In the 80s and 90s, the name Mike Tyson was a symbol of raw power and unmatched technique. He was feared by people and boxers alike because of his aggressive fighting style in the ring and dominant personality outside the ring. But today, people know him as an entirely different person. As he grew older and matured, a softer and calmer side of ‘Iron Mike’ came into the public eye. People got to know about his love for exotic animals, especially Pigeons. In Mike’s recent episode of Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, pigeons made their way into the conversation. As expected, ‘Iron Mike’ expressed his love for the bird.

All he now has are these birds! Mike’s love for these winged animals is no surprise. He has expressed a connection with birds publicly before. So, when the topic of pigeons came up during his podcast, he couldn’t resist talking about his dear pigeons. Meanwhile, he also revealed why he doesn’t name them.

Mike Tyson opens up about his beloved birds

Prince Jackson, Michael Jackson’s son, appeared on Mike’s latest podcast, discussing a plethora of topics. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, Prince brought up what his father thought about Mike. It then led to Mike telling Prince about his new pigeons. In response, Prince inquired if Mike named his pigeons. Mike revealed, “I don’t do that because if I get attached to them, and a Hawk takes one out. Next thing you know, I got the f***ing gun. Alright, come on mo****f**ker! I am letting birds out. Go ahead, and I am getting too into it. The next thing you know, somebody looks at me, sees me shooting, and  I got a case. I can’t do that.”

Later, Mike goes on to describe his love for the pigeons and how he can’t live without them. Mike further expressed how he keeps them in Brooklyn and Las Vegas, where he feeds and takes care of them himself. By now, it’s pretty clear that Mike shares a bond with these birds. But this bond is much deeper than most people realize.

How did pigeons lead Mike to the boxing ring?

Pigeons played a crucial role during Tyson’s violence-dominated upbringing in New York. As a kid, he used to have pet pigeons that he adored more than anything. But one day, a bully snapped one of the bird’s necks and beat up Mike. This incident led to Mike fighting the bully, where an interest in combat inspired him to get into the ring. 

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Today, Mike talks about how these birds can teach people the importance of compassion. He even created NFT collectible cards with the name ‘Iron Pigeons,’ part of the Ex Populus trading card game. There are numerous such stories about Mike’s pigeons, some involving his girlfriend. In others, he invites people to meet the pigeons.

The saga of Mike and his pigeons will go on forever. But the key takeaway is that Mike found stability in pigeons during a chaotic period in life. Are you into birds? Do you agree with Mike’s decision about not naming his birds?

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