Shaquille O’Neal has had some wild guests on his Big Podcast in the past, but none will ever match his latest chat with Mike Tyson. The boxing legend and the Diesel spoke about many things during their convo, including when Iron Mike once got bit by one of his lions.
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You read that right. Tyson famously had an affinity for animals. While he had regular pets like dogs and birds, he also went to the exotic side. The Baddest Man On The Planet owned, lived with, and slept alongside several Bengal tigers in the 1990s.
So when O’Neal poached this subject during their interview, the NBA Hall of Famer had to ask the million-dollar question. “Did you ever get bit?”
“The lion bit me, not the tiger,” responded Tyson, which made Shaq and his co-host Adam Lefkoe flinch. “You had lions and tigers and bears oh my?” asked Shaq, clearly mocking Tyson by dropping a line from The Wizard of Oz.
Tyson had his response loaded like a big haymaker. “I bought the house next door for them. Because the tigers didn’t like them in the house. So I let them have that house and I let the tigers stay with me,” Iron Mike stated.
While Lefkoe nodded like it was a sincere thing to say, the Diesel once again showed that he was fearless. “That’s when you got too much goddamn money,” the four-time NBA Champ stated, bringing the entire room down with laughter.
It’s very brave of Shaq to challenge a man who could legitimately kill someone with a right hook or even a well-placed jab. That said, it was utterly insane to think that Tyson not only housed such dangerous animals, but even at times slept alongside them.
Years later, Iron Mike admitted that it was indeed a dangerous endeavor he went on, even claiming that tigers are too wild to live in such an environment. Fortunately, he’s still alive to be able to tell that story.
Tyson’s admiration for tigers was a running joke in the hit Todd Phillips comedy The Hangover, a movie that Mike appeared in as himself. Shaq could appreciate that aspect, since he played himself in the opening of Scary Movie IV next to Dr. Phil. It’s good to be able to poke fun at yourself in these situations.
But when Shaq, an avid car collector, who has more money than he knows what to do with thanks to his NBA salary, endorsement deals, business ventures, and broadcasting money, is telling you that’s too much, then you might really have a little too much.
