In a bizarre but true story, Mike Tyson once offered $10,000 to fight a Gorilla at New York Zoo

From the late 1980s, legendary boxer Mike Tyson once offered $10,000 to fight a gorilla at a New York zoo. Tyson, who has always had a soft spot for wild animals, shared this unusual anecdote during an interview with The Independent.

During a private tour of the zoo with his then-wife Robin Givens, Tyson observed a large silverback gorilla bullying the other gorillas in its enclosure. Outraged by the aggressive behavior, Tyson offered a zookeeper $10,000 to let him enter the enclosure and confront the dominant gorilla. The zookeeper, unsurprisingly, declined Tyson's offer.

Reflecting on the incident, Tyson said, “I paid a worker at New York’s zoo to re-open it just for me and Robin. 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."

Tyson, known for his fearless and sometimes impulsive nature, has always had a fascination with wild animals. He famously kept two large tigers as pets at his Las Vegas home, a decision he later admitted was foolish due to the inherent dangers of keeping such powerful animals.

In the same interview, Tyson remarked, “I was foolish. There’s no way you can domesticate these cats 100 per cent. No way that’s going to happen. They’ll kill you by accident, especially when you’re playing rough with them, you’re punching them back. They get hyped up, hit you back and you’re dead."

Recently, Tyson made headlines again by returning to the boxing ring at the age of 58. He faced YouTuber Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on November 15. Although Tyson lost the match by unanimous decision, his determination and spirit impressed many fans and commentators alike.

Despite his varied and sometimes controversial adventures outside the ring, Tyson remains one of boxing's most iconic figures, having defended the World Heavyweight Title 19 times during his illustrious career.