mike Tyson He even claimed that he spent US$40 on marijuana per month.
What now? What's next for the living legend of boxing? This long-awaited next chapter has a date and location: the duel against YouTuber Jake Paulo, which takes place this Friday (15) at AT&T Stadium, in Texas (USA).
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