Mike Tyson Told Joe Rogan He Used to Get Sexually Aroused From Beating Up His Opponents In the Ring — ‘It’s Orgasmic Sometimes’

Mike Tyson was more than just a good boxer—he was one of the greatest of all time. And anyone who’s that good at something has to find some sort of pleasure in doing it, even if the activity is beating someone’s face in.

Tyson surely found a lot of joy in causing people pain. In fact, he recently admitted that he would often feel sexually aroused while inflicting pain on others in the ring. 

Mike Tyson occasionally forgot he was hurting people while in the ring

Tyson has made a career out of inflicting serious pain on other people, but believe it or not, the former heavyweight champion doesn’t always believe he’s hurting his opponent. He recently admitted on The Joe Rogan Experience that in his heyday, he would occasionally dissociate from the reality of what was doing.

“Know what’s really interesting?” Tyson asked. “That sometimes, periodically, not really, but sometimes I struggle with the fact that there’s a possibility I could really hurt somebody.”

He then admitted that there was an overwhelming sense of pleasure he would get from hurting people in the ring.

“It’s sometimes… It’s orgasmic sometimes,” Tyson replied. 

Mike Tyson would get sexually aroused during his boxing matches

Tyson and Rogan then dive a bit deeper into the psychology behind Tyson’s statement.

“What does it mean when fighting gets you erect? What does that mean?” Tyson asked.

“Good question,” Rogan replied. “Means you’re getting excited. So that’s going through your mind right now?”

“Well that’s how I’d get when I was a kid, and I—you know, sometimes I get the twinkle,” Tyson said. 

Mike Tyson has more control over his ego now

Tyson has been training relentlessly for his exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr., scheduled for Nov. 28. Rogan was curious to know what goes through Tyson’s mind while he’s training, assuming the process must evoke feelings of nostalgia from his days as champion. 

“You reached a state as a human being, as a champion, as a ferocious fighter,” Rogan said. “You reached a state of ability and of accomplishment that very few humans will ever touch and feel. … When you’re running, when you’re hitting the bag, when that heart’s beating again, you know who you are. You’re Mike motherf—ing Tyson! So when you’re doing all this s— again, you’re still Mike Tyson. Those thoughts have got to be burning inside you again. It’s gotta be pretty wild.”

Tyson’s admitted that although his ego definitely comes into play during his training, he has better control over it today than he did in his prime. 

“I don’t know,” Tyson said. “It’s wild, but I believe it’s rightfully so to be that way and I just know how to—I don’t think I mastered it, but I know how to deal with it. I don’t let it overwhelm me.”

Tyson says he keeps religion separate from boxing 

Although many athletes tend to pray before, during, or after a competitive event, Tyson does not. 

“Fighting is the only thing I don’t ask Allah for—I just don’t ask him for help for that,” Tyson said.

According to Tyson, his mind goes to a dark place when preparing for matches, and he doesn’t like associating that mindstate with religion. 

“I just don’t want to be involved with that kind of mindset in Allah,” Tyson said. “You know, people do it, they got to—I just don’t. I just don’t, because it’s just—I don’t like the way I think, and I don’t want God to be, you know, involved with the way I think at that time.