Mike Tyson Defends Donald Trump, Praises His Resilience

Boxing icon Mike Tyson has offered a strong defense of former President Donald Trump, describing him as resilient and someone worthy of respect.

Tyson, who first met Trump in the 1980s, stated in a recent appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" that he has voted for Trump and publicly supported him.

"I voted for him. I ran the streets for him," Tyson told Morgan. "I'm very proud of him. He's somebody that everybody should be proud of."

Tyson drew parallels between Trump's struggles and the challenges faced by Black individuals, suggesting that if one were unaware of Trump's identity, they might assume he was Black due to his resilience.

"Listen, if you didn't know who Donald Trump was and you didn't know his name, you would think he's Black," Tyson said. "When he went for President, he was bankrupt... He owed taxes, he owed so much money."

While Trump's businesses did declare bankruptcy six times, the last filing occurred in 2009, before his 2016 presidential run.

Tyson also pointed to Trump's handling of allegations of sexual misconduct. "All this sex abuse and all that stuff that he went through... People don't normally go that well. They normally have a nervous breakdown. He handled it," Tyson stated. "And that's why everyone has to respect him. Just from the way he handled his court procedures… I don't care if you hate his guts… you have to respect that."

In May 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable in a civil trial for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. A subsequent trial ordered Trump to pay Carroll an additional $83.3 million on top of an initial $5 million penalty.

Trump previously supported Tyson when the boxer faced sexual misconduct claims. In 1992, after Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana, Trump suggested the boxer was "railroaded in the case" and questioned the victim's narrative. At the time, Trump told the New York Post that Tyson should be allowed to avoid prison by paying the victim "millions and millions" of dollars, calling the conviction "already punitive."

Tyson and Trump have maintained a friendship over the decades, with Tyson fighting at Trump's hotels and casinos in the past. They were seen together at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 287 event in April 2023, and were also photographed together at a March of Dimes Gourmet Gala Benefit in 1989.