Mike Tyson's legendary career continues to inspire both admiration and fascination, even as the former boxing champion’s recent loss to Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, has captured global headlines. While the match brought forward debates about Tyson’s age and decline, it also reignited many of the wild and unforgettable stories from his prime.
Among the more bizarre and often humorous anecdotes is one from the late 1980s, when Tyson, known for his impulsive nature and unfiltered personality, offered $10,000 to a zookeeper for the chance to fight a gorilla at a New York zoo.
The incident occurred during a private visit to the zoo with his then-wife, Robin Givens. As Tyson wandered through the primate enclosure, he reportedly took issue with the behaviour of a dominant silverback gorilla who was bullying the other, smaller gorillas. In typical Tyson fashion, the boxing legend, never one to back down from a challenge, approached the zookeeper with a surprising proposition: he would pay a hefty sum of $10,000 if the zookeeper would unlock the gorilla’s cage, allowing Tyson to square off with the 400-pound beast.
Tyson, who has often been described as having a deep dislike for bullies, apparently saw the silverback’s behaviour as unjust, and felt a sense of duty to intervene. However, the zookeeper declined Tyson’s offer, firmly refusing to allow the boxer to face off against the massive primate.
In interviews, Tyson has laughed off the episode, admitting the absurdity of the idea. The story, however, has become one of many that helps to reinforce the image of a younger Tyson — impulsive, confident, and occasionally reckless. It is a tale that speaks to both the brashness of his personality and the larger-than-life mythos that surrounded his career at its peak.
Although Tyson never faced the silverback, the story remains one of the most memorable from his personal life, adding to the collection of eccentric and unpredictable moments that have come to define the boxing icon.