Mike Tyson, in his heyday, loved gifting cars to people. You might recall the story of him offering a $180,000 silver Bentley convertible to two Port Authority police officers in lower Manhattan in 1988 after crashing it into a parked car. But it wasn’t the only instance where Iron Mike gave his car away. There are many more instances where the former heavyweight champion simply gifted a car to someone needy just because he felt like it.

During a recent appearance on the Come And Talk 2 Me podcast with Cam’ron and Mase, Tyson opened up about the motivation behind his generous acts, including giving away numerous cars over the years.

A practice in self-love

While on the podcast, rapper, and MC Mason Betha aka ‘Mase’ revealed to Mike Tyson that during his prime years, he had seen countless people in Harlem who had received luxury cars as gifts from the boxer. Curious, Mace asked the reason behind Tyson’s habit of gifting expensive cars to people.

Tyson didn’t hesitate to explain that giving away cars helped him love himself better. Reflecting on his difficult childhood, when his family struggled with poverty, Tyson said, “I found that loving yourself is not buying you a car. Loving yourself is buying someone else a car. I am from Brownsville, Brooklyn. I was from the sewers. I missed my family. We were all just really poor, abandoned. You know the s**t.”

For Mike Tyson, this generosity stemmed from his desire to give back after experiencing hardship. He emphasized that his success had allowed him to accumulate significant wealth, but if he couldn’t give back to others, he would struggle to respect himself.

“And why wouldn’t I wanna give you a car? I have close to $400-$600 million and if I don’t want to buy you a car, what kind of a person am I? What kind of a person am I if I don’t look at anybody else? If I want to be the only person to fly and everyone else wants to be bums, I don’t want to do that,” Tyson added, explaining that gifting cars was more than a gesture—it was a responsibility he felt compelled to fulfill.

This wasn’t the only charitable act in Tyson’s life—he has helped countless people escape difficult situations and get out of the street life. For Tyson, money had never been the driving force; it had always been about giving back, even if it affected his own well-being.

Mike Tyson wants to prove himself

The 58-year-old is scheduled to make his comeback against Jake Paul on 15th November at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight was earlier supposed to take place in July but was delayed due to an ulcer flare-up Mike Tyson suffered. However, some in the combat sports world, including, Chael Sonnen, and UFC president Dana White, have voiced their reservations about the retired boxer stepping back into the ring. Sonnen even shared a video where Tyson appeared unable to walk properly, raising doubts about his fitness for a return.

But in a three-decade-long career, Iron Mike has always upset the odds and for him, this fight is the same. It’s not about money—Tyson views this fight as a way to test himself, to confront risk, and to see where he stands today. Boxing has been his life since he was 14, and he wants to give fans the spectacle they crave.

But is it wise for him to push himself this much when he is nearly 60 years old? Has this determination of Mike Tyson to constantly prove himself and give something back now become negligence? Let us know your thoughts down below.