Mike Tyson admits his tigers ‘could have’ come from convicted Netflix star Joe Exotic

Mike Tyson is known for his love of tigers, but has now admitted he “could have” purchased wild cats from convicted Netflix star Joe Exotic.

Mike Tyson playing with pet Tiger in Los Angeles in 1996.

Mike Tyson has admitted his tigers may have come from jailed Netflix star Joe Exotic, The Sun reported.

The boxing legend was renowned for owning the big cats at the height of his success in the 1990s, and Tyson, 53, appears to be a fan of the newly-famed Exotic.

“People always say these people are scumbags,” he said.

“But these are amazing people with what they can do with their ingenious minds and control over other people’s minds. These guys are born leaders.”

The former heavyweight champion even admitted that he may have indirectly done business with the jailed zoo owner.

“It could have been, maybe where I got my cats could have got their cats from Joe. But I don’t know,” Tyson said.

“If you are in the exotic animal world you are aware of him.”

Joe Exotic, star of Netflix docu-series Tiger King.

In 2019, Exotic was convicted on two counts of murder for hire, having plotted for Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin to be killed.

His story, and subsequent demise, has been adapted into an eight-part Netflix series – which has now been watched by over 64 million people worldwide.

Although seemingly a fan of the hit show, Tyson has recently admitted his regret at keeping tigers as pets.

In an Instagram Live conversation with rapper Fat Joe, the American said: “I was foolish. There’s no way you can domesticate these cats 100 per cent.

“There’s no way that's going to happen. They’ll kill you by accident, especially when you're playing rough with them, you're punching them back. They get hyped up, hit you back and you’re dead.”

Legendary boxer Mike Tyson.

His friend and former trainer Jeff Fenech recently recounted an occasion on which Tyson decided to throw him into his tiger’s cage.

“The first time I went to the house and he had the tiger, Mike had me and threw me in the cage and kind of locked me in there,” the Australian revealed.

“I’m not scared of too many things, but I certainly had to change the undies when I got out of the cage.”

Tyson was forced to sell his mansion, including tiger cages, when financial trouble struck in 1999. Remarkably, it has since been converted into a church. The old mansion is now the home of The Living Word Sanctuary Church.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission