Shaquille O’Neal is a complete athlete who recognizes the work and craft of those around him. Time and again, Shaq has noticed and praised greatness. There have been times when he has also defended these individuals. While doing so, he built bonds that would last a lifetime. On that note, earlier in the day, Shaq took to Instagram to show his respect and awe towards the legendary Mike Tyson.
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Mike Tyson and Shaquille O’Neal cherish a wholesome friendship. The duo, being legends of their respective sports, have immense respect and love for each other. They have been spotted hanging out together while also sharing pictures of their time on social media platforms. Amidst this growing brotherhood, the two have also interviewed each other previously. With that said, Tyson left the Big Aristotle stunned once again.
Shaquille O’Neal is too stunned to speak
A boxing page on Instagram posted a reel of Iron Mike from 1981. Tyson was 15 years old and was taking part in an amateur fight. The heavyweight legend was fighting against Joe Cortez, a former boxing referee. In round 1 of the duel, Cortez threw the first punch while Tyson blocked the same.
Seconds later, the duo started throwing punch after punch at each other. However, this didn’t last for long as Tyson got the better of his opponent. First, he faked from the right then punched Cortez from the left side and knocked him out on the ground. All it took was one powerful punch from a 15-year-old Tyson. Which goes to prove that Tyson has always been a natural-born fighter.
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While this video made rounds online, Shaquille O’Neal shared it on his Instagram story. For Shaq to share a video clearly shows that he was stunned and impressed with this old video of Kid Dynamite. However, this isn’t the first time that Tyson has left Big Diesel stunned.
When Mike Tyson hurt Shaquille O’Neal
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The duo interviewed each other in 2020. During their conversation, Shaq opened up about the time that Tyson punched him. The 7ft NBA legend was at the Century Club once when he felt a hard shot on his back. This left him furious and he was ready to fight. However, his demeanor and mood changed as soon as he turned around.
In the interview, he said, “I turned around and said and I was like mother f. ‘Hey what’s up Mike [Tyson]? How you doing boy, (laughs).” After listening to this story, Tyson was sent into a fit of laughter and expressed his love for the four-time NBA Champion. He said, “I love you so much.”
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What’s your take on their friendship? Let us know in the comments below.