Mike Tyson is a complex man.
Known for being “Iron Mike” and the most feared boxer in history, the 57-year-old who will soon fight Jake Paul in a live Netflix streamed match also has other sporting loves.
On top of the list is a sport that most boxing fans don’t associate with the former world heavyweight champ.
Tennis.
“It broadened my horizons and I’m grateful to be involved and meeting everybody. It changed our life,” Tyson said in a Deep MMA and Boxing interview.
“Our whole life has changed over tennis. I thought we were doing well and everything, and everything we were doing was making money, but that’s not bigger than my daughter playing tennis.”
Tyson’s daughter, Milan, is at the center of his mid-life tennis conversion.
Paul’s ring opponent on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington is also a huge Novak Djokovic admirer.
They’ve shared handshakes and friendly smiles, while Tyson has gone out of his way to watch the modern tennis great in person.
During the 2023 French Open, Tyson had an up-close view of Djokovic’s tough semifinals matchup against eventual Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Tyson was so taken with the clay-court match that he broke out his cellphone camera to take personal photos of the back-and-forth battle.
Djokovic won the first set 6-3.
After Alcaraz evened the match with a 7-5 advantage in the second set, Djokovic dug in to win the next two sets 6-1 and advance to the men’s finals.
“Novak Djokovic is my favourite at the moment,” Tyson said. “If he is OK, I really like to watch him.
“He is my favourite because the way he has come back from injury and beaten guys like (Rafael) Nadal and (Roger) Federer is amazing. He is a true fighter.”
So was Tyson in his prime, famously knocking out Michael Spinks in just 91 seconds and unveiling the most intense ring walk in boxing.
Djokovic won the 2023 French Open and has 24 Grand Slam titles as tennis returns to Roland Garros in Paris.
Tyson is also a big fan of Serena Williams, widely considered among the greatest tennis players of all time, and even showed her a thing or two about how to throw a punch.
On his Instagram account, he posted a video of the former no.1 hitting the bag and looking like a pro. Tyson wrote that Williams ‘has some power’.
He also added a photo with the caption ‘I don’t want to get in the ring with this GOAT @Serena Williams, much love and respect.’
However, given one of the most prestigious events of the season runs through June 9, Tyson may not get there as he will surely be training for his huge fight with Paul on Netflix.
But there’s a good chance that Iron Mike will keep an eye on the clay court action as he keeps July 20 in Arlington circled on his calendar.
Back in 2018, he watched the French Open with football star Kylian Mbappe sitting nearby.
And it was just a year ago when Tyson became just another proud tennis fan, watching in person as Djokovic and Alcaraz set up their Wimbledon classic with a tough French duel.
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