Inside Mike Tyson’s feud with gangster boxer that ended in street fight and Donald Trump saving pal’s career

MIKE TYSON will have celebrated the result of the US Presidential election.

And now returning White House resident Donald Trump will be cheering Iron Mike on, nearly 40 years after saving the boxer’s fight career.

Tyson, 58, steps back into the ring on Friday night in Texas for one of the biggest fights of the year.

But his bout with YouTuber-turn-boxer Jake Paul is a far cry from the heady heights of his reign as the heavyweight champion of the world.

In fact, it bears more of a resemblance to his dust-up with Mitch “Blood” Green on the streets of New York.

Tyson officially fought Green inside the ring in May 1986.

The bout was arranged at the last minute after Tyson was taken the full distance for the first time by James Tillis on May 3 after 19 previous knockouts from his 19 pro fights.

Still aged only 19, he fought Green at Madison Square Garden just 17 days later on May 20.

Remarkably, Green – seven inches taller – was above Tyson in the WBC rankings.

And he was furious that Tyson was getting a purse worth $250,000 – compared to his paltry $30,000.

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So much so that Green threatened to pull out of the fight the day before – only to be reminded that a win would give him a shot at becoming world champion.

The fight eventually did go ahead and for the second time in his career – and the second time in just a few weeks – Tyson’s opponent heard the final bell.

But as with Tillis, Green lost via a unanimous points decision.

That proved to be one of Iron Mike’s 13 professional fights and wins in a busy 1986.

The final one, in Las Vegas on November 22, saw him crowned the youngest heavyweight world champion in boxing history.

But it was Tyson’s second and unofficial fight with Green that is arguably far more famous and iconic.

As well as his career as a journeyman 19-6-1-1 boxer, Green was involved in gangs from an early age.

He had been shot twice when he was 17 – once through the wrist and once slashing the side of his head.

And when he moved to New York, he rose up to gang leader of the Black Spades.

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Two years on from their original fight, Tyson and Green’s intense feud had continued.

And it reached boiling point in an incident at approximately 4am on August 23, 1988.

Green became aware that Tyson was in the Harlem area of New York to collect some clothes from Dapper Dan’s store.

That was within the Black Spades’ turf and so Green used that as an excuse to actively go looking for his rival for a second showdown, still bitter about the money from 1986.

Iron Mike, by then the dominant undisputed heavyweight world champ aged 22, had been out drinking and clubbing and was collecting his $850 customised white leather jacket when he was confronted by a topless Green who stormed into the shop.

Tyson claims he tried to de-escalate the situation and alleged he eloquently warned Green: “Now, Mitch, you must consider what you are doing. I do not think that this course of action in the long run is advantageous for your health.

“You’ll remember that I already vanquished you when we met in the ring. You need to proceed to the nearest exit immediately.”

It is unclear exactly how things unfolded from there with various versions of events – but the pair certainly got into a street brawl.

Green allegedly ripped Tyson’s shirt pocket, then the world champ turned his rings around to prevent them from getting damaged and thumped his enemy.

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After reportedly putting Blood down with a “roundhouse kick on his a***”, Tyson tried to get away with his driver – but Green retaliated with a kick to the testicles.

Tyson again had Green on the floor but before pulling away, the driver noticed Green was under the Rolls-Royce’s wheels.

He then got up and ripped off a wing mirror – prompting a furious Tyson to end the fight once and for all with his signature uppercut.

Eventually the pair both ended up in hospital.

But Tyson was worried he had sent Green to the mortuary instead.

Speaking on his Hotboxin’ podcast, the Baddest Man On The Planet said: “I went to Dapper Dan earlier that day at 11am, 12pm, we went partying and drinking then drove all the way back to get my clothes.

“We were all laughing, having a ball. My back is turned, everyone is laughing and then all of a sudden everybody stopped laughing and I turned around and Mitch Green is there.

“He started talking like, ‘What the f*** are you doing in my hood?’

“He was talking a lot. He ripped my pockets so that’s why I started punching him.

“We fought in the street. It was real quick. I dropped him a couple of times but he was high on angel dust [PCP] so he couldn’t get up.

“Boom! I knock him cold and then he gets back up.

“I’m in the car, I’m tired because I’m a bit overweight and I’m drunk then I was like, ‘F*** I’ve hurt my hand.’

“He rushes to my Rolls-Royce, breaks off the side mirror. He was bleeding.

“I got out the car and hit Mitch.

“My signature punch, the right uppercut. Boom! Mitch went flying into the air and came down like a ragdoll, right on his head.

“He went down, hit the concrete and he was out – I got scared because he didn’t move after his head hit the concrete.

“I ran. I thought I’d killed him, I was so scared.”

Unsurprisingly, Green’s injuries were worse, needing five stitches in his face and his eye closed up.

But Tyson did not walk away unscathed.

He suffered a hairline fracture in his right hand.

The broken hand threw his lucrative blockbuster fight with Frank Bruno at Wembley into jeopardy.

And it had to be postponed when it became clear he could not lace up the gloves and defend his belts.

Instead, none other than businessman Donald Trump stepped in as Tyson’s advisor and helped seal the negotiations for a new date.

And the now-President secured a deal which saw Tyson beat Bruno by fifth round TKO in Las Vegas in February 1989 – six months after the scrap on the street.

That was not the end of the war between Tyson and Green, though.

Just days after the street fight that had left them both nursing injuries, it is claimed Green cycled past Tyson while out on a date and the pair faced off once again.

But the argument was calmed down by Tyson’s date before it escalated into more violent fisticuffs.

Green refused to let the spat slide and in 1997 tried suing Tyson for $25million – nine years after the Dapper Dan’s dust-up.

In the end, though, he was awarded just $45,000 in court, not even enough to cover his legal fees.

But Green still left the courthouse smug and reportedly shouted: “I’m the winner, I whupped him,” as he inflicted one more blow in their 11-year war.

As for Tyson, he undoubtedly got the better of Green, coming out on top in both their licenced and unofficial scraps and enjoying far more success in the ring overall.

But Green will know deep down he did manage to leave a stain of his own on Iron Mike.

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk