Mike Tyson says he would beat Rocky in a fight, depending on which movie he’s from
Mike Tyson, otherwise known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet,” has long been considered one of history’s greatest heavyweight boxing champions. So, naturally, it should come as no surprise that the man himself thinks that he could beat film’s greatest boxer, Rocky, in a fight — depending on what movie that Rocky comes from.
Mike Tyson, otherwise known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet," has long been considered one of history's greatest heavyweight boxing champions. So, naturally, it should come as no surprise that the man himself thinks that he could beat film's greatest boxer, Rocky, in a fight — depending on which Rocky we're talking about.
Tyson last night appeared on Comedy Central's Nightly Show to discuss, among other things, who the legendary champ could best in a boxing match. And while fictional and actual boxers alike were considered, there were few people that Tyson seemed apprehensive about going up against.
Tyson admits that he'd lose against Muhammad Ali and Jake LaMotta, though he could take Robert De Niro's Jake LaMotta from Raging Bull. Likewise, Tyson says De Niro's young Vito Corleone would easily beat him, as well as Soda Popinski from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out.
Rocky, however, stands far less of a chance.
When it comes to the first movie, Tyson says, "I would get him." Apollo Creed faces a similar fate in Tyson's eyes, with the former champ saying that, "I could take him." Ditto for Rocky in Rocky II, who Tyson dismissed with a simple "I win."
Rocky III and IV seems to be where Tyson begins to run into some trouble with his hypothetical victories. For Rocky III, Tyson assumes that "that might be close," perhaps due to Apollo Creed's training that time around. Rocky IV, meanwhile, is the first film that Tyson says would be a straight-up loss.
"Was I in that one?" Tyson joked about Rocky IV. "Did he fight the Russian? He would win, yeah."
Rocky Balboa, on the other hand, would result in a loss for Rocky, with Tyson saying "I will win." And, sadly, Nightly Show host Larry Wilmore neglected to ask Tyson about the Rocky of Rocky V — though, that could have been excluded on the technicality that it revolves around a street fight, and not a boxing match.
When it comes to a film from a different canon like Million Dollar Baby, though, Tyson sings a different tune.
"She might win," he said.