Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has offered a robust defense of Donald Trump, describing the former and potentially future U.S. president as a resilient figure who possesses a rare kind of toughness. Appearing as a guest on the latest episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, Tyson reflected on a decades-long friendship with Trump that dates back to the 1980s, when both men were rising figures in their respective fields across New York City and Atlantic City.
During the wide-ranging interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, Tyson made no secret of his political allegiance and his admiration for Trump’s personal fortitude in the face of intense public scrutiny, financial turbulence, and legal battles. "I voted for him," the 60-year-old boxing icon told Morgan. "I ran the streets for him. You know, me getting votes… I’m very proud of him. He’s somebody that everybody should be proud of."
Tyson’s relationship with Trump represents one of the few enduring personal constants in the fighter’s tumultuous life. Over the decades, Tyson has experienced a near-total turnover in his inner circle and professional associations. His legendary trainer and mentor, Cus D’Amato, passed away in 1985. His high-profile and turbulent marriage to actress Robin Givens ended in divorce four years later. Later in the 1990s, Tyson’s fragile and often contentious business relationship with promoter Don King finally ruptured amid legal and financial disputes.
Yet, throughout the shifting landscape of Tyson’s personal and professional trials, Trump has remained a steady presence. During the height of Tyson’s boxing dominance, the heavyweight champion frequently fought at Trump’s hotels and casinos, and the real estate mogul was often seen as part of Tyson’s unofficial entourage. The two men maintained their connection through the various ups and downs of their respective lives and careers, forging a bond built on shared experiences of high-stakes pressure and public controversy.
To illustrate his profound respect for Trump’s ability to endure hardship, Tyson offered a striking cultural comparison during the interview. "Listen, if you didn’t know who Donald Trump was and you didn’t know his name, you would think he’s Black," Tyson remarked, explaining that in his view, Trump’s journey mirrors the kind of systemic adversity and relentless public skepticism often faced by marginalized individuals.
According to Tyson, it is Trump’s ability to survive multiple bankruptcies and wave after wave of intense legal and political opposition that cements his status as a formidable and admirable figure. Tyson pointed to Trump’s financial history as evidence of his resilience, though his recollection of the timeline was somewhat imprecise.
"When he went for President, he was bankrupt… He owed taxes, he owed so much money," Tyson said during the broadcast. In reality, while various corporate entities owned or operated by Trump did file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on six separate occasions, the final corporate bankruptcy filing occurred in 2009—years before Trump launched his successful 2016 campaign for the White House.
Nevertheless, Tyson’s broader point focused on the psychological and emotional toll of surviving monumental setbacks rather than corporate technicalities. Beyond financial pressures, Tyson expressed deep admiration for how Trump managed the relentless waves of sexual misconduct allegations and subsequent legal proceedings that have followed him for years.
"All this sex abuse and all that stuff that he went through," Tyson continued. "People don’t normally go that well. They normally have a nervous breakdown. He handled it. 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. Just off the bat."
Trump has consistently denied all allegations of sexual misconduct and has never been criminally convicted of any such offenses. However, his legal record includes civil liability. In May 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable in a civil trial for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, awarding her damages. A subsequent federal court trial resulted in a jury ordering Trump to pay an additional $83.3 million on top of the initial $5 million penalty stemming from the earlier verdict.
The mutual support between Tyson and Trump has a long history. Decades ago, Trump publicly defended Tyson when the boxer faced the most severe crisis of his professional and personal life. Following Tyson’s 1992 rape conviction in Indiana, Trump spoke to NBC and asserted that the boxer had been "railroaded in the case," while publicly questioning the credibility of the victim’s account. At the time, Trump even went so far as to suggest in press interviews that Tyson should be permitted to avoid a prison sentence by paying millions of dollars to the victim as financial restitution, arguing that the conviction and public humiliation were already excessively punitive.
During his conversation with Piers Morgan, Tyson did not explicitly reference the staunch public support Trump offered him during his 1992 legal ordeal. He did, however, pivot to more recent events, referencing the July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Tyson dismissed any notion of weakness on the former president’s part, declaring emphatically that Trump is "not a p***y President."
As Tyson continues to make headlines for his political commentary and public endorsements, his own athletic career remains a subject of intense media interest and transition. His planned exhibition bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been placed on hold after the former heavyweight champion sustained a broken hand in May. Complicating matters further for a potential matchup is an ongoing lawsuit filed against Mayweather by promoter CSI Sports.
Tyson’s recent return to the professional boxing ring in late 2024 saw him face younger cruiserweight contender Jake Paul. In that high-profile bout, Tyson was defeated via a unanimous decision after eight rounds, in an event that drew massive global attention and was streamed live by an estimated 60 million households on Netflix. Despite the physical toll of his fighting career and the passage of decades since his prime championship years, Tyson remains an outspoken cultural and political voice, steadfastly standing by the allies he made during his earliest days in the national spotlight.
