Mike Tyson got into a fun street battle with former boxer Shannon Briggs in his native neighborhood of Brownsville, Brooklyn, as a nostalgic return. As Tyson trains for his next fight against Jake Paul, the two went to the location where Tyson grew up.
Tyson and Briggs, surrounded by locals, experienced a moment of friendly tension that turned into a lighthearted slap-boxing bout. After a quick hug, both boxers took off their shirts and raised their fists. Though no substantial strikes were delivered, the simulated battle ended in laughter when Briggs attempted to pull Tyson’s leg, prompting both to call off the humorous tussle.
Sharing a video of the incident, Tyson captioned it, “Brownsville’s finest always ready for a brawl. Love this guy.” Briggs posted a different angle of the playful fight, writing, “@miketyson and @cannon_briggs in Brownsville having a straightener in front of #AtlanticTowers! @smoothedahustler the referee! It’s on!”
Watch the video here
Tyson’s return to Brownsville recalls his difficult upbringing on Brooklyn’s tough streets, as he described in his 2013 biography “The Undisputed Truth.”
Tyson described the anxiety and difficulty he experienced both at home and on the streets, saying, “I was scared to be in the house, and I was also scared to go outside.” Tyson’s family struggled with basic basics like hot water and gas for cooking.
Despite these obstacles, boxing became Tyson’s lifeline, providing a path out of his turbulent past.
Tyson rose to prominence as the youngest heavyweight champion in history at the age of 20, and went on to have an outstanding professional career with a 50-6 record, including 44 knockout victories, earning him the label “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”
Mike Tyson will be 58 when he faces Jake Paul on July 20 in Texas, but he said fans are still eager to see the former heavyweight champion in action.
The fight between one of history’s most feared boxers and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul will take place in Arlington’s 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium and will be live-streamed on Netflix.
“I’m 58 and what? I’m getting billions of views from just talking to somebody about fighting,” Tyson told Reuters.
