Throughout his boxing career Mike Tyson was always called to fight fellow feared heavyweight, Riddick Bowe.
Mike Tyson recently once again caused controversy in the sporting world when he took on internet sensation turned boxer, Jake Paul in a professional boxing bout that streamed live on Netflix.
Tyson lost the bout via a unanimous decision but still ended up taking home one of his biggest paydays ever, despite being 58 years old.
READ MORE: Mike Tyson spent $5 million in two days and he doesn’t regret it: ‘I had a great time’
Mike Tyson admits why he never fought Riddick Bowe
Whilst at the peak of his powers in the late 80’s, Tyson was destroying everything in his path and was undefeated as the undisputed heavyweight champion.
After knocking out the likes of Frank Bruno, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks amongst others, Tyson’s career took a turn when he was imprisoned. During his time in jail, Riddick Bowe began to dominate the heavyweight division.
Following Tyson’s release there were constant calls for the two to fight whilst both at the top of their games.
Unfortunately for Bowe and the rest of the boxing world, the fight never came to fruition, and ‘Big Daddy’ has always maintained that Tyson didn’t want to fight him because of the threat he presented.
Despite that, ‘Iron Mike’ explained why he wouldn’t fight his school friend, Bowe.
“I love Riddick Bowe. We went to school together. That’s one thing I would take different. At this stage of my life and being as conscious as I am. I don’t think I would fight him. It’s just too disrespectful,” Tyson told CNN.
“The only reason you put your hands on somebody even in a street fight if you’re conscious is because you have no respect for them.
“Kids fight because they don’t know any better. But as grown men fighting, if they’re conscious, the only reason I’ll put my hands on you is because I have no respect for you if we have a fight,” he continued.
Bowe and Tyson both attended P.S 396 in Brownsville, New York where they became friends.
Mike Tyson splashed $13m on new property following Jake Paul fight
Following his recent fight against ‘The Problem Child’, Tyson spent $13m of his huge paycheck on a new property in the Delray Beach area of Florida.
The property is one of only 78 properties in the area and it comes with access to a private lake as well as 2.7 acres of land.
After causing so much controversy by returning to the boxing ring, Tyson didn’t rule out a potential future full-time return to fighting.