Many have forgotten the dominating side of Shaquille O’Neal that terrorized the NBA for nearly two decades. A much more tranquil figure now, the big man wasn’t really the big friendly giant as we know him today. An explosive center with an attitude to match, Diesel was quite an intimidating opponent during his prime. Built like a tank while boasting an athleticism of a tennis player, the 7-foot star made all the waves as he entered the NBA in 1993. Still regarded as the most dominant player ever, there has never been another center to dictate the game like Shaq did.
When drawing comparisons to O’Neal’s utter dominance with other sports, Mike Tyson’s overbearing influence in boxing quickly comes to mind. Iron Mike was feared by many as he commanded complete control of the boxing world. A viciously skilled boxer, Mike’s dominance in boxing is reminiscent of Shaq’s early days in the NBA. The big man recently showed love to the legendary boxer as he shared a reminiscent clip of his domineering days.
Shaquille O’Neal turns back time with old Mike Tyson clip
Mike Tyson was undeniably the greatest boxer during his prime. Overshadowing an entire generation, Tyson was an undisputed champ throughout the 1980s. A National Junior Olympics champion for two consecutive years. Mike’s early successes fast tracked his career as he made his professional debut aged 18.
While he became known as ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ for his professional boxing success, it is his amateur days that earned him the respect of many.
Shaquille O’Neal recently took to Instagram as he shared a story depicting Mike Tyson’s early days in boxing. The clip which was taken from his bout against Winston Bent showcased an amateur ‘Kid Dynamite’ as he competed in the Empire State Games of 1983.
The video showed Mike participating in the annual Olympic-style competition as he implemented his infamous ‘peek-a-boo- style’ taught to him by his mentor Cus D’Amato. This defensive style was a signature of Tyson’s as he was able to bob and weave around his opponent’s punches while timing his own.
While Iron Mike achieved considerable success in boxing, his accolades don’t cover the controversial side he had to deal with. Outspoken about his various battles today there was time where Mike Tyson was the most feared man on the planet. Having punched Shaquille O’Neal in the back once, the boxer’s controversial past recently came to bite him in the back recently, as Shaq’s close friend exposed his inappropriate behavior.
Shaquille O’Neal’s friend exposed Mike Tyson’s inappropriate behavior
Philly icon Charles Barkley shared a story of Mike in his menacing prime as the tale raised many an eyebrow. Speaking to the Kelce brothers on their podcast Chuck recounted a time when Mike came to his house party.
Revealing the inappropriate tale, he stated. “So, about 2 hours into the party, 3 or 4 husbands come up to me and says, ‘Yo man, you gotta do something about Mike… He grabbing our wives by the a**’”