When Mike Tyson made an iconic walkout to a DMX song
The entire world is grieving the untimely death of the legendary rapper, songwriter, and actor Earl Simmons, with the combat sports community being no different. DMX was just 50 at the time of his death.
In a tribute to the great rapper following his demise, ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani took to Instagram to share a video of boxing legend Mike Tyson's iconic walkout to a DMX song.
Tyson's spine-chilling entrance to the DMX number is considered one of the most intense walkouts before a fight to date. Mike Tyson used the song for his return to the boxing ring in 1999.
The song used by Tyson for his walkout ahead of the fight against Botha was incidentally the first song on DMX's debut studio album, which was released on May 12, 1998.
What happened when Mike Tyson fought Francois Botha?
The entirely packed MGM Garden Arena fell completely silent when the song 'Intro' from DMX's 'It's Dark And Hell Is Hot' album started playing.
That's when Mike Tyson walked out. Tyson looked like a man on a mission, entering the same arena where he made a disgraceful exit in 1997 after biting Evander Holyfield's ear during a fight.
Despite being a shadow of his former self, the night clearly belonged to Mike Tyson as he knocked out Francois Botha in the fifth round of the heavyweight matchup. After winning against Botha, Mike Tyson went on to win four and lose three more fights before finally retiring in 2005.
How did Earl Simmons aka DMX die?
Simmons, who was popularly known as DMX (Dark Man X), passed away on April 9 due to a massive heart attack, possibly stemming from a drug overdose which later led to a multi-organ failure.
The legendary rapper and songwriter was rushed to hospital on April 2 following a heart attack at his home. His attorney, Murray Richman, later confirmed Simmons was on life support.
His manager, Steve Rifkind, stated that Simmons had reportedly lost functionality in his brain and multiple organs, including his lungs, liver, and kidneys. On April 9, Simmons was declared dead.