Mike Tyson Wants To Fight A Silverback Gorilla, Offers Zoo Keeper $10,000 To Give The Okay

Mar 18, 2019 by apost team

Mike Tyson fought all comers when he stood as the undisputed champion of the boxing world. Tyson's gained his greatest fame in his early days as contender and champ for his lightening-quick knockouts of super-tough opponents. Few big names in boxing escaped his sportive wrath. But one potential opponent never got the chance to face Tyson: a massive silverback gorilla.

Yes, supposedly while visiting a zoo, Tyson offered a zookeeper €9,000 for the chance to battle a bullying silverback.

During the 1980s, Mike Tyson lavishly spent money on all sorts of things. Wanting some privacy, he paid someone to open the New York zoo after hours so he and then-wife Robin Givens could visit in privacy. While walking through the zoo, Tyson came across a silverback gorilla that was giving the other gorillas a hard time. The creature seemed like a huge bully when it dominated the others. Tyson doesn't like bullies. He wanted to pay the zookeeper $10,000 on the spot (€9,000), to open the cage and give him a chance at knocking out the gorilla!

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Thankfully for Mr. Tyson's sake, the zookeeper declined. Silverback gorillas possess Incredible Hulk levels of strength. Even the undisputed world's heavyweight boxing champion would have a tough time surviving a battle with an angry silverback. And besides, the silverback wasn't really a bully. He was just doing what primates do when they play the alpha role.

Anyone who read Tyson's incredible autobiography knows the former champion liked to spend his money. Tyson life story also reveals someone who wasn't afraid to take chances or risks. Paying $10,000 for anything wouldn't be a big deal for Mike Tyson. He would generously give away money to strangers on the street to help them out. Paying that kind of cash to fight a wild gorilla, however, seems like something from a tall tale. Then again, Tyson did own two Bengal Tigers, so he wasn't necessarily afraid of dangerous beasts. Tyson never did try to fight his pet lions though. Mercifully, he didn't get into a cage for a career-ending fight with a 550lb silverback gorilla.

Well, what do you think about Mike Tyson's plan to fight a silverback gorilla? Were you relieved to find out that he got off lightly? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this crazy story on to your friends and loved ones!