MIKE TYSON has admitted that his tigers may have come from jailed Netflix star Joe Exotic.
The boxing legend was renowned for owning the big cats at the height of his success in the 1990s.
Tyson was renowned for keeping big cats as pets at the height of his careerCredit: Getty – Contributor
‘Tiger King’ Joe Exotic was jailed last yearCredit: AFP or licensors
And Tyson, 53, appears to be a fan of the newly-famed Exotic.
He said: “People always say these people are scumbags.
“But these are amazing people with what they can do with their ingenious minds and control over other people’s minds. These guys are born leaders.”
And the former heavyweight champion even admitted that he may have indirectly done business with the jailed zoo owner.
He said: “It could have been, maybe where I got my cats could have got their cats from Joe. But I don’t know.
“If you are in the exotic animal world you are aware of him.”
In 2019, Exotic was convicted on two counts of murder for hire, having plotted for Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin to be killed.
His story, and subsequent demise, has been adapted into an eight-part Netflix series – which has now been watched by over 64million people worldwide.
I was foolish. There’s no way you can domesticate these cats 100 per cent.
Mike Tyson
Although seemingly a fan of the hit show, Tyson has recently admitted his regret at keeping tigers as pets.
In an Instagram Live conversation with rapper Fat Joe, the American said: “I was foolish. There’s no way you can domesticate these cats 100 per cent.
“There’s 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.”
His friend and former trainer Jeff Fenech recently recounted an occasion on which Tyson decided to throw him into his tiger’s cage.
The Aussie revealed: “The first time I went to the house and he had the tiger, Mike had me and threw me in the cage and kind of locked me in there.
“I’m not scared of too many things, but I certainly had to change the undies when I got out of the cage.”
Tyson has admitted that he was foolish to keep the animals as petsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Tyson was forced to sell his mansion, including tiger cages, when financial trouble struck in 1999.
Remarkably, it has since been converted into a church.
The old mansion is now the home of The Living Word Sanctuary Church.
Mike Tyson insists a normal person could take his punches if they ‘don’t fear death’
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
