In a candid revelation, boxing legend Mike Tyson has opened up about narrowly avoiding a life-threatening diagnosis that claimed the lives of his close friends in his younger years.
The former heavyweight champion shared a profound story about his past, highlighting how fortune smiled upon him during a period when many of his contemporaries faced tragic ends.
“Hey, life isn’t over yet. We’re still fighting. We only make it out on the day of our death. There’s no way I should be here talking to you right now. All of my friends are dead. They OD’d, they had AIDS. Me and my friend both had s*x with this girl at the same time and they both died of AIDS. I didn’t catch AIDS. Raw, too,” Tyson revealed.
His second wife Monica Turner tired of his ways and filed for divorce in 2002.
‘I guess she had had enough of my fooling around because I sure did a lot of it,’ Tyson previously refrenced the disease scare. ‘Calling to tell her I had AIDS probably didn’t help either.’
This stark admission comes as the boxing icon recently faced significant health challenges of his own. In June, he experienced a severe medical emergency requiring eight blood transfusions and losing half his blood volume along with 25 pounds during his hospital stay.
“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time. I almost died in June. Had eight blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won,” he shared on social media platform X.
The youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history has also been dealing with sciatica, a condition causing severe back and leg pain. The condition has at times left him wheelchair-bound and unable to walk or talk when symptoms flare up.
Despite these challenges, Tyson maintains a positive outlook on life. His recent appearance at the Dallas Cowboys stadium allowed him to showcase his resilience in front of his children, a moment he deeply cherishes.
Mike Tyson claims that he almost died when his bout with Jake Paul was delayed in June 2024, with him requiring a ton of training to get back in shape after the huge setback. Despite the result, he was optimistic about how things went, saying that he has “no regrets” and was happy to get back into the ring.
“I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won,” Tyson explained. “To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for.”The event shattered records, achieving the following milestones:
