Mike Tyson once made headlines when he reportedly offered a zookeeper £9,000 for the chance to duke it out with a massive silverback gorilla during a romantic outing with his ex.
The boxing icon, who became the youngest heavyweight champion at the age of 20 in 1986, has always exuded confidence in his ability to take on any challenge, human or otherwise.
Tyson, now 53, recounted the wild tale of his daring proposal, which occurred in the late 80s when he arranged for a private visit to a New York zoo with his then-wife, Robin Givens.
As they approached the gorilla enclosure, Tyson spotted a dominant alpha male intimidating the other gorillas and, perhaps fueled by his fighting spirit, offered the zookeeper a hefty sum to let him step into the cage and take on the silverback.
Despite his bold offer, the attendant declined, leaving Tyson’s bout with the gorilla confined to the realm of imagination.
Despite his reputation as a ferocious competitor, Tyson has always harbored a soft spot for animals, famously keeping pigeons and exotic tigers as pets, though he has since expressed regret over the latter.
These days, he’s more likely to be found championing the marijuana industry, with a sprawling 40-acre ranch in California dedicated to cannabis cultivation.
Embracing California’s legalization of recreational marijuana, Tyson’s ranch boasts 20 acres devoted to growing the plant, along with a school aimed at educating farmers on cultivating and refining their strains, aptly named the ‘Tyson Cultivation School.’