Advertisement

Boxing Legend Mike Tyson Says He Leans Conservative: ‘It’s Common Sense’

Advertisement

OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.


The boxer once known as “the baddest man on the planet” has made a startling confession about his personal politics.

Mike Tyson has admitted that he leans conservative because, in his view, it’s the only political view that makes “common sense.”

Tyson made his admission during an interview with “The Record With Greta Van Susteren” on Newsmax TV.

Noting that when he was younger, he was much more liberal, Tyson said his views have changed as he got older because “I look at my children.”

“Listen, if I start talking politics, my friends aren’t going to like me,” Tyson said when Van Susteren asked him whether he leans more left or more right.

“Let’s just not do that, OK? Let’s just not do that,” Tyson said. “My family gets mad, my friends get mad when we talk politics.

Advertisement

“When I was younger, I was all-out liberal. But as I get older, and I look at my children, and I see what’s out there in the world, I get a little conservative,” Tyson said.

“It’s common sense, looking at the world we have now. You want safety,” he added in what seemed like he was alluding to massive spikes in violence and crime in Democrat-run cities where far-left district attorneys have taken ‘soft-on-crime’ approaches to bail and jail.

Susteren then asked Tyson, who resides these days in Florida, about the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, and its most high-profile resident, former President Donald Trump.

The heavyweight boxing legend offered some reluctance initially, then said, “I can’t talk names the last time I tried to talk politics publicly, wow, did they give me a beating.”

‘They’ being the mainstream media.

“I now stay away from politics and religion,” he continued. “They stole my freedom of speech.”

Tyson was then asked if he still keeps pet pigeons, and he eagerly responded that he does.

“Absolutely. I just love birds. That’s who I am,” he said. “I’m from Brooklyn, New York, and I’m a typical Brooklyn guy who has pigeons on his roof.

“I clean their coops every day. I give them water. I feed them, and I fly them,” he said.

WATCH:

“Iron” Mike Tyson, who went 50-6 in his career with 44 wins coming by way of knockout, has long since retired from the sport. But he fought an exhibition match with another of the sport’s legends, former four-division champ Roy Jones Jr., in late November 2020, with the bout ending in a draw.

Advertisement

Earlier this month, Tyson accused streaming service Hulu of stealing his life story for an upcoming miniseries, and promised that “heads will roll.”

“Hulu stole my story. They’re Goliath and I’m David. Heads will roll for this,” he tweeted.

CBS Sports noted further:

Back in June, Hulu announced that Mike, a mini-series about the life and career of Tyson, would premiere on Aug. 25. Apparently, the series was produced without the approval of Tyson, and he has expressed his disdain about his lack of involvement on several occasions. Most recently, Tyson tweeted that Hulu “stole” the story from him.

Test your skills with this Quiz!

The series, which stars Trevante Rhodes as Tyson, says it will detail “the tumultuous ups and downs of Tyson’s boxing career and personal life – from being a beloved global athlete to a pariah and back again.”

The show has been a point of contention for the boxer since it was announced. In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, Tyson thrashed Hulu for using his life to make money without his approval. 

“[That’s] a flat out lie,” Tyson said in his statement to ET. “My life rights option expired years ago. Hulu nor any of their supercilious team ever tried to engage in any negotiations with this Black man. In their eyes I am still just a n—-r on the auction block ready to be sold for their profit without any regard for my worth or my family.

“They say this story is an exploration of a Black man. It’s more like an exploitation of a Black man. Hulu thinks their tracks are covered by hiring Black sacrificial lambs to play the part as frontmen for their backdoor robbery is appalling. I will always remember this blatant disregard of my dignity.”

Advertisement