Mike Tyson and Conor McGregor are two of the biggest names to ever come out of combat sports.
In the boxing world, Iron Mike is an absolute legend, beginning his career with 19 consecutive knockouts or stoppages and becoming the youngest ever heavyweight champ.
On the MMA side, Conor McGregor rose up the ranks of the UFC, rapidly gaining popularity by way of his flashiness, his trash-talking, and his devastating left hook.
Both very different people, but they have a lot to relate about.
On Monday, Tyson chatted with Ariel Helwani about the difficulties of coming from nothing and achieving super stardom. Tyson grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where the crime rates were extremely high. According to Rolling Stone, he was constantly bullied due to his high-pitched voice and lisp, and it led him to an adolescence of robbing houses, fighting, and doing drugs. He first tried cocaine at the age of 11, and by 13 he had reportedly been arrested a staggering 38 times.
While not quite as checkered as Tyson’s past, McGregor grew up in Crumlin, Dublin – a rougher area known for its dense population and crime rates, as well as the turf of the Hutch family and rival Kinahan family. Conor grew up in the projects, according to ESPN.
Knowing the struggles of a dramatic rise to fame, Tyson has some advice for the rebellious Irishman.
McGregor will appear in court on October 11 in regards to an assault charge stemming from an incident at a bar in Dublin where he was caught on video punching a man in his 50s.
Full interview of Tyson is here:
(H/T Ariel Helwani)
