Mike Tyson claims he had to sell his pet Bengal tiger Kenya after 16 years as it ‘ripped somebody’s arm off’
MIKE TYSON claims he was forced to "get rid" of his Bengal tiger after it "ripped somebody's arm off".
The former heavyweight boxing world champ paid a reported £55,000 to buy his beloved "Kenya".
Tyson told that he decided to buy a tiger while in prison after being convicted of rape in 1992 and sent to prison for six years.
He was talking to his car dealer at the time, but decided to swap a luxury vehicle for a luxury animal.
Tyson, who now runs a cannabis farm, had his tiger for 16 years before he was forced to give up the big cat.
And in an interview with , the 53-year-old has revealed why.
He explained: “I did have a pet tiger, her name was Kenya and she was around 550 pounds.
“I had a great affection for her; I kept her, I slept with her, I kept her in my room.
"She stayed with me I had her about 16 years.
“But she got too old and I had to get rid of her when her eyes and her head got bad.
“Oh and she ripped somebody’s arm off.”
FEROCIOUS LIKE A TIGER
Tyson at his best was one of the most ferocious boxers of all time - so it is little surprise he was attracted to one of the most ferocious animals in the world too.
SunSport recently revealed how the American incredibly knocked out grown men when he was just 12, his former trainer has revealed.
But it was hardly surprising given the future heavyweight champion of the world weighed 13st 5lbs at that age with a neck that was close to 20 inches.
Iron Mike, who even now at 53 still has amazing speed and power, was born to fight, according to respected Teddy Atlas.
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In an interview with , Atlas recalled the first time Tyson - who went on to win 50 of his 56 fights with 44 coming by way of KO - came into the gym.
And he said nothing could have prepared him for such a ferocious mix of natural ability and power.
He said: "As far as most pure, God-given talent, raw, from the earliest stage that you saw, it would have to be a 12-year-old Tyson, who was 190lbs but no fat."
