Mike Tyson was the proud owner of three tigers in the 1990s and 2000s, having paid $50,000 each for the ‘pets’.

At the peak of his powers as boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and the main draw, ‘Iron’ Mike had pretty much everything money could buy thanks to his killer earnings in the ring.

Vutuan

Tyson had three tiger cubs and kept one into adulthoodCredit: Getty

Vutuan

In a career that saw him face Evander Holyfield, Michael Spinks and make history as the youngest every heavyweight champion by flooring Trevor Berbick, Tyson’s combined purses ran into the hundreds of millions.

And as a result of a chance meeting one day, he managed to acquire a selection of exotic animals normally out of reach regardless of how big your bank account might be.

Tyson kept the tigers at his home when they were cubs and as they got bigger, he donated two of them to a sanctuary, while continuing to keep one for 16 years.

Asked how he got his tigers, Tyson explained on his Hotboxin’ Podcast: “Black market.

“This guy was selling them and said, ‘I can get you a full grown one for $70,000 or I can get a small one for like $50,000.’

“So I got the baby. I get the baby, we feed the baby with a bottle and then eventually she’s 400lbs.

“And then you figure out – how do I get rid of this motherf***er?!”

Asked if they were ever aggressive, he replied: “Not to me. Never to me.”

Vutuan

A young Tyson was one of the most feared fighters all over the worldCredit: Getty
Previously, Tyson explained the story of why he had to eventually get rid of the tiger he kept for 16 years.

He revealed in a GQ interview: “I had to get rid of her when her eyes and her head got bad.

Throwback to when Mike Tyson left his opponent Michael Johnson’s face disfigured with earth-shattering punch to score frightening 40-second KO back in 1985

“Oh and she ripped somebody’s arm off.”

It had been rumoured that Tyson’s tiger jumped over a fence and attacked a neighbour.

However, when asked about this Tyson clarified: “No, that’s not what happened.

“Somebody jumped over my fence where the tiger was and jumped in their habitat and started playing with the tiger.

Tyson’s tigers loved him, but didn’t take kindly to tresspassersCredit: Getty
“And the tiger didn’t know the lady so it was a bad accident.

“She jumped in the property where the tiger was at.

“They tried to [sue me] until they found out she jumped over the fence and she trespassed the tiger.

“And listen, when I saw what the tiger did to her hand, I had a lot of money back then, so I gave her $250,000 or whatever it was.

“Because she was just f***ed up.”

Tyson lives a far calmer life in middle age these days with not a single tiger in sight.

However, he will be returning to the boxing ring this year as he is set to fight Jake Paul on November 15.

The clash has split opinion due to the age gap and Tyson’s health, which has already seen the bout postponed.

Tyson, who will be 58, has not fought professionally since 2005 while Paul, 27, has remained active and recently beat Mike Perry before turning his attention on Tyson, who has already begun his countdown.