Mike Tyson Once Offered Zookeeper $10,000 To Fight ‘Bully’ Gorilla: “Let Me Smash That”

Despite his recent loss to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, Mike Tyson’s legendary status continues to grow. While many criticised ‘Iron Mike’s’ decision to face a 27-year-old opponent at the age of 58, it’s clear that Mr Tyson has always been a risk-taker. This impulsive nature once led him to offer a staggering $10,000 to a New York zookeeper for the chance to fight a silverback gorilla, who was bullying other animals. The incident dates back to the late 1980s when Mr Tyson, alongside his then-wife, Robin Givens visited the zoo for a private tour.

“I paid a worker at New York’s zoo to re-open it [zoo] just for me and Robin,” Mr Tyson was quoted as saying by The Independent.

“When we got to the gorilla cage there was one big silverback gorilla there just bullying all the other gorillas. They were so powerful but their eyes were like an innocent infant. I offered the attendant $10,000 to open the cage and let me smash that silverback’s snot box. He declined,” he added.

Mr Tyson always had a thing for wild animals as he kept two tigers as pets at his Las Vegas mansion. However, years later, Mr Tyson admitted that keeping the big cats home was not a good decision.

“I was foolish. There’s no way you can domesticate these cats 100 per cent. No way that’s going to happen. They’ll kill you by accident, especially when you’re playing rough with them, you’re punching them back. They get hyped up, hit you back and you’re dead,” he said.

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Tyson loses to Paul

The standalone fight took place in front of a packed 73,000 crowd at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and more than 60 million households worldwide, according to streaming giant Netflix that promoted the bout.

Mr Tyson started off the match on a bright note but quickly tapered off as the rounds went by. After the end of the third round, Mr Tyson looked gassed as Mr Paul started landing the punches with ferocity. Eventually, Paul emerged victorious by unanimous decision after the two fighters went eight full rounds.

“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time,” said Tyson after the fight.

According to Forbes, Mr Tyson is set to receive $20 million from the fight while Mr Paul will walk away $40 million richer. While the match highlighted that age had finally caught up with Mr Tyson, it also brought back memories, albeit in flashes, of Mr Tyson being a formidable force in his heyday.