MIKE TYSON claimed he once paid a trespasser £200,000 after his pet Bengal tiger “f***** up” her hand so badly.
The former heavyweight king, 53, famously kept the big cat as a pet at his home but had to give them up when a horror accident unfolded.
Mike Tyson decided to pay a trespasser around £200,000 after his tiger mauled her handCredit: Rex Features
Speaking to American rapper Fat Joe, Iron Mike was asked if it was true that his tiger jumped out of the enclosure and attacked a neighbour.
But Tyson quickly set the record straight.
He said: “No, no, no, Joe, that’s not what happened.
“Somebody jumped over my fence where the tiger was and started playing with the tiger.
“The tiger didn’t know the lady so it was a bad accident. She jumped into the property where the tiger was.
“They tried to [sue] until they found out she jumped over the fence and she trespassed with the tiger.
“When I saw what the tiger did to her hand, I had a lot of money back then, so I gave her $250,000 (£200,000) whatever it was because she was just f***** up.”
Tyson – who won 50 of his 56 fights with 44 coming by way of KO – kept the tiger for 16 years before being forced to get rid.
And he admits he didn’t realise just how powerful and dangerous they were to try and have as pets.
They kill you by accident… They’re too strong, especially when you’re playing rough with them, you’re punching back them back and they hit you back and you’re dead.
Mike Tyson
He added: “You can’t believe what they can do to human flesh – I had no idea.
“I was foolish then, there is no way you’re going to domesticate these cats 100 per cent, there’s no way that’s going to happen.
“They kill you by accident, they don’t even mean to kill you, they do it by accident.
“They’re too strong, especially when you’re playing rough with them, you’re punching back them back and they hit you back and you’re dead.
“I loved them – I used to sleep with them. I’m just happy I educated myself that I was doing the wrong s***.
“I shouldn’t have had them in my house, I shouldn’t have had them domesticated. I believed they were domesticated. I was wrong.”
Tyson – who now runs a cannabis farm – also told the story of how he got hold of the pet – after a conversation with his car dealer during his time in prison.
The outlandish American said: “I had three of them in my house. I had their mother and father.
“I was in prison and talking to a friend I bought a car from.
“He said, ‘I’ll be taking cars and trading them for some animals.’
“I said, ‘What kind of animals?’
“He said, ‘Horses and stuff. My dad mates tigers and lions and stuff – that would be cooler than Ferraris.’
“I said, ‘Yeah, that would be true. Why don’t you order me a couple when I get outside? I’ll be getting out in a couple of months.’
“I was in prison so when I got out and came home and had the cub.”
The American boxer got the exotic pet after a conversation with his car dealer and kept it for 16 yearsCredit: Getty – Contributor
Iron Mike won 50 of his 56 fights with 44 coming by way of KO across a hugely successful heavyweight careerCredit: AFP – Getty
Watch Mike Tyson show off blistering boxing skill and speed at 53 which would still give top heavyweights problems now
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
