Mike Tyson was the ‘baddest man on the planet’ during his boxing heyday, but he has mellowed out in his later years.
He is a changed man now, his vegan diet transformation has been well documented, while he has also developed a love of tennis.
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Mike Tyson has revealed his love of tennis over the yearsCredit: Getty
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The brutality of boxing is the polar opposite to the subtlety and finesse of tennis, but Tyson is an avid follower of the sport.
He has regularly attended matches at the US Open and Indian Wells over the years, sitting in the front row and cheering on his favourite players.
One of those is Serena Williams and he will no doubt be like most fans across the globe in being sad at her impending retirement.
One of the main reasons for him developing his love of the game is through his daughter, Milan.
The 12-year-old is a budding tennis star and has even trained with Serena Williams’ now former coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
In a podcast with the tennis coach, Mouratoglou said: “One of your children, Milan, is playing and she’s a good tennis player. She’s talented and very motivated to become a professional.”
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Tyson at the French Open in 2018Credit: Getty
Tyson admitted that tennis had ‘changed his life’. He said: “It broadened my horizons and I’m grateful to be involved and meeting everybody. It changed our life.
“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.
“She’s bigger than everything in our life now.
“I see her transcending into something she would never have before if she hadn’t got involved in tennis.
“She has confidence. At 11/12 years old, she has confidence in herself.”
Tyson also explained that his daughter also has the same mentality that made him heavyweight champion of the world.
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Tyson was the most feared boxer of his generationCredit: Getty
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Djokovic is Tyson’s favourite tennis star
He added: “She is disciplined in her own. She gets up, cooks her meals, takes a shower and goes to the gym every day at 7 or 8am.
“She stays there until 4pm. She is very diligent and she wants to do this.
“I’m very proud to have someone in my family who understands that sometimes things don’t go your way.
“That’s what life is about, sometimes things don’t go your way and you handle your situations and misfortunes.”
Tyson is a huge Williams fan and even showed her a thing or two about how to throw a punch.
On his Instagram account, he posted a video of Williams hitting the bag and looking like a pro. Tyson wrote that Williams ‘has some power’.
Tyson 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.’
Iron Mike has even weighed in on the greatest of all time debate and clearly follows the sport closely.
In an interview last year, Tyson said: “Novak Djokovic is my favourite at the moment. If he is okay, I really like to watch him.
“He is my favourite because the way he has come back from injury and beaten guys like Nadal and Federer is amazing. He is a true fighter.”
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