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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 21: Mike Tyson speaks during the Tekken 8: The Art of Fighting panel at 2023 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 21, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/FilmMagic)
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1562366158.jpg?width=600)
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 21: Mike Tyson speaks during the Tekken 8: The Art of Fighting panel at 2023 Comic-Con International: San Diego at San Diego Convention Center on July 21, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/FilmMagic)
Fans might not get to see Mike Tyson in the ring until November, but the legendary heavyweight boxer makes a regular appearance on his social media, leaving his fans with a lot to talk about. In a similar move, the youngest heavyweight champion turned to Instagram, sharing a special snap with a very special person. Who is that?
Drum rolls, please! It’s none other than Ronaldo Nazario, the former Brazilian soccer sensation! And guess what—both of them have a lot in common. They hold legendary status; were considered the best at what they did, and of course, they have millions of fans worldwide. So, when ‘Iron’ Mike shared a picture of the two of them together, it was an instant hit with the fans.
‘El Fenómeno’ Ronaldo and ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson: Legends Never Retire
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Earlier today, the 57-year-old retired boxer shared the picture in question on Instagram, with the caption reading, “El Fenómeno with Iron Mike”. However, this rather straightforward caption failed to express the magnitude of greatness captured within the confines of the frame. In his prime, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima led his country’s team, Brazil, to two World Cup titles in 1994 and 2002.
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – MAY 16: Mike Tyson speaks onstage during the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Boxing match Arlington press conference at Texas Live! on May 16, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for Netflix)
Not to mention, he won three Player of the Year Awards in 1996, 1997, and 2002 from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) before retiring in 2011. On the other hand, Mike Tyson, who boxing fans know way too well, started his professional boxing career at the age of 18. And guess what? Tyson bulldozed through his first 19 fights to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history and later undisputed.
He retired in 2005 but still remains the most popular figure in boxing, which is why when he shared the picture, fans quickly took notice.
Fan declares legends were different back then
Putting their followers on Instagram together, Ronaldo and Mike have upwards of 60 million followers worldwide, so the comment section filled up pretty quickly. One user compared the athletes in boxing and soccer of today with the athletes of Tyson and Ronaldo’s generation, suggesting legends were something else back then. The user wrote, “Look at boxing now, look at football now, legends were different back then…” Hopefully, fans would say the same things decades later about athletes of today.
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Someone else identified the star power in that group of pixels, burning Ronaldo and Tyson icons. “Two icons of sports”, commented the user. However, Mike Tyson is much more than an icon, at this point, he has become a successful businessman as well.
Another user felt something was missing from the image, suggesting if Michael Jordan was in the image, it would have been perfect. “Put MJ on the photo and we have the holy trinity”, the user remarked. However, such moments are hard to come by when all the greats are gathered in the same place.
The next user kept things rather simple, as he labeled the duo best in their art. “Best in football and best in boxing nothing more,” wrote the user. Yet, Tyson is so much more—an entrepreneur and an entertainer.
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Meanwhile, the next user seems to have smelled something fishy going on with Ronaldo and Tyson in the picture. The user wrote, “Hey man It looks like Ronaldo smoked something with you!” Perhaps, something right out of Mike’s Tyson 2.0 cannabis company.
Fighting in the ring or not, Mike Tyson continues to keep his fans busy with his social media posts. Also, evident from the responses, fans can’t wait for more from the retired boxing legend. What did you think about the picture?