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Mike Tyson Finally Reveals How He Ended Up Owning A Pet Lion and Tiger

Former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson has lived a life perhaps that of ten people.

An extraordinary career in the boxing ring perhaps only bested by the unique journey lived outside of it.

Unique to put mildly.

At one point he actually owned a pet tiger and a lion and regularly could be seen wrestling them in his Las Vegas property.

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel — Tyson finally opened up about the sequence of events that lead up to him owning the exotic animals:

“So I’m in prison… One time I was in prison okay, while I was in prison I’m talking to my car dealer asking him what type of car is coming out this year. A new Ferrari, whatever the car may be, right. So he was saying some friends of mine had purchased some cars from him but they hadn’t paid all the money. He said if they don’t pay him all his money that he’s going to trade some of their cars for animals. Like some horses.”

To which Tyson continued to say:

“I said, really — you can do that? He said yeah. He said one time, Mike can you imagine driving in an F-50 Ferrari with the top down and you’ve got a tiger or lion driving with you? I said yeah! That would be pretty hot, right? So I said give me two cubs by the time I get out (of prison). When I got out there were two cubs at my house. Yes (you can drive with them in the front seat). Yes. You can. I have done that.”

He later mentioned how the lion bit him so bad that he needed a trip to the emergency room to get his arm stitched up.

Only in the life of Mike Tyson…

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Niall Doran

Niall Doran

Niall Doran is a highly experienced boxing writer, combat sports writer and professional boxing judge. He has been published and trusted on some of the world's leading boxing, mixed martial arts and media platforms including to name a few: • Boxrec (professional judge profile): https://boxrec.com/en/judge/1043570 • Boxing News: https://boxingnewsonline.net/author/niall-doran/ • Boxing Scene: https://www.boxingscene.com/author/niall-doran • Liveabout.com: https://www.liveabout.com/niall-doran-423729 • Huffington Post: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/niall-doran • MixedMartialArts.com: https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/will-2020-see-co-promoted-mma-and-boxing-events • SevereMMA.com: https://severemma.com/2015/09/mma-and-boxing-brothers-from-another-mother/View Author posts