After the publication of Tiger King, Mike Tyson regrets owning large cats.
“I was foolish,” he said. “There’s no way you can domesticate these cats 100 per cent, no way that’s going to happen.
“They’ll kill you by accident, especially when you’re playing rough with them and you’re punching them back. They get hyped up, hit you back and you’re dead.
“I used to sleep with them. I’m just happy I educated myself, it was late but I was doing the wrong s***. I shouldn’t have had them in my house, believing they were domesticated – I was wrong.”
Tyson bought Kenya while he was jailed for rape, spending $72,000 on the 550lb animal.
He kept her for 16 years but was forced to sell the tiger when she ripped a woman’s arm off.
“The tiger didn’t know the lady, so it was a bad accident,” added Tyson. “They tried to [sue me] until they found out she tried to jump over the fence.
“When I saw what the tiger did to her hand, I had a lot of money back then, so I gave her $250,000.
“You couldn’t believe what they can do to a person’s flesh. I had no idea. They are incredibly quick for being up to 600lb. They kill you in like three seconds with one swing.”