Mike Tyson puts shark to sleep by tickling its nose while scuba diving as boxing legend admits ‘I’m scared to death’
MIKE TYSON put a shark to sleep by tickling its nose while scuba diving – but only after throwing up and admitting he was “scared to death”.
The 54-year-old boxing icon took on the underwater challenge to kick off Discovery Channel’s ‘Shark Week’.
Iron Mike was pitted against the shark over three rounds, dubbed “Tyson vs Jaws”.
And it ended with him achieving “tonic immobility” – a temporary state of inactivity in the shark.
The first part of the challenge saw Tyson cage-diving with lemon sharks.
In the second round the ante was upped with an open ocean dive where he had to push the sharks gently away if they got too close.
By the final stage Tyson threw up before diving nearly 50 feet underwater without a cage.
He had to grab a shark and try to induce tonic immobility, which he did by grabbing its nose as it swam past him.
Tyson travelled to the Bahamas for the challenge and according to Bleacher Report, he worked with scientists to get more comfortable with sharks.
The trip came as he prepares to make his boxing comeback, 15 years after retiring.
Tyson faces Roy Jones Jr, 51, in an eight-round exhibition, which has been moved from September to November.
The reformed Baddest Man on The Planet revealed Shark Week helped conquer his fears and in turn prepared him mentally for his anticipated ring return.
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Tyson said: “I took on this challenger to overcome fears I still deal with in life.
“I equate this with overcoming my fear of getting back into the ring at 54 years old.
“I learned from this experience doing Shark Week that whatever intimidates me, I am still able to step up to the challenge of overcoming anything that would prevent me from accomplishing my life’s mission of reaching my highest potential in life and bringing me closer to God.”