Did Mike Tyson Ever Take Steroids During His Boxing Career?
Mike Tyson is probably one of the best heavyweight boxers ever, and he has the resume to prove it. While he hasn’t beaten that many big named boxers, he did show a scary ability to knock out his opponents quickly and effortlessly. That said, due to his scary amount of power, many people speculate that Mike Tyson has used steroids. Here’s a look at how truthful that claim is.
What Mike Tyson said
‘Iron Mike’ has had a notoriously crazy life, and he’s made a lot of bad choices in his days. While some of his actions can be explained by his upbringing or his mental state, he undoubtedly used drugs in his day.
Whether it was drugs for parties, or just drugs for fun, the former champ has definitely used a wide range of recreational drugs such as cocaine and of course, weed.
In fact, according to The Guardian, he not only admits to using those drugs, but he also admits to using those drugs before getting into the ring and fighting. Recreational drugs are not allowed in boxing, but Tyson was able to skirt those rules with a clever tactic.
The Guardian said that he had a fake penis that was full of drug-free urine that his team would bring with them. When it was time for a drug test, Tyson would pee from this fake penis.
Tyson even said that the one time that he failed a drug test, it was because he didn’t have this tool on hand. That said, this tool may have been useful for other things, too.
What Evander Holyfield said
Boxing Scene reported that, in 1988, Evander Holyfield was approached by an unnamed individual who offered him steroids. Holyfield declined this offer, but that person tried to persuade him by saying that, since Tyson was using steroids, he should use them too.
Holyfield then went on to clarify that he wasn’t accusing Tyson of using steroids, rather, he was repeating what he was told by that unnamed individual.
If what Holyfield said is true, then ‘Iron Mike’ may have used steroids in his career. In fact, that fake penis that Tyson used to protect himself from testing positive for recreational drugs would also be useful for avoiding steroid tests.
That said, unlike weed, which Tyson has tested positive for, ‘Iron Mike’ has never failed a drug test when it came to steroids. And even now when he’s older and wiser, he still claims that he’s never used steroids before.
Did Mike Tyson ever take steroids?
The main reason why Holyfield brought up Tyson, more than likely, was to deflect attention away from himself since he, according to Boxing Scene, was in the middle of a steroid scandal. Holyfield was one of the many athletes whose name was associated with a clinic that distributed steroids, and this has tarnished his reputation. By deflecting attention to Tyson, Holyfield could help preserve his reputation.
But, other than what Holyfield said, there’s no concrete proof that Tyson ever took steroids. The most telltale sign of steroid use is increased muscle mass, but not everyone with a shredded body has used performance-enhancing drugs. Some people are just naturally gifted with powerful muscles, and it’s hard to tell who cheated for them and who worked hard for them.
Plus, many performance-enhancing drugs don’t affect muscle size. Some performance-enhancing drugs can make it easier to cut weight, or they can improve one’s cardio.
Tyson fought at heavyweight, so he didn’t need to cut weight at all. Tyson’s cardio could also be explained by a lifetime of intense exercise, since he used to do 2,500 sit-ups a day. Until Tyson tests positive, the safest bet is to say that he’s clean.
