Mike Tyson, during his boxing prime, was seen as an unstoppable force inside the ring. He became boxing’s youngest heavyweight champion at 20 years old and, not long after becoming a legal adult, was on top of the sports world.
Despite being decades past his physical prime, Tyson went the full distance with Jake Paul in his recent boxing return in November, falling by unanimous decision. While many quarrelled with the ethics of the fight itself, Tyson proved he still wields the signature toughness that made him one of the most feared men in the world.
In 1986, after Tyson offered a zoo $10,000 to fight a Silverback Gorilla, his proposition was declined, to no surprise. But almost 40 years since that proposal, Tyson discussed the potential showdown in weighing in on one of the internet’s hotly-contested hypotheticals.
Mike Tyson weighs in on ‘100 Prime Tysons vs. Gorilla’ debate
In recent weeks, the debate over who would win in a fight between 100 men and a Gorilla has taken the internet by storm. Top combat sports stars such as Daniel Cormier, Eddie Hall, and Conor McGregor have been approached with the hypothetical scrap.
A typical Silverback Gorilla weighs approximately 430 lbs (195 kg), making a fight with the animal an almost insurmountable proposal. But that didn’t stop Tyson in 1986, and during his prime, Tyson had a lot of reasons to feel confident.
Tyson captured the boxing world by winning his first 37 professional fights, including vicious knockouts over notable names such as Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, and Trevor Berbick. After a four-year absence due to legal issues between 1991 and 1995, Tyson returned to the ring, stopping Peter McNeeley in just under two minutes.
During a recent interview with The Ring, Tyson was asked how 100 of him in his prime would match up with a Gorilla.
“The Gorilla’s in a lot of trouble, so much f—– trouble,” Tyson said.
Some boxing fans agreed with Tyson’s claim.
“Mate, 100 prime Mike Tysons might beat a few Gorillas I can’t lie. I swear I’m not trolling…this MFer tried to PAY a zoo dude to let him scrap a gorilla. Fearless, ferocious monster in his prime,” one fan wrote.
“That’s a lot of pain, man,” another said.
“With Cus training the 100 Prime Tysons the Gorilla has no chance.”
“He’s not kidding. He actually wanted to fight one 1v1 in his prime, so he wouldn’t be scared. 100 of him would tear that poor gorilla apart.”
UFC star Cory Sandhagen set to mimic Mike Tyson ritual before UFC Des Moines
Ahead of his return at UFC Des Moines this weekend, UFC bantamweight headliner Cory Sandhagen revealed he plans to copy a Tyson-held ritual before his main event bout with Deiveson Figueiredo.
Sandhagen revealed he took a heavy dose of psychedelic mushrooms just weeks before UFC Des Moines to clear his mind in his final fight preparations. This was a common ritual that Tyson held during his boxing career, including for his legendary showdowns with the likes of Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.
It remains to be seen if Sandhagen’s big gamble will pay off this weekend, but in either case, Tyson continues to be a massive influence in combat sports.
