If you’re new to boxing, you probably know Mike Tyson as one of the most feared heavyweights to ever lace up the gloves. But if you’ve been following the sport for a while, you know Iron Mike made a name for himself outside the ring, too. Sure, he didn’t quite build an empire like Floyd Mayweather (actually he did and then lost it) but trust me—it was enough to keep the lights on. One of Tyson’s biggest non-boxing moments? His role in the raucous comedy film The Hangover (2009) where he played himself. But here’s the wild part—Tyson had no clue he was even in the movie until the night before filming! Yep, in an interview with Tony Robbins, he admitted he was deep into his party phase, “doing dr–s” at the time. He only found out about his role when he ran into the cast during a night out. Talk about an unexpected plot twist!

Still, Mike Tyson showed up, did his thing, and the rest is history. The Hangover was a smash hit, raking in a whopping $469.3 million worldwide ($277 million from the U.S. and Canada alone). Now, nearly 16 years later, Tyson is looking back at that phase of his life, especially the role. But why now?

Mike Tyson has delivered some of the most brutal knockouts in boxing history—but when it comes to his favorite KO? It didn’t happen in the ring. It happened in the Hangover, according to him. In an exclusive episode of 10 Burning Questions with Sports Illustrated, Mike Tyson was hit with a fun question. “Favorite KO—Alan from The Hangover or Shawn Michaels?”

Now, for those who don’t remember, Iron Mike Tyson famously dropped Zach Galifianakis’ character, Alan Garner, in The Hangover with a clean right hook. In the movie, he plays himself—a tiger-owning, mansion-living Vegas icon whose pet gets stolen by a group of wildly hungover groomsmen. When they try to return it, Mike Tyson delivers one of the funniest (and hardest) punches ever seen in a comedy—while singing In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins, no less. Even Bradley Cooper admitted that, for a split second, they thought Tyson actually landed one of his legendary punches on Galifianakis.

So, who did he pick? After a moment of thought, Tyson smiled and replied, “Man, wow! Alan kind of won. Yes, Alan wins.” Surprised? The 58-year-old isn’t. Back in 2021, he credited The Hangover for helping him turn his life around. At the time, he was struggling with addiction and personal issues, but landing that role gave him a second chance. He went on to film the sequel, book a show in Europe, and slowly rebuild himself. “I’m just really happy my friend got me involved in that movie,” Tyson admitted in a conversation on Hotboxin’.

But while he’s grateful for his Hollywood success, don’t expect him to make another movie anytime soon. Instead? It sounds like Mike Tyson has his sights set on something else. Which is? Stepping back into the world of wrestling. Now that would be a comeback worth watching.

Mike Tyson puts Triple H on notice

Last month, in an interview with Bleacher Report’s Doric Sam, Mike Tyson dropped a major hint—he might be stepping back into the WWE ring. “Oh God, I would love to do that; that’s me at my childhood best; I had a great time,” Tyson said, sounding genuinely pumped about the idea. And when asked if there was anyone specific he’d like to go toe-to-toe with? He didn’t pick just one opponent—he went all in. “Shoot, all of them, let’s get a Battle Royal,” the 58-year-old declared. That’s right. Iron Mike wants a full-on WWE Battle Royal. Can you even imagine the chaos?

Now, if you need a quick history lesson, Mike Tyson isn’t new to WWE. After WrestleMania 14, fast forward to 2010, he made another splash on Raw, teaming up with Chris Jericho… only to knock him out and side with DX instead.

So, what would a Mike Tyson return look like in 2025? Well, let’s be real—picture him squaring off with Logan Paul. The trash talk, the showmanship, the sheer entertainment factor? It would be pure entertainment. The Maverick’s over-the-top antics vs. Tyson’s no-nonsense intensity? WWE needs to make that happen.

And if Triple H really wants to go all out and make the Battle Royal a reality? You better believe it’ll be streaming live on Netflix. Tyson in the ring again? Yeah, that’s a must-see. Would you tune in if Mike Tyson returns to fight?