Mike Tyson
Credit: Reuters Photo
Mike Tyson was bested by Jake Paul at the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas today.
While many felt that the boxer was well over the hill and didn't stand a chance against his much younger opponent, the match nonetheless stirred nostalgia, and led to older tales about Tyson's life resurfacing.
One of them is about the time when Tyson was on a private visit to a zoo in New York and offered the zookeeper $10,000 to fight a gorilla that was bullying other primates in the enclosure.
The legendary boxer had recounted the incident when talking to The Sun.
In the late 1980s, Tyson reportedly offered $10,000 to a zookeeper for the chance to fight a silverback gorilla during a private visit to a New York zoo with his then-wife, Robin Givens.
The story goes that while Tyson was admiring the majestic creatures, he noticed the alpha silverback bullying the other gorillas in the enclosure. Tyson, known for his disdain for bullies and his impulsive nature, took the gorilla's aggressive behavior personally. Feeling sympathy for the subordinate gorillas, Tyson approached the zookeeper with a proposition: he would pay a hefty sum if the zookeeper would unlock the cage and let him take on the dominant silverback.
The zookeeper declined the offer -- which would have seen Tyson go up against a 400-pound gorilla.
This story is one of many that reflect the unpredictable and fiery personality of a younger Mike Tyson. It highlights his impulsive nature and extraordinary confidence during his prime boxing years. Tyson himself has mentioned the incident in interviews, often laughing about the sheer absurdity of the idea.
Though the fight never happened, the tale has become part of the larger-than-life mythos surrounding Tyson.
Disclaimer: This article has been written by generative AI and has been reviewed and edited by the DH Web Desk