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Two sporting icons, Barry Bonds and Mike Tyson, are icons in their respective sports. Both created a legacy to follow. But despite professing different sports, both are much alike. They have achieved enormous success alongside being controversial figures. 

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Barry Bonds is a legendary baseball player who played MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants, respectively. Bonds is a 14-time All-Star player. Whereas, Mike Tyson is a boxing legend who needs no formal introduction. Tyson is the first ever heavyweight boxer to win the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles in succession. 

Despite all the success, Bonds and Tyson mostly got attention for the wrong reasons. Bonds bid farewell to the ballpark in 2007. While Tyson retired from the ring in 2005. Both of them also happen to be personally acquainted. 

Barry Bonds and Mike Tyson’s friendship 

The personal achievements of Barry Bonds and Mike Tyson are world-renowned. But people know very little about the friendship between the two. Tyson once posted a photograph of himself with Bonds on Twitter. 

 

Tyson posted with the statement, “Hanging out with the home run king.” Bonds replied to the post with the words, “Thanks my friend you are awesome..!!!!” Proof that informs of long-time friendly ties between the two famous or rather infamous legendary athletes. 

 

Despite all the debate and divided opinions, none can deny the immense playing talent and skills that both possessed. Bonds has a massive MLB career total of 762 home runs to his credit. He smashed 73 of those home runs during his sensational 2001 season. 

Read More‘He Should Have Been on the First Vote’- When ESPN’s Max Kellerman Made a Passionate Plea for Controversial PED Slugger Barry Bonds’ Case for the MLB Hall of Fame

On the other hand, Tyson was the reigning undisputed heavyweight boxing champion from 1987 to 1990. He won his first championship belt as a 20-year-old. 12 of his 19 knockout victories came in the first round. Nicknamed ‘Kid Dynamite’ and ‘Iron Mike’, Tyson dominated the boxing ring until 1990. 

Lives tangled in controversies 

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The talent of the two great players was overshadowed by their controversial lives. Bonds’ home run record got refuted after he got indicted for drug intake. He is yet to be an MLB Hall Of Fame member. While Tyson’s numerous scandals gave him the tag of ‘The Baddest Man On The Planet’. 

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How much do you know about Barry Bonds and Mike Tyson’s friendship?

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