Jump directly to the content

HEAVYWEIGHT legend Mike Tyson once revealed he knocked out a bin man after he threw his pet pigeon in the trash.

Iron Mike managed 50 wins throughout his career with 44 knockouts but one punch, in particular, stands out in his memory.

 Mike Tyson revealed his love for pigeons
2
Mike Tyson revealed his love for pigeonsCredit: Getty Images - Getty

It came when Tyson, who made his boxing comeback against Roy Jones Jr in November 2020, was just ten-years-old when he lost the first love of his life... a pigeon called Julius.

The 56-year-old had just been forced to say goodbye to the bird after it passed away.

But before he could hold a proper memorial, a bin man noticed Julius lifeless on a crate and disposed of him.

Speaking to World Boxing Council, he revealed: "One morning I woke up and found my favourite pigeon, Julius, had died. I was devastated and was gonna use his crate as my stickball bat to honour him.

"I left the crate on my stoop and went in to get something and I returned to see the sanitation man put the crate into the crusher.

"I rushed him and caught him flush on the temple with a titanic right hand, he was out cold."

 

Tyson also revealed another story when a boy confronted him and brutally ripped the head off a pigeon.

He added: "The guy ripped the head off my pigeon. This was the first thing I ever loved in my life, the pigeon.

"I don't know why, I feel ridiculous just trying to explain it. [Pigeons] are just so much like people."

 Mike Tyson's first knockout was a garbage man
2
Mike Tyson's first knockout was a garbage manCredit: Reuters
Topics