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Mike Tyson has been close to several rappers throughout his life, with Tupac Shakur being one of the most prominent. Shakur accompanied Tyson in many of his fights, including one against Bruce Seldon in 1996.
After the fight, Tupac was shot dead on his way back. Having shared so many great moments until watching him just hours before his death, Tyson never fails to share his love for Tupac.
On thelatest episode of the Hotboxin' podcast, NBA players Matt Barnes and Stak asked the boxer to talk about Shakur. In the process, Mike Tyson detailed how Tupac Shakur and Biggie’s rap verses eventually affected their life. He said:
“When you manifest things sometimes they happen quicker than you expect. And you know, I am just it putting it this way. Him [Tupac Shakur] and Biggie, they really rapped about destroying themselves and dying and this is just what happens when you do that.”
Matt Barnes, a self-proclaimed Tupac fan, also showed off his arm tattoo, paying homage to the late rapper. While it’s been over two decades since the rapper’s death, Mike Tyson continues to recall his lost friend.
Watch the episode below:
Mike Tyson’s career after Tupac Shakur’s death
The aftermath of Tupac Shakur’s death also witnessed a drop in Tyson’s boxing career. He lost the WBA heavyweight crown to Evander Holyfield in the next fight. Following that, Tyson was disqualified from the rematch after he bit a chunk of Holyfield’s ear.
Although ‘Iron’ Mike returned to the win-track after back-to-back defeats, he never won a world title again. Following the losses against Holyfield, Tyson’s next title fight happened against Lennox Lewis in 2002. British boxing star Lewis demolished Tyson and ended his hopes of becoming a champion again.
After facing Lewis, Tyson fought three more times and won just one of the bouts. While Tyson’s glittery career ended in 2005, his prime time was seemingly over after the death of Tupac Shakur.
