‘You think I’m stupid?’ – Mike Tyson ‘almost beat up’ Michael Jordan at awkward birthday party in Chicago
Two of the biggest alpha males in the history of sports almost came to blows at a dinner party. Iron Mike versus His Airness. Tyson was on top of the sports world in the 1980sGetty In 1988, Mike Tyson and Michael Jordan were allegedly very nearly involved in a scuffle with one another at a dinner party. Tyson and Jordan were in Chicago at a birthday party for NFL player Richard Dent when the interaction went down. Tyson’s co-manager Ryan Holloway detailed the scene in 2014 book Taming the Beast: The Untold Story of Team Tyson. The whole thing centered on Tyson’s wife at the time, actress Robin Givens, who Jordan was rumored to have been dating before Tyson and Givens tied the knot. However, at this point, their marriage, which only lasted 53 weeks, was already falling apart. “Tyson’s sitting there with his drink of choice, a Long Island Tea, and when he drinks his real feelings come out,” Holloway recalled. “I’m telling the server to water his drinks down ’cause I see where this is going. “Mike stares across the table at Michael Jordan. “He says, ‘Hey man, you think I’m stupid? I know you f***** with my b****. “Jordan looks like he just seen a ghost. ‘I know you messed with her,’ Mike says. ‘You can tell me.'” Givens (L) and Tyson (R) were married for less than two years together Jordan was still in pursuit of his first championship while he dated GivensGetty Jordan, understandably, refused to acknowledge Tyson’s accusation and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world than standing in front of Tyson. “It was a circus, for real, that night,” Holloway added. “Don King trying to change the subject. Me and John [Horne, Tyson’s other co-manager] trying to hold Mike down. “Mike telling everyone he’s going to bust Jordan’s a**. Jordan’s dressed sharp as always and he can’t get out of there fast enough.” While Holloway’s version of what happened seems like a full brawl was on the verge of breaking out, Chicago icons such as Dent, and Mike Ditka, had much different versions of what happened. Much calmer, and more subdued. Jordan is a well-known boxing fanGetty Ditka told the Chicago Tribune it was a nothing-burger. “It’s silly,” Ditka said. “Michael Jordan is not going to get into an altercation with anyone. He’s a class guy. First of all, the stupidest thing in the world is alcohol. “When you drink, you get that mouth running sometimes. That’s probably what happened.” Dent’s side of the story shared the same sentiment. “It was a little get-together after Michael Jordan’s game,” Dent told the Tribune. “After the game, we had a little get-together at a restaurant. That was about it… [Tyson] said some things to Mike. I don’t recall anything of that nature. I never saw [Jordan] look scared.” The most believable part of the entire story is that Jordan wasn’t scared. Because of course he wasn’t. Holloway doubled down in his book about his version of what happened, saying, “I know I’m not crazy, you don’t forget stuff like that.” We’ll never know what actually happened that night, but we do know there aren’t many people on the planet who could have faced a prime Mike Tyson and not flinch. Michael Jordan is one of those people.
Two of the biggest alpha males in the history of sports almost came to blows at a dinner party.
Iron Mike versus His Airness.
In 1988, Mike Tyson and Michael Jordan were allegedly very nearly involved in a scuffle with one another at a dinner party.
Tyson and Jordan were in Chicago at a birthday party for NFL player Richard Dent when the interaction went down.
Tyson’s co-manager Ryan Holloway detailed the scene in 2014 book Taming the Beast: The Untold Story of Team Tyson.
The whole thing centered on Tyson’s wife at the time, actress Robin Givens, who Jordan was rumored to have been dating before Tyson and Givens tied the knot.
However, at this point, their marriage, which only lasted 53 weeks, was already falling apart.
“Tyson’s sitting there with his drink of choice, a Long Island Tea, and when he drinks his real feelings come out,” Holloway recalled.
“I’m telling the server to water his drinks down ’cause I see where this is going.
“Mike stares across the table at Michael Jordan.
“He says, ‘Hey man, you think I’m stupid? I know you f***** with my b****.
“Jordan looks like he just seen a ghost. ‘I know you messed with her,’ Mike says. ‘You can tell me.'”
Jordan, understandably, refused to acknowledge Tyson’s accusation and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world than standing in front of Tyson.
“It was a circus, for real, that night,” Holloway added.
“Don King trying to change the subject. Me and John [Horne, Tyson’s other co-manager] trying to hold Mike down.
“Mike telling everyone he’s going to bust Jordan’s a**. Jordan’s dressed sharp as always and he can’t get out of there fast enough.”
While Holloway’s version of what happened seems like a full brawl was on the verge of breaking out, Chicago icons such as Dent, and Mike Ditka, had much different versions of what happened.
Much calmer, and more subdued.
Ditka told the Chicago Tribune it was a nothing-burger.
“It’s silly,” Ditka said.
“Michael Jordan is not going to get into an altercation with anyone. He’s a class guy. First of all, the stupidest thing in the world is alcohol.
“When you drink, you get that mouth running sometimes. That’s probably what happened.”
Dent’s side of the story shared the same sentiment.
“It was a little get-together after Michael Jordan’s game,” Dent told the Tribune.
“After the game, we had a little get-together at a restaurant. That was about it… [Tyson] said some things to Mike. I don’t recall anything of that nature. I never saw [Jordan] look scared.”
The most believable part of the entire story is that Jordan wasn’t scared.
Because of course he wasn’t.
Holloway doubled down in his book about his version of what happened, saying, “I know I’m not crazy, you don’t forget stuff like that.”
We’ll never know what actually happened that night, but we do know there aren’t many people on the planet who could have faced a prime Mike Tyson and not flinch.
Michael Jordan is one of those people.
