Mike Tyson, one of boxing's greatest heavyweights, says he would've turned down a fight with Riddick Bowe. The former champ made this surprising admission in a recent interview with CNN.
Tyson rose to stardom in the early 1980s, making a name for himself by winning his first 19 professional fights inside the scheduled distance. On November 22, 1986, he knocked out Trevor Berbick in the second round to win the WBC heavyweight title. At just 20 years old, Tyson became the youngest world heavyweight champion in history.
'Iron Mike' didn't stop there. He went on to add the WBA and IBF titles to his collection, becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Despite his fierce reputation in the ring, Tyson revealed a softer side when talking about his old schoolmate, Riddick Bowe. In the CNN interview, Tyson said:
"I love Riddick Bowe. We went to school together. I don't think I would fight him, two friends shouldn't hurt each other, it's just too disrespectful."
Tyson went on to explain his reasoning:
"The only reason you put your hands on somebody even in a street fight if you're conscious is because you have no respect for them. Kids fight because they don't know any better. But as grown men fighting, if they're conscious, the only reason I'll put my hands on you is because I have no respect for you if we have a fight."
Bowe, like Tyson, made his mark in the heavyweight division. He held the undisputed heavyweight championship in 1992. Throughout his career, Bowe only lost once, to Evander Holyfield. He later avenged that loss in their 1995 trilogy fight.
While fans might've loved to see these two heavyweight titans clash in the ring, Tyson's revelation shows that sometimes, friendship and respect matter more than titles and glory.
