Mike Tyson picks Naomi Osaka as the "best player" in the world over Serena Williams

Mike Tyson believes that Naomi Osaka is the greatest tennis player in the world, even better than Serena Williams.

'Iron Mike' knows talent when he sees it. Simply put, the heavyweight legend is one of the greatest boxers to ever put on gloves. Holding wins over names such as Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks, his legacy is secure.

With that being said, when Tyson gives his take, it holds weight, and that applies even when the former champion isn't even talking about boxing. The legendary boxer, for example, is a noted fan of tennis, having attended several high-profile matches in the past.

On his podcast, Mike Tyson revealed that he believes that Naomi Osaka, and not Serena Williams, is the greatest tennis player alive. He also revealed that he had met Osaka recently and that his daughter was mad at him for it.

Supporting Naomi Osaka as the greatest tennis player, Mike Tyson stated:

“I can’t believe my daughter is supposed to be mad at me for being with the most beautiful and the best player in the world..."

See his comments below (26:26):

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Mike Tyson discusses Serena Williams vs. Naomi Osaka

Mike Tyson's comments about Naomi Osaka come as a surprise given his previous support for Serena Williams. In 2018, the two met in the women's singles finals of the 2018 U.S. Open. There, Williams and Osaka put on a classic, where the latter pulled off an upset, however, the win didn't come without controversy.

Throughout the match, Williams got into several arguments with the chair umpire Carlos Ramos. Following the defeat, the tennis great stated that she was treated unfairly due to sexism, which garnered a mixed reception from fans and pundits.

To his credit, the boxing legend was with Serena Williams following the 2018 match. In an interview, Tyson stated that the tennis legend was being treated unfairly but didn't specify that it was due to sexism.

However, Tyson also stated that Williams made a mistake by arguing with the referee. "Kid Dynamite" is no stranger to issues with officials, having been disqualified in the past in his rematch against Evander Holyfield.

In a 2018 interview, Mike Tyson stated:

“I thought it was a wrong call the chair umpire made. Serena was unfairly targeted. This said she should have kept her cool and not argued with him. Arguing with him would have never done her any good.”