Mike Tyson was a true force to be reckoned with in the late 1980s and terrified his opponents as the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’.
At this time, business mogul and future USA President Donald Trump began experimenting with the boxing world due to his love for the sport, staging a few fights in Atlantic City, including Tyson knocking out Larry Holmes and the demolition job he performed on Michael Spinks.
In the early years of his career, Tyson frequently worked with TrumpCredit: GETTY
At one point, Tyson and Trump had such a close relationship that the heavyweight world champion briefly employed him as a ‘business advisor’.
However, as could be expected with their respective personalities, their time together was tumultuous.
Years later, Trump recalled one particularly startling story to then-New York Times reporter Tim O’Brien.
At one stage in the late 80’s, wild rumours flew around suggesting that Trump had been sleeping with Tyson’s wife at the time Robin Givens.
The pair wed in 1988 and divorced one year later with Givens citing spousal abuse stemming from Tyson’s jealousy and temper.
Trump and Givens were seen alone together and Givens had been photographed wearing a hat branded with ‘Trump Princess’, which was the name of his super yacht.
It’s claimed that Tyson became convinced by these rumours and so visited Trump’s office in Manhattan to confront him about it to his face.
According to Trump, the conversation went as follows.
Tyson’s marriage to Givens did not lastCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“Mr Trump, could I ask you a question?”
“Whatever you want Mike,” Trump replied.
To which Tyson bluntly said: “Are you f***ing my wife?”
Trump told O’Brien what he was thinking, but did not say, at this moment: “Now, if I froze, I’m dead… you would have zero chance. Here’s the heavyweight champion of the world, and he’s a solid piece of f***ing armour.”
In truth, Trump simply replied with a stunned: “What?”
Tyson reiterated: “Are you f***ing my wife? Everyone’s telling me you’re f***ing my wife.”
Tyson then produced the image of Givens wearing the ‘Trump Princess’ hat and added: “Everyone’s telling me you’re f***ing my wife, and I think you’re f***ing my wife.”
Trump insisted: “Mike, let me tell you something – I never ever even thought about it.
Tyson was on top of the world in the late 1980s and no doubt terrified Trump when he asked the questionCredit: GETTY
“And I heard those rumours and they’re disgusting. In fact, I called you a couple of times to tell you I heard those rumours and it p***es me off.
“And I never, ever even thought about it. She’s your wife, she’s with you, she’s loyal to you and it’s total bulls***. It’s absolutely bulls***, it’s false. I give you my word.”
Thankfully for Trump, Tyson accepted this explanation and dropped the issue.
If he hadn’t have done so, the world could have been a very different place today.
The pair continued working together with Tyson often fighting at Trump’s properties in Atlantic City such as Convention Hall and Trump Plaza Hotel.
Even when Tyson was convicted of rape and sent to prison in 1992, Trump publicly defended him, saying: “The truth is he’s been very loyal to me, he has most of his fights at my places.
“He does best at my places in terms of his best fights and he’s been great and I just hate to see what’s happened to him. It’s a travesty, it’s a travesty.”
But after being released, Tyson opted against reuniting with Trump and instead placed his comeback firmly in the hands of Don King instead.
Despite this knock-back, Trump remained a passionate fan of combat sports and the rise of MMA has seen him enjoy not just boxing.
The former President is now a semi-regular attendee at Dana White’s biggest UFC events also.
Tyson, meanwhile, is set to make a ring return to face Jake Paul this summer.
In a recent interview, Paul even invited Trump to attend the bout, and so we could see a reunion with Tyson in the near future.
It marks his second ‘fight’ since hanging up his professional gloves in 2005 when he was forced to quit on his stool.