“Thought I killed him,” Mike Tyson once got into a street brawl with gang leader Mitch Green

Mike Tyson once got into a physical altercation with Mitch Green in the streets of Harlem and thought he killed Green.

“Thought I killed him,” Mike Tyson once got into a street brawl with gang leader Mitch Green

Mike Tyson and Mitch Green (Image Courtesy: The Independent)

Mike Tyson is best known for his boxing skills, but he is also infamous for his controversial past. Recently, Tyson apologized to Mitch Green, a gang leader, and his former opponent. Both of them had a violent confrontation 35 years ago where Tyson almost killed Green. This happened because the two men had a bitter grudge against each other, which caused the fight in Harlem in 1988. At the time, Tyson went to Dapper Dan’s clothing store in Harlem to buy a white leather jacket for $850.

Once Green realized that Tyson was there, he strode in, and they had a heated verbal exchange. In his autobiography, Mike Tyson claimed that he warned Green to leave the premises for his well-being. It is debatable if Tyson had given a speech to Green since he was at the store at 4 a.m. after a night of drinking. The matter escalated, and both had an altercation outside the store. While speaking about the fight, Tyson stated:

I thought I killed him, I was so scared. I was so happy the next day in the papers they showed his eye. Because I knew he wasn’t dead then.
Mike Tyson via REVOLT
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Tyson revealed that he beat up Green and went towards his car, but then Green broke his side mirror, which caused another beatdown. The fight left Tyson with a fractured arm and Green with a closed eye, facial contusions, and a cut on his nose.

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However, after the second beatdown, Green appeared to be completely unconscious, which made Tyson worry. Hence, the brawl was serious because Tyson punched Green so hard that he feared he had killed him.

Mike Tyson vs. Mitch Green professional fight in 1986

Tyson and Green faced each other in a professional boxing match on May 20, 1986. The fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and there was a lot of trash-talking between them. Tyson, who was rising rapidly through the ranks and gaining a reputation for his formidable punching power and aggressive fighting style, was still in the early stages of his professional career.

Mike Tyson and Mitch Green
Mike Tyson and Mitch Green (Image Courtesy: Sport Bible)

In the bout, Tyson dominated Green, and the fight went the full 10 rounds. Tyson won the match with a unanimous decision. This victory was part of Tyson’s impressive winning streak as he ascended to the heavyweight title.

After their professional bout, Tyson and Green encountered each other on the streets of Harlem. The exact details of what transpired vary, and both Tyson and Green have spoken about it. However, it is widely reported that a verbal exchange escalated into a physical confrontation.

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