Mike Tyson tells Joe Rogan hilarious story of Dana White getting him on 'Shark Week'
Mike Tyson has had a lot of unique life experiences as one of the highest paid boxers of all time. The former heavyweight champion has owned tigers, gotten high on toad venom, and even wrestled sharks. That last one wasn't exactly Tyson's choice, though.
As Tyson explained on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, it was UFC president Dana White that set that gig up. He said:
"I love Dana White, Dana White's my man. I don't care, I can't say nothing bad about him. He said 'Mike, I don't want you to fight. Lemme get you a job making some money. He gets me the goddamn Shark Week job. He gets me the job, I gotta put the shark to sleep now. He doesn't want me to fight and get knocked out and beat up but he wants me to go in there and put a shark to sleep."
Shark Week has been a ratings blockbuster for the Discovery channel and in 2020 they brought Mike Tyson in via Dana White for a show dubbed Tyson vs. Jaws.
On that show, Mike Tyson went three rounds with sharks. The first involved Tyson diving inside a protective cage with lemon sharks. The second round had him in the open waters swimming with sharks. In the third round, he grabbed a shark, rubbed its nose, and turned it upside down to induce tonic immobility, which temporarily stuns the shark without hurting it.
.@MikeTyson is still the undisputed champ! #SharkWeek continues every night at 8p on @discovery. https://t.co/JMzoWsQCoI
If Dana White's plan was to stop Tyson from fighting, it backfired. Tyson credited the moment with helping him overcome his deepest fears, one of which was a return to the ring. 'Iron Mike' would end up fighting Roy Jones Jr. in a November 2020 exhibition match.
I am SO EXCITED for #SharkWeek this year. @MikeTyson vs Jaws starts things off TOMORROW on @Discovery at 9pm ET https://t.co/NXfA2T0cvg
Mike Tyson on fighting the Paul brothers: "I'll beat their f**king ass"
While no formal talks for a fight have ever been made, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul have expressed interest through the media in facing each other.
Tyson has admitted to being friends with Paul and appreciating what he's doing for boxing. Paul was even featured on the undercard of Tyson vs. Jones Jr. That being said, if they were to step into the boxing ring Tyson would put that friendship aside and take the fight seriously.
Speaking to Israel Adesanya on his Hotboxin' podcast, Tyson said:
"I'll beat their f***ing ass, I'm coming straight at 'em ... I'm not going to underestimate them either but I'm going to be in shape, that's the thing you've got to do is be in shape. I think 30 days of boxing I could fight anybody, 30 days of boxing every day."