WE hope they’ve got pet sitters, when they’re away this weekend.
Mike Tyson, 54, and Roy Jones Jr, 51, will be dusting off their gloves for an exhibition fight this weekend at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr are both animal lovers
Mike Tyson has always had a love of animals in the pastCredit: Kobal Collection – Rex Features
Not to be outdone Roy Jones Jr keeps roosters on his Florida estateCredit: Getty – Contributor
And aside from boxing, the two share another common interest… they’re both animal lovers.
‘Iron Mike’ famously owned tigers, tends to pigeons and has a poodle he loves to work out with.
While Jones Jr is an expert snake handler, loves posing with roosters and has two Pit Bulls and a Golden Retriever.
BENGAL TIGERS
Tyson’s most exotic pets through the years were his three Royal Bengal Tigers.
After he was released from prison in the 1990s, he bought animals for £60,000 a pop – spending a further £100,000-per-year to ensure they were trained professionally.
Kenya, Storm and Boris fitted in well on Tyson’s ranch in Ohio.
However, when he filed for bankruptcy, the former heavyweight champ was forced to give them up.
Probably for the best, really, considering he claimed he had to pay a woman around £200,000 compensation after one attacked her.
In the 1990s Tyson bought three Royal Bengal Tigers costing £60,000Credit: Getty – Contributor
When Tyson went bankrupt he was forced to get rid of his tigers that cost over £100,000 to maintainCredit: Getty Images – Getty
SNAKES
On his sprawling 80-acre ranch in Pensacola, Florida Jones Jr keeps snakes.
He regularly scoops them up, often with his bare hands, and keeps them safe and away from danger.
It’s not known if they’re poisonous, but he ensures they are kept a safe distance from the other animals on his estate.
And Jones Jr showed he is an expert snake handler.
A video on YouTube went viral of the slugger holding one by the head firmly while showing it off to the camera.
Jones Jr has snakes on his ranch tooCredit: YouTube
PIGEONS
When he was a small boy growing up in Brooklyn, Tyson seeked solace in pigeons after he was bullied for his lisp and being overweight by the other street kids.
And it was over a pigeon that Tyson threw his first punch. When a local kid killed one of his pigeons in front of him, ‘Iron Mike’ saw bed and decked the boy.
Despite investing in tigers, Tyson has always found pigeons to be his favourite pet.
Even today he’s said to own a coop that houses around 70 birds.
He’s so obsessed, each one is said to have a name and he can recognise them all individually.
Since he was a small boy Mike Tyson has cared for pigeonsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Tyson is said to own 70 pigeons and knows them all individually Credit: Reuters
ROOSTERS
Not to be outdone for his love of birds, Jones Jr has roosters.
But his love of cockfighting, which is banned in the States, has caused controversy in the past.
“They’re animals and they will fight to the death but so will two skunks,” he once said.
“It’s just natural. It’s what they do.”
Today though, Jones Jr says his cockfighting days are over. “I give my roosters the best of food,” he revealed. “I give them the best of care.”
In the past, Roy Jones Jr encouraged cockfightingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
A MAN’S BEST FRIEND
Both men are loyal dog owners.
Tyson has an adorable poodle called Mars, who we saw cheering his owner up on Instagram during lockdown.
Mars has his own Instagram page and has amassed an amazing 23,000-plus followers.
He calls himself the ‘Baddest Doodle On The Planet’.
Tyson has a poodle called Mars
Mars has his own Instagram account with over 23,000 followers
Jones Jr used to breed Pit Bulls and currently has two, as well as a Golden RetrieverCredit: YouTube
Jones Jr breeded Pit Bulls on his ranch in the past, and appears to currently have two.
A playful Golden Retriever has also been seen hanging out with Jones Jr.
It seems that man’s best friend is a boxer’s best friend too.
Roy Jones Jr, 51, shows off incredible hand speed ahead of Mike Tyson fight
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
