Mike Tyson once engaged in a bitter rivalry with a silverback gorilla, with the legend offering a zookeeper an astonishing amount of money to let him go toe-to-toe with the powerful animal.

While renowned for his remarkable aggression, the combination-puncher may have had a hard time dealing with his dream opponent.

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024

Mike Tyson offered a zookeeper $10,000 to let him fight a silverback gorilla

Mike Tyson is renowned for his love of animals, with the American, famed for purchasing interesting pets, ranging from tigers to pigeons.

However, it appears he isn’t quite as fond of gorillas, with a trip to the zoo in the late 80s, nearly ending in disaster.

After strolling around the exhibits, ‘Iron Mike’ locked eyes with the monstrous primate and decided he fancied testing his skills out against his newfound enemy.

Blessed with remarkable combinations, the boxer convinced himself he could win the fight, and offered a zookeeper $10,000 to make the battle a reality.

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In an interview with The Sun, he explained: “I paid a worker at New York’s zoo to re-open it just for me and Robin [Givens] (his ex-wife).

“When we got to the gorilla cage, there was one big silverback gorilla there just bullying all the other gorillas.

“They were so powerful, but their eyes were like an innocent infant.

“I offered the attendant $10,000 to open the cage and let me smash that silverback’s snot box. He declined.”

Mike Tyson gives Evander Holyfield his ear back as a Christmas present after biting it off

While Tyson has become mild-mannered as he’s gotten older, in his prime, he was a truly destructive individual.

In his huge rematch with Evander Holyfield, the Brooklyn brawler shocked the world by biting a chunk out of his rival’s ear.

While most would hold a grudge, ‘The Real Deal’ has now forgiven Tyson for his bizarre behavior.