It is dumb to try to get into a boxing match with Mike Tyson within boxing rules and years of experience. However, it is quite worse than dumb to try and irritate Tyson leading to a beating outside a boxing ring with no rules. This is exactly what went through the mind of American podcaster Joe Rogan when he was talking about Mike Tyson confronting fan abuse.
Although Mike Tyson and Joe Rogan might not go back a long way yet they have created quite a good bond among themselves over recent years. Out of all the esteemed guests Rogan has had over the years on his famous ‘Joe Rogan Experience’, his episodes with Tyson are one of the most viewed ones.
Over the years Tyson and Rogan have appeared on several podcasts together. Moreover, even before meeting Tyson, the American podcaster used to often speak about his admiration for the former heavyweight champion. So much so, that Rogan backed Tyson against an altercation with a rude fan.
Joe Rogan backed Mike Tyson against fan abuse
Joe Rogan sat down for a podcast episode with Dan Soder back in 2022. During the podcast Soder and Rogan discussed the Tyson-Fan altercation mid-flight which ended up with a severe beating for the fan. Rogan considers the instigation from the fan to be quite ‘ dumb’ and compared it to toying with a beehive.
Rogan said, “It’s so dumb! It’s not even kicking a beehive. It’s like smashing – it’s headbutting a beehive. If you find yourself where Mike Tyson’s reaching over the back of an airline seat and punching you in the face, I think you probably earned it. They think just because he’s Mike Tyson, he’s famous, he can’t just punch you. You’re annoying him! He’s gonna just fu*king hit you like a normal person would.“
The altercation became viral as another passenger filmed it and uploaded it on the internet. It caught the attention of millions of fans across the world and became quite a talking point. Tyson faced backlash for his actions. However, a portion of fans defended Tyson, with Rogan being a part of it. After a while, Tyson addressed the incident during a candid conversation.
Tyson admits he was ‘high’ during the altercation
Mike Tyson sat down for an interview with the infamous Piers Morgan back in 2022. During the interview, he addressed the flight altercation with the fan and revealed his state of mind during the incident. In a candid revelation, Tyson admitted that he was high and a bit restless which deteriorated his state of mind and made him lose his cool.
Tyson said, “By the time I’m on the plane I’m high, hungry, and tired. This guy keeps antagonizing me. And then I came to my senses and kicked his fu*king a*s! This guy keeps antagonizing me. That guy was just an irritant really. He hit me with a water bottle.“
Tyson revealed that out of 10 fan interactions, he might come across one such irritating fan. Despite his controversial earlier days, Tyson has grown to be more calm and humble. However, it is still not advisable to toy with an elder tiger, for it never forgets its instincts.
